When a new creative service director comes to a TV station, they have to figure out what’s working and what isn’t. Do the messages reflect the brand? What does the tone, feel, look and attitude of the marketing say about the station? Is it consistent? What needs to be changed, dropped, tweaked or modified? What […]
When a new creative service director comes to a TV station, they have to figure out what’s working and what isn’t.
Do the messages reflect the brand? What does the tone, feel, look and attitude of the marketing say about the station?
Is it consistent? What needs to be changed, dropped, tweaked or modified? What are the station’s strengths?
That’s the situation Janeen Vogelaar stepped into at KARE, Tegna’s NBC affiliate in Minneapolis, about six months ago when she was named director of marketing and creative services.
“I didn’t want to walk in to throw away the baby with the bath water,” said Vogelaar.
“This is a station that has a great reputation in the market and so it’s not about coming in and kind of stripping it down and building from scratch.”
What was working was what the station stood for, what came to viewers’ minds when they thought of the station, the station’s brand, its image.
Because if you don’t stand for something in the viewers’ minds, something they value and want, you’re vanilla, you’re flavorless gum.
“KARE’s brand, or the kind of marketing slogan that we’re working with and that we plan to continue, is Minnesota’s Own,” said Vogelaar.
“Community is very much a part of that KARE brand. So that’s something that we wanted to keep.”
Minnesota’s Own – Patty Wetterling from KARE 11 Creative on Vimeo.
Minnesota’s Own – Cory Hepola – Sunrise Anchor – Coaches from KARE 11 Creative on Vimeo.
If you want viewers to feel as if your station is part of their neighborhood, your people, the ones behind and in front of the camera, have to have roots there.
“We’re really lucky to have such great talent that have been around a long time,” said Vogelaar.
She added that John Remes, KARE’s general manager, has been with the station for 20 years and that Jane Helmke, KARE’s news director as of five years ago, has worked at KARE for 35 years.
“We have a lot of people that really want to stay in this market. There’s definitely a let’s look internal first and find opportunities with the people we have. This commitment and that kind of love and passion for Minnesota, it comes from the top down.”
A brand that’s true and resonates with viewers, stability in the product and the people who present it, what else did Vogelaar want to keep?
“KARE has a brand look that has been developed. The KARE brand is very much around storytelling and KARE values that to a very high degree.”
https://www.facebook.com/KARE11/videos/10157881273040457/
https://www.facebook.com/KARE11/videos/10157774831180457/
Comments (0)
Reader Interactions