Direct Mail Coupons Gone Digital...

When a new idea comes along, Radio owes it to its survival to listen, especially if it can bring in new dollars. Former radio station owner, Eric Strauss describes his venture as "direct mail coupons gone digital." Strauss will be partnering with local radio and TV stations to grab a slice of the $37 billion spent annually on direct mail advertising. The direct mail coupon idea is launching July 6th in 20 markets. Initial clients include Curtis Media Group (Raleigh), Galaxy, Citadel and Clear Channel in Syracuse, NY, Citadel and Saga in Portland, Me. Consumers can sign up to receive a weekly email that contains links to 10 coupons from local merchants. Coupons can be printed at home or sent to a subscriber's cell phone. Participating radio stations are required to run 20 spots a week on a 24-hour 'best times available' basis - now that can present a problem, couldn't it? Half the radio spots target consumers, the other half target small businesses, who log in to the site to create a coupon and pay for it by credit card. Strauss will work with broadcast partners to arrive at an equitable revenue split - another potential problem...

Strauss has a sound concept: "We're going after the businesses that radio station sales people will never and should never call on - the dog groomers, landscapers and plumbers." Strauss is not limited to one station per market either. "As direct mail moves from print to digital, the money should no longer go to the big print houses. We're getting multiple broadcasters in the same market to work together to create the dominant digital direct mail brand."...

Whether or not radio buys Strauss's plan or not, it's worth looking into. I always believed in going after the guy with the biggest numbers and with a chance at a slice of $37 billion, you'd be crazy not to do some investigating...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1868] Patent no longer pending: Christopher Latham Sholes receives a patent for an invention he calls the ‘type-writer’. Sholes will sell the rights to his typewriter to the Remington Arms Company in 1872 for $12,000…
2.1955] Debuted on this date: Walt Disney’s "Lady and the Tramp"...1982] Mary Hart and her legs debut on “Entertainment Tonight"...1989] "Batman" starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson (The Joker) premieres…
3.1957] Curtains: “The Roy Rogers Show” bows out on Sundays (NBC-TV) after 6 seasons but Roy and Dale will do a Saturday musical variety show on ABC-TV in the fall of ‘62...1960] "The Pat Boone Show", a weekly musical variety show airs for the last time on ABC-TV after 3 seasons. I used to watch this live show when I worked late in the ABC mailroom…
4.1963] Talkin’ Baseball: To celebrate hitting his 100th home run, wacky Mets outfielder Jimmy Piersall runs the bases backwards…1981] The Pawtucket Red Sox-Rochester minor league game picks up in the 33rd inning. This time it only takes 18 minutes to finish the game as Pawtucket scores a run in the bottom of the 33rd. Wade Boggs played for Pawtucket and Cal Ripken Jr. for Rochester…
5.1969] This I swear: Warren E. Burger is sworn in as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court…
6.1972] Title IX: Richard Nixon signs an act barring sex discrimination in college sports. On the surface it sounds like a good idea but it's not. Title IX allocates funds for female teams indiscriminately...
7.1992] Guilty as charged: John Gotti, convicted on racketeering charges is sentenced to life in prison where he will die of throat cancer…1993] Lorena Bobbitt of Prince William County (VA) mutilates her husband John by severing a particularly sensitive male organ after he allegedly rapes her…
8.1995] ‘Happy Trails’: Dr. Jonas Salk who developed the first vaccine against Polio, dies of unknown causes at 80…2009] Ed McMahon passes away at 86. While no formal cause of death is given, McMahon's publicist attributes his death to many health problems he suffered over his final months...
9.1997] Friendly fire: Civil Rights activist Betty Shabazz, 61, widow of Malcolm X, dies from burns she suffered in an earlier fire set by her 12-year old grandson…
10.2003] Meltdown countdown begins: Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean announces his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination which turns into a Barnum and Bailey Circus ending...


Commentary:
The New York State Broadcasters Association will induct its Hall of Fame class of 2010 at its 48th Executive Conference on Monday, June 28 at the Sagamore Resort Hotel in Bolton Landing, N.Y. Leading the radio side of the class will be the late, legendary Scott Muni, who passed away in 2004. Joining Scottso is Jim Roselle of WJTN Jamestown, N.Y. On the TV side, WRGB's late Dan DiNicola and WHAM newsman Don Alhart will enter the hall. Also joining the class is Percy Sutton. Sutton was one of the owners of Inner City Broadcasting and the leader of the renovation of The Apollo theatre in the 80's.

Music Memories:
•1958] Debuted on the charts on this date: "Splish, Splash" - Bobby Darin...
•1965] Released on this date: "Tracks of my Tears" - Smokey Robinson & Miracles...1979] "My Sharona" - The Knack...
•1979] #1 on this date: "Hot Stuff" - Donna Summer...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Jason Mraz (33), K.T. Tunstall (35), Frances McDormand (53), AI judge Randy Jackson (54), Clarence Thomas (62), Bryan Brown (63) and Ted Shackelford (64)...

Timeline Countdown: 11 days until July 4th, 20 days until the All-Star game & 32 days until NFL training camps begin to open...