Yesterday's Unimaginative Positioner

This is what I picture in my head whenever radio stations say they have “the best mix of 80s, 90s, and today”. It’s been today for 21 years. You can’t keep getting away with this. pic.twitter.com/OxvrMVjobE

— Drew Gooden (@drewisgooden) May 27, 2021

80s, 90s and today - why are radio stations still using this as a positioner? Unless you don’t play anything from the last two decades for some bizarre reason, it sounds weird to classify them as "today".

A reply to Drew’s tweet observes:

Radio stations saying 'The Best of the 80s, 90s, 00s and 10s' just doesn’t sound right though.

Quite. It’s the rule of three. If you add more, it’s just clutter.

The simple solution is to be more imaginative.

While we’re on the subject of slogans, you also want to avoid meaningless jargon (e.g. Today’s Best Mix or A Better Music Mix - better than...?)

I’ve always liked simple positioning statements that you could imagine a listener using to describe you (e.g. The Best Songs Ever or Just Great Songs).

With today's level of competition, you need something that really makes the station stand out - an elevator pitch that explains what someone gets out of tuning in.