FirstStrike Advertising is an advertising and marketing consultancy, headquartered in Pullman, Washington, the creative services division of Grace Broadcast Sales, content provider to thousands of radio and television stations across the USA and Canada.
“Why do you call it FirstStrike?” Glad you asked. It’s a mashup of two metaphors, one military and one natural:
- In military use, first strike refers to a preemptive action taken to prevent an adversary from gaining some strategic advantage. Preemptive advertising is a strategy that gives the audacious advertiser an enormous advantage over his competitors, with a view toward establishing category dominance in the market.
- The nature metaphor is that of a lightning strike, a brilliant flash of extreme power that’s impossible to ignore. These are attributes we admire and strive to achieve for our clients. Messages that compel attention, that carry emotional voltage, and that penetrate deep into the human brain.
FirstStrike Advertising is Rod Schwartz−advertising strategist, writer, and producer−and the gifted cadre of voice actors, jingle singers, graphic designers, video and digital wizards, with whom I collaborate. We’re here to help you become the leading brand, business, or organization in your category and market.
You have a story to tell. We can help you tell it, truly and memorably. It’s what we’re known for.
Ready to start sharing your story? Let’s talk!
MEET ROD SCHWARTZ
I embarked on a lifelong career in radio advertising in 1973, rising through the ranks at stations in Illinois, Minnesota, and Washington. In 1991, with the support of my wife and daughters, I founded Grace Broadcast Sales (GBS), a content-creation company specializing in short-form syndicated radio features for holidays, seasonal celebrations, and special events. Our features have aired on thousands of radio stations across the United States and Canada. Some of the first stations we served remain our customers to this day.
I was born and raised in Chicago. In my youth, I sang in the famed Paulist Choir, where early exposure to the rudiments of music and strict choral discipline helped me to acquire a discerning ear, a terrific asset for someone who creates spoken-word advertising for a living.
Professionally, I’m a radio advertising veteran of more than four decades’ experience. I’ve helped hundreds of businesses, professionals, and organizations grow their enterprises through the effective use of radio advertising. I’ve contributed to radio industry trade publications including Radio Business Report, Radio World, Radio INK, and Small Market Radio Newsletter. Since 2009, I have been an administrator of Radio Sales Café, the premier networking site for radio advertising sales professionals worldwide. It was my daughter Rebecca’s brainchild, conceived and created as a service to our industry. Today, more than 5000 radio advertising professionals and creatives belong to RSC.
In 2004, I entered my first advertising competition and came away with the $5000 Radio Mercury Award for best radio-station produced commercial in America for my client Keeney Bros. Music Centers. Others followed. But the “award” I’ve always prized highest of all is hearing from a client that their advertising is working.
Choosing the right words and wielding them skillfully is as exciting a challenge for me today as it was more than forty years ago, when I took on my very first radio advertising client. I still feel like a kid in a candy store whenever someone asks me to help them with their advertising and marketing.
Enough about me. Let’s talk about you.
If you’re looking for a media and marketing expert to help you tell your story effectively and memorably, call me at (509) 334-1111 (my studio office) or (509) 592-0148 (my cell). And let’s have that conversation.