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FDR: Master of Marketing Technology

I just finished a wonderful book, The Defining Moment, by Jonathan Alter. The book focuses on Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first 100 days in office, during which FDR successfully lifted the hopes of the American people from the depths of Great Depression-induced depression.

There are many facets to the story of FDR's first 100 days, but the one I want to focus on here is FDR's interest in creating an intimate conversation with the American people. Alter tells the story of Roosevelt sitting in the Oval Office writing his radio address, his first "Fireside Chat," less than a week after his 1933 inauguration. He looked out his window and saw a worker taking down the inauguration platform, and said to himself, "I want to give a speech that worker will understand." Then, while on the air, he imagined he was speaking one-on-one with this person. Often, just before giving a radio address, FDR would visualize a construction worker, an office worker, or a girl working in a store. The White House received thousands of letters from people who said they felt like the president was speaking directly to them as they sat by their radios.

For centuries, before the invention of microphones and public address systems, orators had to speak very loudly to reach large audiences. This stentorian style carried over into the early days of radio, with announcers using their booming voices in the only way they knew how. FDR was among the first to recognize the opportunity for intimacy that the new technology afforded, and he used this opportunity masterfully.

I believe that there are two kinds of technological innovations (which I describe in Chapter 1 of We): those that put barriers between you and your customers ("please enter your 16-digit credit card number") and those that bring you closer to your customers (the Apple Genius Bar reservation system). FDR taught us an important lesson. Instead of looking at the new tool of radio as a way to talk to 60 million people at one time, he looked at it as a chance to talk to one person, 60 million at a time.

[Read more by Steve Yastrow at yastrow.com.—CM]

Steve Yastrow posted this on 07/14/08.

Comments

My uncle once told me that even though he didn't understand English very well...he understood FDR!

Posted by Joel Heffner at July 14, 2008 7:51 PM

That's a great story, Joel. I'm now in the middle of another book on FDR (No Ordinary Time, by Doris Kearns Goodwin) and she just described how while he gave the Fireside Chats he would nod his head, smile, and move his arms as if he were talking to someone in the room with him.

I don't think Bud Light ads are written in that manner.

Posted by Steve Yastrow at July 14, 2008 9:58 PM

Fascinating Story! I am amazed by yet another fantastic American president– Mr.Harry S Truman – who had a signboard measuring 2-1/2" × 13" in size mounted on walnut base that said “The buck stops here” – WOW! We need more leaders like Harry Truman.

Posted by K.Sriram at July 15, 2008 5:01 AM

That's an amazing nugget of history. FDR really did build the Presidential brand. With all the damage that's been done to the brand of the President over the last two decades, it will be hard for the American people to get that feeling of a relationship back. (note: I'm not trying to start a political rant! This isn't reddit.com)

Posted by Amanda Cullen at July 15, 2008 7:56 AM

A comment with regards to the mechanics of delivery (and not the content, which in FDR's case I'm not familiar with). It's interesting that about the same time, mass radio and the talkies were taking off and actors were discovering that radio, film and theatre are fundamentally different mediums. In theatre, as the adage goes, you have to project yourself so that the person at the back of the hall can hear and see what you're doing. In movies and radio, the camera or microphone will capture every nuance and amplify it so you need to tone things down.

Even today, there are politicians (and others!) who are great on camera but poor in a hall, or vice versa, and surprisingly few who can master both mediums. And surprisingly few who understand the difference.

Posted by Mark JF at July 15, 2008 9:41 AM

FDR, Churchill, and Hitler all made heavy use of the new electronic technologies--radio and the public address system. Someone could do an interesting paper (PhD thesis?) comparing and contrasting their uses of these media.

Posted by david foster at July 15, 2008 11:25 AM

Great article -- now we need another "FDR" in office to clean up this mess - at least improve the current morale of this country.

Posted by Brick Marketing at July 15, 2008 11:54 AM

Great post, Steve and an excellent point on '"two kinds of technological innovations."

Two other historical points are worth noting. First was that, by the time FDR was having his chats the technology had developed far enough for intimacy to work. Ten to fifteen years earlier and the mics and speakers weren't sophisticated enough.

The quality of microphones also changed the nature of singing. Before good quality mics, the most popular singers were tenors, the voice that can project to the back rows most easily. After mics got pretty good, the most popular singers became "crooners" like Bing Crosby, who could convey intimacy.

Posted by Wally Bock at July 15, 2008 5:57 PM

So what companies today are like FDR and "crooners" like Bing Crosby, when it comes to using new technology to connect with people, and what companies are like a bad garage band, cranking out of tune guitars up to "11" just because their amps can go that loud?

Posted by Steve Yastrow at July 15, 2008 10:01 PM

Thanks Steve – another excellent post. I agree with Mark about presenters/speakers/politicians. In my experience as a regular audience member it seems there are those who talk AT me and then there are those who talk TO me. It sounds like Mr Roosevelt was very much in the latter category – probably an excellent story teller too.

Posted by Trevor Gay at July 16, 2008 6:00 AM

Crooners: Apple, Toyota, Mercedes

Garage bands: Apple, Asda (Wal Mart to people in the colonies), Ford, Vodafone

Posted by Mark JF at July 16, 2008 7:13 AM

I would consider Wal Mart rather brilliant in cost cutting, branding and variance. (I'm not even sure if they advertise much.) Instead of the massive major stores, they now have smaller stores in the communities with the same cost cuts and bulk. Some Wal Mart stores, for example, only sale food and located in the community proper, not the outskirts.

Some Big box stores are now not so big; Wal Mart is replacing many brands such as Kroger and Farmer Jacks that have left the communities, ironically or perhaps not, do to, in fact, their presence. They're smart. Regarding crooning and/or swooning, they are not necessary in branding. I love the being brand sense in the post of which FDR and Churchill were. But I would not say that either of them did much or any of this. By the way, where is Wal Mart among the top prosperous companies worldwide?

MarkJF...to avoid more fire works beyond the 4th, I will not respond directly to your "colonies" bit but perhaps to say that one jab or slight certainly deserves another. But I will spare you this time in the spirit of keeping things, shall we say, more...genteel than they have been. I'm writing this with a smile. Do you believe me?

Posted by Judith Ellis at July 16, 2008 9:16 AM

Trevor - how about those who talk WITH me?

Posted by Steve Yastrow at July 17, 2008 9:59 PM

Absolutely Steve - you mean like a 'WE' conversation of course

Posted by Trevor Gay at July 18, 2008 1:14 AM