Since 1997 and despite the refusal of 12 publishing houses to publish it, we know the magical universe of JK Rowling. More than 500 million copies of the 7 novels sold, more than 8 billion dollars brought by the 8 Harry Potter movies! It is a planetary success!

And like any global success, it can be very inspiring in our daily life on the radio! Here are 5 lessons from Hogwarts that we can adapt in our programs!

1- A unique and creative universe

When we enter into the Harry Potter universe, it’s very clear and identified. There is a new vocabulary for the muggles that we are, traditions that we don’t know, images that make us travel and dream; while remaining in the reassuring universe of England. Although there are many references to other stories and cultures, there is a completely unique world of JK Rowling’s own. It is one of the most creative sagas of the last 30 years!

In radio, we can adapt it!

Let’s start by defining a specific target: it allows us to know where we are going and what we can put in place.

Then, it’s up to us to create a strong identity for our brand. The radio station must represent a universe and everything inside must be coherent and planned for the long term: music, hosts, communication, content, sound design…

Let’s use our own verbatim, identifiable on-air voices and sound design elements that reflect the image of the radio station (and not just for a program).

Just as each character has its own temperament, the hosts must have a strong personality while respecting the brand’s codes.

The communication must be unique and different from other radio stations, while remaining simple and accessible to the greatest number of people!

The content must be creative: it’s not necessary to have the same boring benchmarks that other radios already have (ephemeris, horoscopes…). That’s not what will win us a lot of listeners…

Finally, the musical format is obviously essential: each quarter-hour must be a unique mix of the radio’s universe.

2- Relevant an endearing characters 

Who ever wondered which Hogwarts house they would like to be in or which character they liked best? Practically everyone who loved the Harry Potter universe!

Their characters, their flaws, their victories, their love stories, their quarrels, their discoveries… are so many moments in which we can all identify and which never leave us indifferent! Hermione annoyed a lot of us during the first books and Harry’s bad temper also during the last ones… But we love them a lot!

On the radio, let’s work with our hosts to bring out their characters!

Let’s stop trying to please everyone: that’s pleasing anyone. Instead, let’s develop the personalities of the on-air talent.

Are you afraid that your host will be divisive? Then pair him with someone who has a complementary character. For example: a cheapskate and a generous person, a hardened bachelor and a pure romantic in love, a sportsman and a lazy person…

Just because your host has character doesn’t mean your listener won’t like him or her. Isn’t it easier to get attached to someone you know, with their strengths and weaknesses, than to someone whose life and convictions you don’t know?

3- Creating habits in each books without being boring

In each episode of the saga, we find the classics: the beginning of the school year, the Christmas dinner, the sorting hat, the quidditich tournament, the exams, the final banquet… These are landmarks that allow us to feel at ease and reassured in the universe. What would happen if everything changed every time? We’d be lost and have a harder time connecting with the story.

JK Rowling’s advantage is that she has kept these classics while renewing herself in each episode: no two re-entries take place in the same way, and the same goes for the other landmarks of the saga.

So we have our anchor points, but we experience them differently each time.

On the radio, it’s the same!

Let’s create habits and landmarks for our listeners. Then, once they are acquired and appreciated, work on them in a different way. We can, for example, thematize some benchmarks while keeping the usual content, or relocate without multiplying the speaking time by 2 or 3; guests can also help break the routine, while integrating them into the universe of the program.

It’s all a question of balance: cues and surprises that come along with the time and that are consistent with the brand.

4- An efficient and accurate storytelling

Every element of the Harry Potter story is extremely well thought out. There are almost no narrative errors between the first and the last book. JK Rowling knew exactly where she was going when she wrote. She is one of the best contemporary storytellers.

On the radio, we can adapt it too!

We need to have a long-term vision of the radio and program strategy, so we know what program we want to offer our listeners!  

Once this vision is defined, we need to tell stories that are relevant and that touch our listeners. To do this, there are the classic mechanics of a good story: a very quick hook, a clear contextualization, a development focused on an idea and a punchline! With hosts with strong personalities, the story will shine even more!

Is there a duration limit for a story? No, it just has to be effective. None of JK Rowling’s books have the same number of pages and none of the movies are the same length…

5- Marketing that allows new revenue streams

After the books, JK Rowling knew how to make her universe live: movies, toys, video games, amusement parks, clothes, exhibitions, candies, plays… Everything Harry Potter is declined to maintain the saga. It is brilliant! It allows to continue to exist in the present and in the future, without writing new stories. In the opposite, the universe of Tintin has evolved very little after the comics and the cartoons and is much less current and alive.

This can again be adapted on the radio.

The world of media is evolving and on an extremely fast tempo. Listeners can now listen to hours of music without advertising… We need to challenge ourselves, create new forms of revenue and rethink the way advertising is present on the air. By developing our brand : social networks can bring in money, we can also create partnerships with advertisers who want to communicate differently. Finally, we can pool some content on several formats (video, audio, social networks) in order to bring in more with a single content.

A unique, creative universe, with landmarks; strong and engaging personalities, well-told stories and brand development!

These are the commonalities between Harry Potter universe and a powerful radio station that is connected to its listeners.

JK Rowling wrote: “We don’t need magic to change the world. We already have that power inside us, since we have the ability to imagine the best.” Let’s be creative, different, with a clear, long-term vision for our brand; that’s how we can reach our audience to the fullest and build a radio station that is relevant and powerful.