Jon Borris
Jon Borris is among a peer group of young label promotion executives that are making a difference in our industry today. After all, with the rules of engagement so diametrically changed these days, it’s more about credibility, integrity and reliability, versus the let’s make a deal style of promo mojo of a previous era. Borris’ work ethic and respectability with radio go a long way in the profession of promotion, and he is recognized as one of the leaders of the Columbia Records promotion force, a label with a rich legacy of promotion success.
Same Sony building different Sony label…What was the path that had you shift from Epic to Columbia?
I came over to 550 Music (an Epic subsidiary at the time) from Atlantic Records in 1999, and I was assisting Joel Klaiman and Hilary Shaev. When 550 Music was absorbed by Epic, some positions in the field opened and I landed the Epic regional promo slot in Houston, and then moved on to Miami. I was subsequently promoted to (Epic) Associate Director Pop Promotion in NYC following those regional gigs, and worked my way up to Sr. Director Pop Promotion through 2006. After seven years at Epic Records, a great Pop team had really been established featuring Lee Leipsner, Tommy Nappi, Alex Levy and Jeff Bardin. As Lee transitioned to Columbia as SVP Pop Promotion, he and Bruce Tyler approached me with an opportunity as VP Pop at Columbia. This was just too good a prospect to pass up, working with Rick Rubin, Mark DiDia and Steve Barnett, taking on new responsibilities and a new trajectory for growth within the business…all while just having to move four floors within the Sony building!
Columbia is a label rich in its history of promotion executives. What do you see as the common thread from era to era that connects the Columbia promotion philosophy?
I think that feeling of legacy comes with working at a label with such a strong heritage and history. So the common thread that ties all the execs together is truly the Columbia artists. As far as the promotion philosophy, it is ever-changing. Whereas the philosophy could have been, “We’re going to work a lot of records all the time because we’re a big label with big budgets, etc.” Now the philosophy is, “We better work the right records at the right time, because we don’t have those budgets anymore, and we have to be efficient or else we really get hurt.”
You’re a protégé of one of the most respected promotion executives in the business, Lee Leipsner. What are the qualities Lee imparts to you that influence you on a daily basis?
There are so many. Lee’s passion for music is unparalleled. That’s not necessarily something you can learn, but it is certainly something you can feel on a daily basis, and I feed off that energy. He is a team guy, a player-coach, and that is something I respond to so well having a background in competitive athletics. He is in the mix every day, wants to be involved, will call anyone at anytime to make a difference. He’ll go anywhere. He’s a senior Executive at one of the biggest record companies in the world and he would go to a tertiary market right now if anyone asked him to, and would be happy to do it. That is dedication. That quality is infectious. Another quality that has definitely influenced me is his softer side. I used to be a “bull in a china shop” ALL THE TIME (and I can definitely still be, because I hate losing more than anything), but Lee has taught me there are times to step back, take a different approach, and finesse a situation. Lee always says, “While records can sometimes have an expiration date, relationships do not.”
What are the major challenges in promoting radio today?
Well everyone talks about traditional callout of course, and it is still true and prevalent. Sometimes there’s a double-edged sword in the sense that if your early callout looks promising, it’ll take another week or two to move up. But if it doesn’t look so good off the bat, it moves down (or off!) immediately. Knee-jerking is still a challenge, but I think programmers are getting better at using callout as a tool and one piece of the puzzle in making their decisions instead of the Bible. Another challenge is the pre-judging of superstar releases. There are times when I feel singles, particularly by big name talent, are given a “bad rap” before these songs are given a chance to be heard by one’s audience. That can spread so quickly through a radio chain. I can’t tell you how many emails I have saved informing me that “Shakira’s ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ is a ‘stiff’!”
Having gone through the adversity of the past two years, do you feel records and radio have a better understanding of each other’s goals these days?
Undoubtedly. I think our partnership with radio is getting stronger and stronger. We both have a better understanding that we need to accomplish our goals together. I don’t want to market a record in a vacuum, and radio doesn’t want to play nonsense. We both want what’s real, real airplay and real response from listeners and advertisers on that airplay.
With independent promotion being less of a factor, is it a more productive model for labels and radio to have more of a direct relationship?
I used to believe that wholeheartedly, when I was doing regional it used to drive me insane when an indie called in an airplay commitment at one of my stations. Now I believe this: Yes, of course I want my team to have the direct relationship with radio and we should (and more than likely always will) given that we control the content. We have much more face-to-face with radio, and at the end of the day it is our promotion department’s job to get airplay. But if an indie has a relationship and can be an effective, accountable extension of our promotion team and efforts, then by all means I accept that model too. Happy to work with anyone who can help facilitate a partnership with a radio station.
John Mayer and Jon Borris
What do think is the biggest misconception radio has about label promotion?
That we’re all in it for the “add”. I couldn’t care less if you “report” a record. If a station of mine calls and says, “We’re gonna get started on ‘Undeniable’ by Mat Kearney, a few spins a day to get a feel for it on the station,” I’m a happy promo exec. Becoming a part of the fabric of the radio station, being heard between other currents, giving the audience a chance to enjoy (or disapprove) of a song is the most important part of our jobs. If you’d like to put your stamp on it with call letters and “report it”, I’ll say thank you all day. But everyone can read BDS/Mediabase and rotations are everything…airplay is the stamp of approval.
In the spirit of building credibility, do you feel obligated when relating to programmers to exhibit a thorough understanding of their needs as you pursue radio relationships?
Naturally. If every meeting or call is, “Here’s what I need, thanks very much, goodbye.” You’re not going to get anywhere with anyone. Understanding a programmer’s needs comes from years of traveling and face-time. Getting to know every aspect of the station is crucial to your ultimate success there.
What essential qualities do you believe programmers look for in promotion reps?
For the most part I think PD’s want reps that are knowledgeable about their stations and are reliable. PD’s don’t want to have to go through four label reps to get something done. I’ve always wanted to be able to say to one of my radio partners, “Leave it with me, then don’t think about it again…it’s getting done.” So I guess the short answer is be respectful, know their station, and execute.
Outside of the immediate programming staff (PD/APD/MD), where are you finding other effective avenues at stations as you promote and market your artists?
Without question, the Webmasters. Stations that are fortunate enough to have their own webmaster are a lot of fun to market our artists with. Along with our online team, I’ve helped develop online media players for stations with active websites. This opens up a whole new way of promoting our artists. Here’s an example of the Boys Like Girls media player I developed for WNOU/Indianapolis – Radio Now 93.1. We worked direct with their webmaster Amy Harper in facilitating a post on their site. This is being done with stations nationally across various radio chains. http://www.boyslikegirls.com/mediaplayer/wnou/.
Given the new tech initiatives radio is embarking on which initiative excites you the most for the music industry?
Well, because it’s so integral to what I do…I think I have to go with the Personal People Meter. I’m just excited about anything that’s not traditional callout!
Which one do you feel is less critical to radio’s near term needs?
I don’t think the general public is sold on HD radio yet. They’re just not hip to it enough yet. I’m not saying that it isn’t going to be part of our future, because it definitely is, but in terms of near term needs I think websites, social communities and other initiatives that target specific individuals are more valuable.
Radio has been criticized by record execs for not targeting/catering enough to the younger demo (the prime music target). Do you believe this is a valid concern?
I do and I don’t: I do because a station’s young end is their P1 of tomorrow. Many of my stations have their “sweet spot”, more often than not, targeted to 22-26 females. If they can capture that 12-17 year old female’s attention and continue to nurture that relationship through valuable content, contesting and great on-air talent, that listener will be around when she can be called on to judge a record (in the traditional callout model after 18 years old). I don’t because the young end is fickle and it’s tough to get a true read on where they stand because most research companies will tell you that less than 5% of a station’s active audience (and most stations are most active at night with the young end) actually call request lines.
Can radio get back into the lives of the early adopters again in a meaningful way, or is it too late?
Yes, absolutely, but we need to manage expectations. Obviously with so many more outlets for discovering, embracing and getting engaged with new music, radio’s effect has been understandably reduced. However, a huge percentage of music-lovers still go out and buy or download an album or single because they heard a song on the radio. As radio continues to use new technology to find out who is really listening and for how long, I truly believe they can get back to a more comfortable place in the media landscape.
What is your most optimistic view of the future of the music industry?
I’m in the fortunate position of being able to hear brand new music all the time, and it continues to blow me away. There is incredible music out there, fascinating artists, and compelling stories. A hit record cures all ills. So I guess it isn’t really a view as much as it is a sound! When I hear The White Stripes continue to write insane material, or Maroon 5’s new music, or The Killers come out with “When You Were Young”, or Fergie have as diverse singles on her album as “Big Girls” to “Glamorous”, and then get to work with a talent like John Mayer…I couldn’t be more optimistic that the future of the music business is in good hands. And I couldn’t be more excited and proud to be a part of facilitating this future to new audiences.
** QB Content by Fred Deane **
