A Real-Life Example of Why Branding Matters and an Example of a Branding Failure!

Last night, I sat and drank next to a guy at my local watering hole. I had seen him there before and last night was really the first time we had spoken. I didn't know who he was, or what he did, but was very surprised to find out that he is the program director of one of the top, and most famous AM radio stations in all of Japan. Now before you say, "Hold it, Mike! AM radio!? Boooooring! I'm turning it off!" Then let me ask that you read this story to see an example of how not to do things.

SPIKE JONES - BEETLEBOMB

WHO IS THIS GUY? DON'T KNOW, 

BUT LOOKS LIKE THE TYPICAL FM RADIO LISTENER

This is a real-life example of failure. Not of the AM radio station, but of stations that mimic them.


I had gone to one of my favorite drinking holes in Yoga, a Izakaya named Sakura. Sakura has been in the same place for nearly 30 years. It is a very old fashioned neighborhood drinking hole in the wall.


I always like to go to these places like Sakura early as that allows me to drink quietly before the crowds, to talk to the owners about what's really going on with the Japanese people in the neighborhood (I've never seen any foreigners there), and it allows me to reflect on various things. 


When I entered the bar, there was one other gentleman sitting there drinking. I had seen him there before. And, as with the last time I saw him, he was already pretty drunk when I entered.


Since I had seen him before, and since Sakura is a very friendly place with a "family" type of atmosphere, I said, "Good Evening" to him. He was, as before, pretty fashionably dressed (for a nearly 65-year-old guy) and was deep in conversation with the bar owner. I started listening to their conversation. He was talking to the "Momma" of the joint and explaining something about a sponsorship with a world famous sports wear maker - thereby explaining why he was so fashionably dressed. He explained how the sports wear maker traded clothes for advertising and how the old model of advertising (paying for commercials) was dead.


I knew from just hearing a bit of his conversation that he must have been in broadcasting and knew what the hell he was talking about. I joined into the conversation. I was surprised to find out that he was working at one of the most famous AM radio stations in Japan.


I asked what he did and he told me what his position was at the radio station. I was shocked when he told me his title and job and gave me his card. Now, don't misunderstand, this is not some crummy little radio station in Japan; there's not a person over the age of 12 who hasn't heard of this radio station. They broadcast horse racing and professional baseball too. This station is one of, if not thee, most famous of the (generic) AM radio stations in Japan. 


Well, the old guy went on and told me all about his problems at work with declining revenues and sponsorships. I listened and didn't say anything about having worked at an FM station before (actually, in the late 1980's, I did host a radio show for three years on that very same AM radio station... I think... Or was it the competing station? I can't remember because in Japan they all sound alike. 


In fact, all of the radio stations in Japan all sound exactly alike, be they AM radio or FM radio. The only way anyone can tell the difference between one station to the next is by looking at the number on the radio tuner or waiting until that station's call letters and name are announced.... Yawn....

Anyway, the guy went on and told us about how, about 4 years ago, that this station had made the genius move in a policy switch to target only 35 ~ 55-year-old people with a emphasis on mostly males. This little tidbit of information just floored me. Why?


Well, because, here is a very old school AM station that's been around since the late 1950's. They are one of the four or five dominant radio stations that everyone has heard of. All cars in Japan have AM radios (FM radios are rare). Everyone knows this particular station.


With that ancient history and the fact that this station broadcasts boring stuff like professional baseball and horse racing that interests old people, you'd think that their policy was always to target 35 ~ 65-year-old men. But no, you'd have thought wrong.


So why is this interesting and why is this an example of how not to do things with an emphasis on branding? Well, because, it's not so much that this old, dusty, tired and worn out old war-horse of a radio station picks such a policy, it's because, about 4 years ago, about the same time that this old guy says his AM radio station embarked on this policy, a FM radio station announced that they were doing the exact same thing!


Yes. About 4 years ago, the so-called international FM radio station in Tokyo, InterFM, proudly announced that they were going to target 35 ~ 65-year-old males. Talk about a bunch of parrots! 


AM radio is supposed to feature talk radio and target older people. FM radio is supposed to feature music - and, in the case of a supposed "International radio station" like InterFM, they're supposed to target a younger audience and not broadcast things like horse racing.


But, unbelievably, InterFM did start broadcasting horse racing! Have you ever heard of such a thing? A FM radio station broadcasting horse racing? And not in the native language of the host country. Absurd.


So, InterFM continues to lose a million (USD) a year. Is it any wonder? They are dead as a doornail come this July. I wrote about that in One More Phase in the Shattering of Main Stream Media here.


Now, considering the above, you can see why this is a lesson in how not to do things.


If your company is a smaller or a newer company in a well-established market and you want to succeed in that market, if everyone is selling turnips, you'd better find something else to sell or you will be out of business.


InterFM? Targeting 35 ~ 65-year-old males? What a brilliant - and so incredibly original - business strategy. 


Why do they even bother? If they are not going to even try to make money or set out a niche in their market then it's time for them to shut the power down and go off air.


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For more on the death of major broadcasting in Japan here's more information:

Why the Digital Conversion Will Destroy TV Tokyo and TBS

Part 2: Why the Digital Conversion Will Destroy TV Tokyo and TBS

Own Mizuho Bank or TV Tokyo Shares? Sell Now, While You Can!

Major Television Stations in Japan on Death's Doorstep

Choose Your Business Partners Well

The title of this article might have also been called, "Working Hard to No Avail - Choose Your Partners Well."

Lee Dorsey - Working in the Coal Mine

Choosing partners well might seem obvious to everyone. But, in this day and age of limited opportunity and a poor economy, many might say that it is not a choosers market. But let me also add on to this statement by saying that one should not only choose their partners well, they should also choose their clients well.... Especially if they are a new business. 


There are only 24 hours in a day; only so much time that can be dedicated to doing a job right. What happens to you if you work hard and show the needed dedication to your projects only to have those projects ruined by business practices of your clients or partners? What happens to you and your reputation if you introduce your partners and clients to your own local business network connections - and bring them into your network - and they turn around and make you look bad to your connections that you had nurtured for all this time?


You agree to do a job for money. Time is also money. If you spend lots of time on a project and then your partner or client ruins it, then not only have you lost time, you lost money... Reputation is also money - only your reputation is priceless. Protect your reputation like gold.

Your company logo here... Er, never mind....

I know what I am talking about here because huge incidents involving my partners and clients it have happened several times in the last two years. One just happened again in the last few days.


I started a marketing and advertising branch in my company because I felt that selling advertising for TV and radio shows that I produced was not getting the results I wanted in today's market. Why? Well, when I sell for a TV or radio show and the client is interested in the Internet, cell phones, events, print media, then I lose out.


But if I take care of the client needs across the board, it matters not to me if they want the Internet, I can arrange that; if they want TV or radio, I can arrange that too. If I run the advertising agency, rather than just being an executive producer for a broadcast, then I am able to fill clients needs whatever they may be. Of course, you must always fill a need.


The market is tight and competition is tough. No matter, I was still able to go out and do some major tie-ups for huge Japanese companies and overseas corporations trying to break into the Japanese market. The deals were all set up to be very mutually beneficial to all parties involved. Since my company is a new company in this market, I was arranging promotions for a very inexpensive price - sometimes free - to show clients that I can achieve the impossible in the Japanese market for little cost to them.


But, in some cases, the business problems of my partners or other unforeseeable events have caused damage to my company. 


There is an old Chinese curse that says, "May you live in interesting times."


I have to say that it has been a very fun, exciting, sometimes extremely stressful, and yes, interesting few years; I have had client companies suddenly go bankrupt. Once was an airlines that was shutdown by their local country government. It was the first time in aviation history that a license was revoked to a private company by a government. Yes. That was my client. I had to spend the next three months going about to the Japanese partner companies and bowing my head profusely and apologizing. (Hint: Always bring a box of cookies to the person you are apologizing to. This shows manners and respect in Japan... And, no, I don't mean a dollar bag of cookies from the convenience store. I mean at least a $20 gift box of cookies from the department store. High class stuff only!)


Luckily for me, all my Japanese partners knew me for years and understood that these events were out of my control. They appreciated the fact that I took responsibility and apologized. 


I am proud to say that I still have every single one of these Japanese partners still as partners today!


I've had another airlines be in the news, twice in two weeks, for having knives and cutters found onboard - as well as another highly visible mechanical failure - just as we were about to agree to a deal with another major Japanese partner. The Japanese partner, when he heard about this incident on the news, was extremely worried. The deal was killed.


And now, yesterday - right after a major promotional deal was just completed in Japan - I see where riots have hit the streets of one of my client countries that was involved in this major promotion. I won't name the country, but this is a country that is not in the Middle East and is not one of the EU nations suffering. Many people do not even know this country. But, yet, there they are on RTTV and on Youtube and the alternative news media; riots in the street and full battle gear riot police battling it out with demonstrators.


I seriously doubt that a Japanese person will want to go to vacation there. If this news hits the mainstream media in Japan, which I suspect it will soon, then all the work that I did with the fine people who work at that nation's Tourism Board and I will be down the drain. Not to mention the fact that the major Japanese partner of our recent promotion will be furious and demand an explanation from me. If the rioting escalates and the situation worsens, this will also probably ruin any future cooperation between me and that Japanese partner forever.


I have no control over this situation. Even though I don't and this is 100% not my fault, I will still need to bow my head to the Japanese partner, apologize and take responsibility.


It takes a long time to build trust. It just takes one action to destroy that trust. 


I took a long time building trust and a relation with the Japanese partner. This one incident might destroy that trust forever.


So never forget, dear reader, whether it is a new job position that you are applying for or you are deciding who to work with or work for, choose your partners carefully.


Good reputations are hard to build. Sometimes, things out of your control, will make them even more difficult to keep. 


Remember that time and reputation are money. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish. Choose your partners and clients well. 


This article was inspired by Roger Marshall of Odgers Berndtson, now there's a guy who only chooses the best.    

Moja, Marketing and Me (Japan's Best New Rock Band is Moja)

OK. A short (but hopefully interesting) blog for your Sunday pleasure. It's mainly about a Japanese rock band named Moja but it is also about getting out and marketing yourself in the real world to real people. 


First up, let's talk about the band, Moja.

Moja. Playing at SXSW 3/16/2011

Here is Japan's best new rock band. Their name is Moja. They are a drum and bass duo with a guy named Haruhiko and a goddess on drums named Masumi. This duet is so hot that they've been invited to play at SXSW in March 2011. That's huge!


What is SXSW? Wikipedia describes:


SXSW Music is one of the largest music festivals in the United States, with more than 2,000 performers playing in more than 90 venues around downtown Austin over four days, in March. Though it is an industry-based event, SXSW Music links locally with events such as the annual Austin Music Awards show and Texas Rock Fest. SXSW Music also offers free musical samples of featured artists at each festival. 


When people ask, "Who do they sound like?" I can't answer that question. It's hard to describe Moja's sound. They don't sound like anyone else. It's incredible that just two people, with just a drum and bass, can make such a massive wall of sound.


If you like loud rock music, then click on the video. If not, then don't! This blog will continue below with an explanation of what this has to do with you and with marketing. 

Since this band is rising like a rocket, I knew that I had to take this chance to make their promotion video. Both Ken Nishikawa and I took two days (one was all night) in Feb. 2011 to shoot this video and then we edited it for about 10 hours on a Saturday night. It was a fun but extremely tiring process.  


Making a video like this should cost at least ¥500,000 for the entire package. How much did Ken and I get paid to make this video? Nothing. Zero. We did it for free. It was a labor of love... 


Actually we lost money as we bought food and drinks for ourselves during the shooting and editing days as well as train fare.


So, if we lose money doing this, why do it? 


Because I've mentioned many times before, that to be successful on the Internet, you have to have great content and you have to give things away for free. When you give things away for free, you are addressing the wants and needs of the readers and people who come to your site - and not being self-centric by always thinking of your own wants and needs. When you give things away for free, people will come. Perhaps, after addressing these needs of your visitors, then they can enter into your sales cycle then become a money maker for you thereby addressing your needs. 


You also have to be an expert in some field. I consider myself an expert in independent music. I've been in it for over 30 years.


I am starting an Internet business that is very much concerned with the music business. And since I have already been in the music business since 1978 and know that, in the music  business, credibility is hard to get, it is even harder to buy.


By supporting independent artists and the independent music scene and creating these sorts of high-quality music videos for those artists,  we make a statement; we are here and we are here to help you - not take advantage of you. 


This gives me massive credibility - much more than a, say, mere promoter who wants to hold shows and make money. I am giving the artist something they really want, and can use for years and asking for nothing in return.


One of the problems with Internet people is that they have no experience in the real world. They have sat behind their computers for so long that they don't know that face to face human interaction is still the trump card - especially in a business like the music business. Look at how the CEO of Groupon screws up his business by not being understanding of real people's feelings and local customs.


He definitely needs to get out more into the real world. 


Here is an ancient Chinese saying: "It is the wise business man who bows his head lowest for he shall understand his customers and become wealthy." OK, well, it's not so ancient and it's not so Chinese; I just made it up. But it's true.


Now, with a video like the above, I show people that I am here to help and be a part of the scene and I am real. This video is great promotion for the band but it is also great promotion for me too. We made this video last night. This morning I just did a Google search for "Moja Japanese band" and there the video is on the first page of results and, along with it, my name appears! Mission Accomplished!


If you are blogging or doing Social Media or other Internet services, is there anyway that you can become more connected with the real world by getting out and doing things with real people; thereby driving others to your web site and promoting your name? 


Think about it.




Here's another article on Moja


Moja on Myspace

Read Books. Improve Yourself... You Are the Only Asset You Really Have.

If you want to make it in today's world, then you need to read books. Lot's of them. I especially recommend books on business and Internet marketing. Today I will recommend some of my favorites.


The reason you need to read books is that books help you to improve yourself and to learn.

Are you indispensable?

Many people say that now is the digital age and if you do not have command of IT and the Internet, then you are doomed to failure. I might agree. But I'd also like to point out that today, and as has been the case for a thousand years, the successful, educated, and wealthy read books. The future will be no different; the  people who do not read books are left behind. 


If you do not read books and watch even a little bit of TV, I suggest that you stop the TV immediately and start on books. Watching TV is a displacement of time that could be used for more important, fruitful endeavors. Even reading a novel is better for your brain as, with a novel, your imagination is at allowed to exercise itself.


I work in publicity, advertising and marketing in Japan and I know if I don't keep up on new things, I will fall behind very soon. 


I know one guy at a major Japanese TV station who complained to me that things weren't going so well. I recommended that he start reading books... He looked flabbergasted. Now, here's a guy who is about 40-some years old and in-charge of about 6 people. His business is going really bad. I told him to look for the answers in reading books... he replied, "Mike-san, I hate reading books. I haven't read a book since high school." 


I replied, "There's is no difference between people who can't read books and people who don't read books. Think about that." 


He acted as if it were impossible for him to read books because he has some sort of learning disorder.  

My six-year-old reads more books in a month than a section chief 

at a major Japanese TV station reads in ten years.

  
This is a guy who is a section chief at a company that is losing a quarter of a million US dollars a year. Are you surprised that they are losing money? I'm not. Doesn't he realize that he has a responsibility to his staff to keep up on information? Doesn't he realize that he is being negligent towards his families' future?


No. He doesn't. Why doesn't he? He watches too much TV and hasn't read a book in almost 20 years?


What an idiot. I hate calling him an idiot, but no other words apply.


Reading books helps you to imagine, to grow, and to develop your skills and knowledge. You'll need to do these things and constantly improve yourself to be able to compete in the next 10 - 20 years.

As famous American professional basketball coach Pat Riley once wrote, "If you are not getting better, you are getting worse."


One of my favorite books is Focal Point by Brian Tracy. In Focal Point, Mr. Tracy supports my argument by writing; "To earn more, you must learn more... You are your most valuable asset... You must continually feed your mind to develop more of your potential. You must continually upgrade your abilities to think and perform at higher levels. "


So improve yourself. Get into the habit today of reading at least one book a week... Preferably not novels or comic books... I mean books about business and self-improvement.


Improve yourself... You are the only real asset you have.


Here are my recent favorites:


Brian Tracy; Focal Point and Goals
David Meerman Scott; New Rules of Marketing & PR
Chris Anderson; Free the Future of a Radical Price
Seth Godin; Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable, New Edition and Linchpin
Malcolm Gladwell; Outliers 
Marie Winn; Plug-in Drug




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Keywords: business, internet marketing, books, skills, knowledge, Brian Tracy, Focal Point, upgrade, ability, abilities, self-improvement, publicity, advertising, marketing, Japan, Mike Rogers, Mike in Tokyo, Marketing Japan