Author Archives: Rod Schwartz

About Rod Schwartz

Rod Schwartz backed into a lifelong career in radio advertising in 1973 in Springfield, Illinois. He joined the Pullman (Wash.) Radio Group in 1979, where he worked until his retirement at the end of 2022. From 1991 to March 2024, Rod and his family operated Grace Broadcast Sales, providing short-form syndicated radio features to radio and TV stations across the U.S. and Canada. Rod currently operates an independent advertising, marketing, and media consultancy for radio stations, independent business owners and busy professionals, and he continues providing syndicated audio features to radio and TV station clients. More information is available at RodSchwartz.com. An avid photographer, Rod shares some of his favorite images at PalousePics.com and on his Viewbug gallery. See Links for details.

On Selling Soap (Meet My New Friend, Duke Cannon)

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Rod Schwartz

I made a new friend this past Christmas, thanks to my wife. His name is Duke Cannon. Duke sells soap, about which we’ll talk more in just a bit. Did you know that Soap-selling has a storied history? Andrew Pears (b. … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Consumer behavior, Copy, Copywriting, Internet, Jingles, Life lessons, Madison Avenue, Magazine, Newspaper, Positioning, Problem-solving, Productivity, Radio Advertising, Sales, Slogans and taglines, Storytelling, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

“If I don’t go, I don’t get”

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Rod Schwartz

After an extensive Internet search, I’ve concluded that I may be in possession of the only extant copy of the Warner & Swasey Company’s remarkable collection of American Business Ads, published 40 years ago under the title: “1776-1976 What has … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Life lessons, Magazine, Management, Newspaper, Positioning, Print, Productivity, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Slogans and taglines, Storytelling, Uncategorized | Tagged branding, corporate branding, free enterprise, hard work, honest labor, I don't get, If I don't go, magazine ad, newspaper ad, responsible management, Warner & Swasey | 4 Comments

Make Up Your Mind to Be Happy

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Rod Schwartz

Robert Louis Stevenson, no stranger to pain and suffering, has often been cited as the author of these 12 exhortations on How to Be Happy. Whether his or not, the principles are worth consideration: 1. Make up your mind to … Continue reading →

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Best Steak Marinade Ever…Again (New Recipe!)

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Rod Schwartz

A couple years ago, I shared a steak marinade recipe that I picked up from a fellow Big Green Egg fan at a local Eggfest, that was especially good on cuts like tenderloin, sirloin, and anvil or flatiron steaks. In … Continue reading →

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Radio Is Dead. Long Live Radio.

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Rod Schwartz

CBC’s “Under The Influence” radio program, hosted by Terry O’Reilly, recently devoted an entire show to illustrate, in Mr. O’Reilly’s words: “…the incredible creativity happening in radio advertising around the world today.” First stop: Hanover, Germany, where a music school … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Consumer behavior, Copy, Information overload, Internet, Ogilvy, Problem-solving, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Production, Storytelling, Uncategorized | Tagged "Breast Cancer Awareness", Advertising, innovation, Music, Radio, sound | 1 Comment

It’s Not What You Get, but What you Become

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Rod Schwartz

He said: “The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.” He also, more famously, said: “There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Consumer behavior, Copywriting, Life lessons, Productivity, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling | Tagged "John Ruskin", business, quotes, society, wisdom | Leave a comment

A Tale of Two Lawyers

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Rod Schwartz

It should not surprise you that my favorite business success stories are those having to do with the client’s skillful use of radio advertising. I never tire of these stories nor fail to learn something useful when reviewing them, whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Client-voiced commercials, Communication, Consistency, Consultants, Copy, Copywriting, Internet, Pay-per-click, Professional Services Advertising, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling | Tagged "legal advertising", "Monday Morning Memo", "Roy H. Williams", Advertising, attorney, lawyer, online, pay-per-click, Radio | 1 Comment

Professional Voice-over and Narration for…Five Bucks?

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Rod Schwartz

The post at Radio Sales Cafe, from a Chicago-area radio guy, read: “5 DOLLARS! Check me out on FIVERR” Intrigued and a bit skeptical, I clicked on the link. Sure enough, there he was. Chicago-area radio announcer will cut your … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Consultants, Copy, Copywriting, Graphic design, Jingles, Problem-solving, Productivity, Professional Services Advertising, Promotions, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Radio Sales Cafe, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Uncategorized, Voice Acting, Voiceover | Tagged "Five Bucks", "Five Dollars", "Professional Services", $5, Advertising, branding, Design, Five, Fiverr, Graphic, Jingles, marketing, Narration, Radio, Voice-over | 1 Comment

Expert Use of Radio Advertising by LASIK and Cataract Surgery Specialist – Another Radio Advertising Success Story

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Rod Schwartz

As radio advertising professionals, our job is to help businesses tell their stories in a way that engages the listener’s imagination. This is because the ultimate destination of any advertising message is the consumer’s brain, where judgments are made about … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Client-voiced commercials, Communication, Consistency, Copy, Copywriting, Ogilvy, Positioning, Problem-solving, Professional Services Advertising, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Slogans and taglines, Storytelling | Tagged Advertising, Commercial, eye, Lasik, lens, Ogilvy, Radio, RESTOR, story, Storytelling, testimonial, testimonials, vision | Leave a comment

“If I Don’t Go, I Don’t Get”

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

“If I Don’t Go, I Don’t Get” This ad was written in 1975 for The Warner & Swasey Company of Cleveland, Ohio, manufacturer of heavy industrial equipment and machinery, the latest installment (at that time) in a series of 1000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Copy, Copywriting, Life lessons, Magazine, Management, Newspaper, Positioning, Print, Storytelling, Uncategorized | Tagged Advertising, branding, corporate, positioning, Storytelling, Swasey, values, Warner | 1 Comment