I can sometimes predict how a Frost Advisory will land. Sometimes it can be soothing to the ear, like a gentle breeze on an autumn day. (Pardon the mixed metaphor). Other times it can create discomfort with a frantic e-mail forwarding from GM to PD to air staff to chief engineer to receptionist with an accompanying “What do you make of this #?@#& tomfoolery?”

Frost Advisory #838 will be the latter.

If I wanted to, I could give you a short list of a stations in our format that have actually built strong brands over the years. But there’s really no reason for me to. You already know who they are. They are meaningful and memorable. But they are few. Maybe that’s the point.

In a recent conversation with a newly launched CCM station the boss guy told me, “We can get people to sample the station but we can’t get them to come back.”

Mic drop.

I responded, “That’s because you’re only a playlist, not yet developed into a true brand.”

“Brands are like novels and movies and TV shows. Brands are like hit songs. Brands are like actors and musicians. Brands are like good books.”

Bill Bernbach

Playlists are a stack of songs that can easily be sorted by a twelve-year-old on their iPhone.

Too many believe that a playlist of (choose from the menu) older, hotter, softer, more worship, less worship, this ten-year span or that ten-year span, is an actual format. (The good news is that it is possible for a specific playlist to be developed into a meaningful brand, although few are willing to do the heavy lifting. I worked on the creative team at the first Young Country station in America so I’ve lived it. But I warn you, it wasn’t merely about the playlist).

Only a select few radio stations in our format are unique BRANDS. Most are simply commodities known for little more than what is inherent in the music. If the words that define your station are words that any station in the format can have simply by being on the air, your station is at best a mere playlist, not a true brand. But a brand is more than that.

“If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.”

Howard Schultz, Starbucks