'Deathstar' Marketing Plan Takes Shape for Radio Network's April '11 Launch

react's second marketing session again burst with the type of passion and intelligence worthy of a public policy debate.  The objective of Sunday evening's meeting was to refine the radio network's marketing plan; to settle upon its corporate mission, vision, identity (brand), target metrics, and promotional strategy as its launch date approaches.

The initial framework for the marketing plan was created at a meeting 12 days earlier.  Gloria Nauden, former executive director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, lent her expertise in focusing the workgroup's ideas into readily digestible marketing materials.  By the closing of Sunday's meeting, a consensus was reached most of the information needed for react's media kit -- including the target market's demographic and psychographic profile.  The topic of demographics proved to be the most vigorous area of discussion, with very strong feelings expressed both for and against ethnocentric marketing strategies.  After a somewhat lengthy and intricate sidebar on economics, marketing, and radio, it was decided ethnocentric appeals were both problematic and inconsistent with a 'progressive' theme.

There was a short discussion on how best to take advantage of new media and the Internet.  Isaac Shmaschemov raised some very interesting points on how the latest technologies are underutilitized by broadcasters.  Not much time in this session was spent discussing new media strategy, but Isaac, Seth Jackson, Robert Newkirk, and I have pledged to meet ASAP to map out this part of react's marketing plan, including the network's logo and web page.

A topic that sent the workgroup into brain fade twice is the network's promo liner, the voice-over announcers give every hour when giving a radio station's ID, e.g.; 'Q99 FM... BANG!!! The Future of Rock n' Roll'.   I think there had been 7-8 suggestions in the first marketing session, and another 10 discussed between Kymone Freeman and myself.  Again, some good ideas bubbled up from the group -- all of which were intended to capture the essence of our mission and programming format.  It was near the end of the session, after the debate over promoting react as 'Black' versus 'Progressive', when someone casually mentioned, '360 degrees of knowledge'.  I quickly wrote, '360 degrees of positivity' on the board, and the phrase seemed to resonate with the workgroup.  I think it's a winner.

Hopefully, we'll be able to have promotional literature announcing react -- with its logo and slogan -- available for Kymone's event this Sunday at the Lincoln Theater , Umoja on U: A Black History Celebration. 

D.C.: A Music Mecca's Unrequited Love

A number of prominent, internationally-known musicians have claimed the greater Washington, D.C. area as their home.  Representing nearly every genre, they include Duke and Mercer Ellington, Marvin Gaye, Tori Amos, Billy Eckstine, Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters & Nirvana), Roberta Flack, Patsy Cline, Jelly Roll Morton, the Blackbyrds, Bo Diddley, Henry Rollins, Denyce Graves, and others.  Venues like Bohemian Caverns and the Lincoln Theater were the basis of the U Street corridor's reputation as "Washington's Black Broadway".  The nation's capitol even has its own native music genre -- Go-Go -- and has a significant (though underground) House/Electronic music scene.  According to Wikipedia, the D.C. area, "... is also an important center for indie music and culture in the United States", and, "... a prominent center for national and international media".  So, it's disappointing that even with the recent emergence of D.C.-based acts like Wale, Good Charlotte, and Raheem DeVaughn onto the national scene that local 'indie' artists get relatively little support from the local media outlets and purpose-built entertainment venues. 

As a member of r.e.a.c.t.'s advisory board, your input will help shape D.C.'s music scene for the benefit of the region's emerging artists, fans, and entrepreneurs.  Our individual resources can be combined to:

• promote music and performing artists of the Washington, D.C. region
• develop a network of affiliate performance spaces, media outlets, and business/professional services that support local independents
• establish a viable minimum compensation formula for 'live' performances in area venues
• fund grants and endowments.

r.e.a.c.t. is open to input from anyone in any part of the greater D.C. community.  For consideration as an advisory board member, add to this thread a brief factoid about yourself, or your organization, your interest in local music, and your ideas in support of the organization's cause.  Submissions are open now through May 28, 2010.