92.5 Jack FM advertising in Toronto or don’t promote your competitor.

If you read any of my posts you probably know that I love Rock and everything that goes with it. Now, in Toronto two my knowledge they are two major rock stations: Q107 Classic Rock and 92.5 Jack Fm. Whenever, I forget my Ipod I do listen to both stations. I listen to them interchangeably depending purely on the song or commercial that is playing at the moment. The difference between two stations is that Q is playing classic rock only, while Jack FM plays modern rock as well.

Now two months ago Jack FM rolled out a new advertising campaign in Toronto. The whole drive behind the campaign was to just bash Q107 and just say that only older generation listens to it. Jack FM even had a recording of listeners who called in and said how much they hate Q107. This is it – the whole marketing is based on putting down the competition.

I have a lot of contacts in advertising agencies in Toronto, but I think this campaign was made from within the company.  I would fire the guy who did it.
This campaign is just so against any of marketing principles:

• it failed to position the product, all it did is talked about competition
• marketing 101 negative publicity is still a publicity
  
• it offended people who listened to both radio stations
• it offended older generation
• it offended the spirit of Rock (what are you saying Green Day is more rock than Led Zeppelin?)

Guess what? The stations is owner by pretty familiar company to my regular readers – Rogers Wireless.

I decided to write this post just now, because I was listening to Jack FM for the first time in two months and figured that they changed their approach. Right now they actually push on the fact that they are the only station where a person can listen to both modern and classic rock. I think it is way better approach.

The lesson is talk about yourself, tell me why you are good! Don’t tell me about why other guys are bad, I might love these people and you will make me feel stupid. These are the principles that even rookie sales reps know.

Related Posts:
Rogers Wireless the hate lives on
Rogers Wirelss Monitors You

It is an amazing day in Toronto. I think all the the bloggers need to have at least a little post saluting a first day that looks like a real spring. The first words that I head this morning were “Thanks G-d it is Friday,” when I got to the office to my regular “How are you?” the response was “Thanks G-d it is Friday.” I agree! I love Fridays! Especially a Friday before Passover -a  Jewish holiday that celebrates the liberation of physical and mental slavery. It is a great day.

Wait it is not the end of my post. On this beautifull  day I bought my favourite lunch, wore my converse and went to relax in write this post in my backyard. I also wanted to make it offical that last Friday I submitted my two weeks notice and I am quitting my 9-5 job to become a business owner. This day is even better, but just for me.

There are different reasons why I decided to quit and say no to “steady paycheck” – it was not that steady.  Reader’s Digest version is that I believe that I am in my prime time to start a business. I am young, energetic and without a lot of responsibilities. Doing what I want to do each day (and not what I am told or just have to do) will ultimately make me happier and healthier person.

I am planning to go home for a month to completely re-boot my system and not just to recharge my batteries, but put some new ones in. Yes, yes I will spend a whole month lying on a beach without worrying about bills, deadlines, sales and revenue reports. I will just surf – the Mediterranean sea.

I have some sort of plan, not a complete business plan on what I am going to do after I return. Obviously, part of the plan is to develop www.toronto4couples.com. I am planning to use all the tools I received while earning my degree, that I forgot while doing something unrelated for two years at my job.

I feel like a kid before summer vacation. One more week and I will be released from rat race prison. Yeah I am scared, but oh well as we say in Russia you have to take risks to drink champaigne.

P.S. I wish I had quite like that Guy, but no I didn’t burn any bridges and used a polite letter from www.i-resign.com