Dick Clark's legacy: Interactive teens

By John McGory

“It’s got a beat and you can dance to it.” That phrase summed up the brilliant career of one of America’s great showmen, Dick Clark. He passed away last week at the age of 82.

Clark took over a local Philadelphia teenage music television program, Bandstand, in 1957. 

The national television networks were looking for programming and Clark pitched Bandstand to ABC. The network picked it up and changed the name to AmericanBandstand.  The program first aired August 5, 1957.

Clark’s easy-going style harnessed the power of the young to change popular culture.  He played a key role in merging television, advertising, music, dance and teenagers.

What can modern day advertisers and social media gurus learn from the media-savvy Clark?  What did he do that made American Bandstand a national sensation?

Clark’s biggest plus was not to get in the way. American Bandstand was not about Dick Clark. He wore conservative suits, smiled oh-so politely and introduced new music and culture with a simple wave of the hand.

The show’s highlights were new music, new dances and new clothing styles. Teens in small-town America could see what was hip in Philadelphia and later Los Angeles. The show allowed teens to be interactive.

He asked for their opinions on music and dance. The “Rate-a-Record” segment allowed teens in the studio and at home to judge new music. The phrase, “It’s got a beat and you can dance to it” came from teens judging records that appealed to them.

Clark gave some advertising advice in an article he wrote for Advertising Age in 1972 that still applies today. 

“Make sure commercials are believable.”  One suggestion for believability he had was through the “judicious use of the vernacular of the day.”  He warned not to be caught using out-of-date phrases such as “groovy.”

This advice seems obviously simple.  But take a look at today’s advertising.  Many advertisers are straining their credibility through the use of seemingly hip phrases and stunts that quickly grow cold with overuse.

Youth drives culture. Dick Clark understood that and didn’t try to be a part of the new culture. He said he couldn’t dance and, more importantly, didn’t want to dance. He was a reporter who gave the facts by showing teens as they wanted to be seen. The teens said it had a beat, not Clark.

  

Clark said this about the young. “They’re more fun. They’re not jaded, they keep you young. I’ve seen them lead the way—not only in sociological and political aspects, but out there on the street of commerce.”

Dick Clark’s ability to keep his dignity while still showing the newest trends and styles allowed him to prosper for decades. He didn’t get outdated because he never got sucked into changing along with the culture.    

Today’s marketing and advertising ego-driven world tries so hard to be hip and cool.  Unfortunately, they often end up looking lame.  Clark’s American Bandstand had a simple yet edgy strategy.  He let teens interact and got out of the way.   The world could learn a lot from Clark’s unassuming, hands-off style. 

John McGory is a partner at Webface, an original content creation company.   Let us help you reach your customers in cool ways.      

Are Universities Today's Living Dinosaurs?

By John McGory

Social media is the greatest “do-it-yourself” communications tool of all time. Unlike the printing press, telegraph, telephone, radio and television, social media unleashes the power of the individual to communicate to the world.

Social media puts the printing press into each of our hands.  It makes us television producers, columnists and telegraph operators.  We can form and enrich relationships with people around the world and down the street.  “Social” in this context means much more than a “howdy-doo neighbor.”

This medium is still in its infancy. We will determine what it grows up to be.  Our hands are on the controls. How will it change us?  Here are a few potential areas. 

Social media will further democratize knowledge.  The printing press took the power of knowledge away from the Church and made it secular.  Social media will do the same to large institutions.  Universities, governments and corporations will face challenges.

Advertising will not be the obtrusive ogre that has stalked us for decades.  People will exchange information among peers regarding products and services.  Companies that abuse our trust will suffer.  Television, radio and newspapers will not hold the captive audiences they once did, so molding public opinion will be challenging.

Politics will see rapid change.  Like-minded people will find it easier to collaborate on issues.  Politicians will bypass traditional media sources and speak directly to the people, but this freedom comes with a price.  Politicians who lie to the public will be sent packing.  Campaign contributors may wield less influence as social media reintroduces democracy to our political system.

Social media will drive down profit margins.  The flow of information among people will expose cost differentials among similar products.  Businesses will need to keep up with lower-priced competitors or face the consequences.

So how does a business prepare for such tumultuous change?  Here are a few simple “do-it-yourself” activities:

1.  Get training on how to effectively use social media. Owners need to quit pretending social media is a fad and understand its implications to business.

2.  Review your advertising mix and track its effectiveness.  If certain forms of your advertising have slumped it may not be due to the recession.  Fundamental changes are taking place and it may be time to try new strategies.

3.  Tell the truth.  The fastest way to oblivion is deceiving your customers.

4.  Don’t oversell when using social media.  How bored are you when someone tries to sell you insurance at a cocktail party?  Social media is the same.  Bores will not be tolerated.

Social media will change the world forever.  Its power is not yet fully understood.  What is established, however, is that we are not going back to traditional advertising, politics and business as usual. 

Aldous Huxley’s wrote in Brave New World that “When the individual feels, the community reels.”  Social media allows the individual to feel and tell his friends all about it.  The community is beginning to reel.

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 John McGory is a partner at Web Face (www.web-face-solutions.com) , a marketing and communications company that helps businesses and organizations prepare for the future.