KUSA, Tegna’s NBC affiliate in Denver, is airing a campaign that features more than 30 spots, with more coming. Robert Springer, KUSA’s advertising and promotion director, has just one rule for them: “We don’t want anything scripted. We want them to be authentic.” The spots feature news anchors, reporters, meteorologists and sports anchors talking on camera. […]
KUSA, Tegna’s NBC affiliate in Denver, is airing a campaign that features more than 30 spots, with more coming.
Robert Springer, KUSA’s advertising and promotion director, has just one rule for them: “We don’t want anything scripted. We want them to be authentic.”
The spots feature news anchors, reporters, meteorologists and sports anchors talking on camera.
“No script,” says Springer, “we find real Colorado locations, and it’s just a conversation after that.”
Sitting down, or standing up, with your on-air talent to talk about whey they do, what they care about, what inspires them, and what kind of things they see in Colorado on a daily basis is what Springer wants.
And it’s refreshing.
It follows an old adage, if you want to know about a business, ask the people who work there.
“We have a conversation with each and every person, the idea of coming to your on-air people with scripts that somebody else wrote, you’re always going to have that detachment and it’s never going to feel authentic.”
Springer says local TV news promos ‘have kind of played out. Every promise has already been made, everything you can say about local news has probably already been said.”
He wanted this campaign to be straightforward. “Our people are real, and they care about what’s happening.”
The campaign has been getting wide exposure during the Olympics on KUSA.
“When viewers tune in with their families, they see four or so promos about 9 News and they’re not seeing the same thing over and over. They’re getting unique experiences. And they deserve that.”
Springer personally places the spots on the log as he does with the station’s Black History Month spots, which feature young people, in very much the same production style as the news promos, talking naturally about their favorite role models.
NOTE: I have always liked this kind of campaign, unscripted, natural, real, as a way to get viewers to know and like your people. Yes, some are human interest, profile pieces, but others touch on hard news investigations the station has done.
Your people in the newsroom are smart, caring, and articulate. They are your brand, so don’t hesitate to let them speak in their own words.
And the Black History Months spots are inventive, original, engaging, unique and every bit as real as the news spots.
Well done, KUSA.
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