On the surface, we just rebranded – but because we’re Absolute, we’re trying to do it differently.  These days, everyone talks about branding, but we don’t often really think what it means.  A supermarket can take the same tin of beans, put three different labels on it and charge three different prices because the branding is different.  In their world it seems that it doesn’t matter what the product actually is, but the way that it’s sold.

That’s not what we’re doing here at Absolute – we care about our beans more than the label on the tin.  Which means that we really care about radio, and making this brand & station the best that we can.  There have been lots of meetings where phrases like ‘core brand values’ have been thrown about – but unlike other branding exercises we’re really trying to define who we are, and I want to look at some of the words that came up when we were trying to find Absolute.

‘Honest’.   Donnach, Adrian and I have designed this station to be the most open and honest about what we are doing – and between us, we’ve seen more than a few.  So, honestly, why are we changing the name? Because it allows us to expand in ways that having to tie into someone else’s brand won’t let us. 

‘Innovative’.  I’ve often used the phrase ‘always in Beta’ so much that around the office it may have lost some of its meaning.  What it means is that we’re always open to new ideas.  Absolute is available on more formats and platforms than any other radio station. As more technologies become available, then at Absolute, we will try to use them, if it makes the station better and easier to find (Look out for the new Absolute AMP player).  Making the station the best that it can be is our goal, so ‘always in Beta’ also refers to how we play music, structure the schedule and create the sound of the station.  We like to play a game called ‘best idea wins’, and if something works – then we’ll use it.

‘Loyal’.  Although we’re innovative, it doesn’t mean that we’re going to get rid of things that work because they aren’t new.  In his farewell blog, David Lloyd was nice enough to point out that we made him do extra work seeking his expertise in the transition when he could have been slacking off.  David was a tremendous help to me personally.  He helped me understand how this particular station and family works.  We have a great team of people all throughout the building, who rather than fighting against the ‘new regime’ have been embracing the opportunity to improve.  We have great talent, like Christian, Geoff, Ian, Ben, Russ etc, and everything we’re adding in terms of topicality, music, range and style will help to enhance what is already here.  

‘Excellent’. I have already stated that I intend for absolute to have more Sony Award winners than any other station (not just commercial) by the end of our first year.  That will be through awards we win, but also by bringing in award winning talented people. 

‘Discovery’. This is perhaps our most important word.  Not only are we discovering new ways to make Absolute the best radio station we can, we’re opening up new ways for people to experience and interact with us.  Not least is our massively expanded playlist, which means that people will be constantly discovering new and classic music – even if think they’ve heard everything, then we’ll be playing live performances and session tracks that you can’t hear anywhere else. As soon as people stop discovering at Absolute, then we’ve stopped doing our job properly.  If we can make Absolute a constant source of discovery, for the people listening and the people producing the station output, then we’re headed somewhere very special.

Absolute isn’t a tin of beans, it’s a radio station – and something that I’m very passionate about – (even if it does sometimes make me sound a bit like David Brent – thank you Media Guardian).  And Absolute as a brand isn’t just a new label on a tin – it’s the whole product and a way of thinking.  We’re not pretending to be honest, innovative, loyal, excellent and committed to discovery – we just are!

One Golden Square is a very special place – Absolute-ly!