We begin side A with a well done sample of production from this month's interview subject, Scott Statham. By the way, Scott's looking for a voice to produce. So, if any of you in the voice business are finding less and less time to produce, give Scott a call at (606) 293-0563, fax (606) 299-3898. We fill out side A with a nice variety of promos. Side B is filled with spots and wraps up with a couple of spoofs and a parody. Cuts 2-4, from John Pellegrini/WKLQ, are the result of a spec spot story with a happy ending. John writes:
...This one started out as what I thought would be a nightmare, but ended up being a ton-o-fun for both us and 'KLQ and the client. It started with the salesperson asking for a spec for a rent-to-own store. As all of us prod directors usually say at this point, I looked at her and stated flatly, "I HATE SPECS!" I then patiently tried to explain why specs don't work, and if the client decides to buy anyhow, the concept in the spec spot is either dropped completely or is revised to stupidity. She responded that the client already had the concept, and they just wanted to hear what we sound like doing it. I looked it over. A man and a woman, probably married, talk about how great it is to have all their home furnishings from Discover Rent To Own. That was it; that was the concept. One sentence. They also conveniently supplied a laundry list of products they have in the store. You can imagine how enthusiastic and excited I became while looking this over. But, in the fine tradition of Dennis Daniel, I said to myself, "A man and a woman getting stuff for their home, eh? HA HA HA HA HA! I'LL GIVE 'EM THAT!! HEE HEE HEE." So, I called in 'KLQ part-timer and my cohort in evil, Scott Sundberg to help me out. The result is the first cut. To my total surprise, they not only loved it, but they said that they wanted the characters to be used in a two year long campaign, exclusively with 'KLQ! They even suggested that we back up time a bit and start with the two characters on their very first dates, and go through an entire relationship with problems being resolved by Discovery Rent To Own. We've got complete creative freedom, and the client even helps suggest different ways to bring specific products into their lives. It's kinda funny, but this one rare instance of something actually working almost makes me forget all the screaming and agony from spec hell of the past. Almost.... The other two cuts are the first and second spots of the series to show how we're progressing the story. Of course, I still have the sign above my door saying, "Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here Seeking Specs."
Side A
Cut 1 - Production sampler from Scott Statham/WLAP/WMXL/WWYC, Lexington, KY
Cut 2 - "Win A Red Corvette" - R.VanSlyke(wvp), Howard/Richman/Rae(v)/WKLS-FM, Atlanta, GA
Cut 3 - "Listen at Work" - Jim Merkel(v), Jim Morales(wp)/KISN-FM, Salt Lake City, UT
Cut 4 - "San Diego Chargers" - Bill Corkery/XTRA-FM, San Diego, CA
Cut 5 - "Power of Radio" - Dale Berge(wpv)/WKMQ-FM, Rockford, IL
Cut 6 - "WZYP Zip Strip" - Randy Reeves/Voice At Large, Atlanta, GA
Cut 7 - "DCT Concert History Test" - Sterling Tarrant(wpv), Dave Masters(v)/KBIQ-FM, Colorado Springs, CO
Cut 8 - "Back to Back Fridays" - C.Jackman(p), S.Philips(w), M.Guinta(v)/CHEZ-FM, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
Cut 9 - "11 O'Clock News/Snapple" - Brian Kelsey(wpv)/WEFX-FM, Norwalk, CT
Cut 10 - "4th of July Weekend" - Stevens(wv), Miller(wpv), Calvert/Ryan(v)/KIOZ-FM, San Diego, CA
Cut 11 - "Breaking the Mold" - R.Richards(wpv), R.Parker(v), E.Case(v)/KRST-FM, Houston, TX
Side B
Cut 1 - "Lipton Ice Tea" - D.Craig(wpv), B.Mower/T.Collard(v)/KISN-FM, Salt Lake City, UT
Cut 2 - "Discovery Rent To Own" - John Pellegrini/WKLQ-FM, Grand Rapids, MI
Cut 3 - "Discovery Rent To Own" - John Pellegrini/WKLQ-FM, Grand Rapids, MI
Cut 4 - "Discovery Rent To Own" - John Pellegrini/WKLQ-FM, Grand Rapids, MI
Cut 5 - "Shade-Air Decorating" - Vennett(wv), Morgan(p), Johnson/Stoekel(v)/WKMQ-FM, Rockford, IL
Cut 6 - "Buffalo Wings" - Paul Bahr(wpv)/WDEK-FM, DeKalb, IL
Cut 7 - "Santa Fe Steak House" - Jon Hale(wpv)/WHOK-FM, Lancaster, OH
Cut 8 - "Jewelry Warehouse" - Sandra Moses(wpv), Gary Lawrence(v)/KKYR-FM, Texarkana, AR
Cut 9 - "Bank of Bellingham" - Glenn Miller/KBFW, Bellingham, WA
Cut 10 - "Global Exchange" - Sean Lowman(wpv)/KZ95, Jackson, WY
Cut 11 - "Cub Foods" - Karl Gruber(w), Ron Livingston(pv)/WHOK-FM, Lancaster, OH
Cut 12 - "American Red Cross" - D.Reed(wpv), Rabon/Donatelli/Wite(v)/WMHK, Columbia, SC
Cut 13 - "Bank of Bartlett" - Greg Williams/WMC-FM, Memphis, TN
Cut 14 - "Jurassic Park" spoof - John Pellegrini/WKLQ-FM, Grand Rapids, MI
Cut 15 - "I Think They're Both Insane" parody - Joe Pettigrew II/KNIX-FM, Tempe, AZ
Cut 16 - "The Lost Action Zero" spoof - Robert L. Sheldon(wpv)/MediaMaxx Productions, Bremerton, WA
