It’s tempting, isn’t it?

It’s tempting to think that what we do defines who we are. The carpenter is defined by his hammer; the accountant by his calculator, the radio station by its 40 minute music sweeps.

We’re eager to define ourselves by a hallway full of gold records and awards. I hate to break it to you, but your listeners don’t care.

Most things that bond your listeners to your radio station have nothing to do with the things you’ve created. Apple didn’t create a bond because of the iPhone 8. Harley-Davidson didn’t create a bond because of the liquid-cooled 750cc Revolution X™ V-Twin engine.

“Those products and brands make us feel like we belong and we feel a kinship with others who buy the same things… Apple didn’t invent the lifestyle, nor does it sell a lifestyle. Apple is simply one of the brands that those who live a certainly lifestyle are drawn to…

Products are not just symbols of what the company believes, they also serve as symbols of what the loyal buyers believe.”
~Simon Sinek, “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action“

And no one believes that pizza should be made out of chicken.

*Thanks to my friend Mike Prendergast for the inspiration for this Frost Advisory.