There’s a fine line in radio and in the world of business for being a legacy brand on the one hand, but getting that fatiguing feeling on the other. It’s what happens to a lot of radio people when they’ve been working in the industry for 30, 40, or more years.
Interestingly, it’s similar for radio station brands. While it’s exciting when a heritage station that’s been a community gem starts to look on the other side of the mountain, how it’s positioned and performing in this mature phase of its lifespan is of critical performance. You spend a lot of years, money, and sweat equity building that brand, hopefully doing your homework (i.e., research) and supporting it with promotions (i.e., marketing dollars). Chances are, during a station’s lifespan, there have been a number of competitive wars with other stations trying to take away your crown. Hopefully, you’ve emerged on top, in pretty good shape, having fought the battles and coming out in a good position.
Inevitably, if your station has had staying power, you’re in a position to celebrate a major anniversary. But how do you ensure your victory lap isn’t self-indulgent and/or that you look like more like a dinosaur as you celebrate this day in time?
Is a radio station turning 40, 50, or beyond a milestone that provides a rationale to draw attention to the brand? Or is it more like a millstone—a burden and a sign of aging that could turn into perceptual quicksand? If this celebration somehow morphs into an admission that “We’re getting OLD!”, is it even worth drawing attention to the brand and this moment?
Interestingly, I’ve had conversations with a couple of radio teams about to celebrate one of these historic rites of passage. On the one hand, they’re excited. Staff expectations run high—they want to know how the station is going to acknowledge and celebrate the big moment.
Fortunately, we’re watching a restaurant brand— in this case, a QSR (quick serve restaurant) about to celebrate 30 years in business. And similar to comparing the simplicity of the radio environment a few decades ago to the complex, cluttered, hi-tech condition it finds itself in today, the similarities between these two service industries may be greater than we think.
The QSR in question? California Pizza Kitchen.
Last year at this time, CPK’s new CMO Dawn Keller was staring at a 40th anniversary in 2025. The challenge? Maybe too much brand equity that consumers took it for granted. And a lack of top-of-mind awareness is as big a challenge in the restaurant biz as it is for broadcast radio.
A major goal was to avoid the “self-congratulatory trapping of brand birthdays,” something most broadcast radio veterans have faced at one time or another. And while CPK didn’t have any significant “brand baggage,” it lacked the required buzz that keeps a restaurant in the “Where do you want to go to dinner tonight?” conversation.
Under Keller’s direction, CPK broke with tradition for their 40th milestone, using Instagram (not TV), a longish 2+ minute video (not “snackable”), and a creative stunt that was anything but safe.
CPK also employed the use of what they call a “celebrity sherpa” to help guide consumers through the creative. Typically, QSR’s don’t have a spokesperson on staff, so utilizing a personality was clearly a departure for the brand.
The entire story is nicely covered in a recent Marketing Dive story by senior reporter Chris Kelly. It’s an object lesson in risk-taking with a humorous edge. I’ll let JacoBLOG readers decide whether it worked. First, had you seen or heard about the campaign prior to reading this post? And what is your impression based on the creative (below) as well as CPK’s strategy?
Keller took the opportunity of the 40th anniversary to rejuvenate, but not rebrand CPK. The idea was to position the 40 milestone as the trigger for a fake midlife crisis for the restaurant. In an effort to become more modern, CPK makes critical mistake after critical mistake in trying to energize the brand.
The idea is about “the new CPK ” bending over backwards to try to appeal to young people utilizing an overzealous corporate guy just known as “Dave.” His mantra? “CPK has turned 40 and is fine with it.” This parodized version of the brand uses every cliche symbol to try to breathe some form of hipness into CPK—and happily fails miserably.
Busy Philipps courtesy CPK via Marketing Dive
The choice to be the voice of reason for the true CPK is comically outraged spokesperson is Busy Philipps (pictured). She’s an actress (Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek, ER) and TV talk host (E!). She’s also the right age—45—for where the brand wants to be.
Now to bring this concept and conversation to a radio head, good and great stations tend to have good and great personalities—spokespeople who can handle a variety of chores, unlike a mass market brand that has to go out and secure the talents and time of a known entity like Philipps.
Below is the full video CPK and their agency produced to tell this tongue-in-cheek story about the restaurant reaching “the big 4-0.”
At 2:20, it’s really not all that long. But by today’s standards, it feels like a lifetime. Consider the average length of a TikTok video comes in around 35 seconds. The average duration of an Instagram Reel is closer to 7-15 seconds.
Among the other rules CPK’s “Midlife Crisis” breaks—and there are several of them—pinning their story on a—relatively speaking—long-form story in an ADHD world, it’s risky.
But isn’t that the essence of the entire campaign—if you want to stand out in a crowded field and you’re not a new brand—you’ve got to show the marketplace a different look.
Humor, parody, creativity, cleverness, and taking yourself too seriously—these are all qualities CPK is throwing against the wall in the hope of moving the needle. And it’s admirable, since rather than resting on 40 years of laurels in a dining environment where CPK cannot outspend some of the bigger players in the space. Similar to radio—often overshadowed by behemoths like Spotify and SXM—it requires more than just solid fundamentals to move the needle.
For years, radio programmers and consultants have wisely preached being “brilliant at the basics.” I’ve been one of them. But today’s competitive environment requires a marketing and creative edge that transcends the ABCs.
I don’t know whether CPK’s attempt to make something special out of this milestone will fall flat and become a millstone. We’re not likely going to see them advertising in prime positions in awards shows or sports championships.
Instead, they’re hoping for a social response powered from fans. But I give them credit for pulling out the stops and trying something different in a marketplace that is unforgiving and doesn’t care how long you’ve been around.
Getting older isn’t easy. Thanks to @BusyPhilipps, we’re officially 40 and fine with it. pic.twitter.com/tuNz8fcORB
— calpizzakitchen (@calpizzakitchen) March 27, 2025
At one time or another, you’ll be working for a brand celebrating an anniversary that ends with a “0.” Will you handle the moment with a sense of fun and self-deprecation? Will you do the tried-and-true promotion and play it safe? Will the way you handle the moment energize your aging station OR will it prepare your brand for the perceptual assisted living facility?
Will it be a milestone…or a millstone?
Originally published by Jacobs Media
