The Rickey Smiley Morning Show is a renowned radio program that airs in various major markets throughout the United States, featuring a blend of music, comedy, and news. Additionally, the program is associated with the national television program Dish Nation. CLAS6IC Label worked with the show in the past to broaden its exposure from radio to television from 2010 to 2013.
Brand Identity + Content Design & Direction + Video Editing + Social Media
Objective
The Rickey Smiley Morning Show is a daily cultural touchpoint with a massive audience. The challenge was to create high-volume, fast-turn creative that stayed relevant, engaging, and on-brand—often under tight timelines and constant content demands.
The work had to move at the speed of culture without sacrificing clarity or consistency.
Strategy
Morning radio is about connection and immediacy.
Audiences engage most with content that feels current, relatable, and conversational—especially when it reflects what people are already talking about in real time.
Turn daily moments into shareable cultural touchpoints.
Rather than treating content as promotion, the approach was to amplify humor, commentary, and personality—making the show feel present across digital platforms, not confined to airwaves.
We supported and executed creative production across digital and social platforms, contributing to a high-output content system.
Our role included:
Designing social graphics and digital content for daily distribution
Supporting branded segments and show promotions
Working within fast-paced production cycles and tight deadlines
Collaborating with producers and marketing teams to maintain voice and consistency
Ensuring content stayed timely, relevant, and visually engaging
This required speed, adaptability, and strong creative instincts.
Results
From its premiere week in 2011 and throughout its six-week test run in Atlanta, Dish Nation consistently outperformed Late Show with David Letterman and sitcoms, ranking third in key demographics and household ratings. As of January 2023, Dish Nation has been renewed for its twelfth season, demonstrating its continued success.
In February 2022, the Rickey Smiley morning radio show signed a new deal with Reach Media and Urban One, ensuring that the show will continue to run for another five years.
Consistent, high-volume content supporting daily show engagement
Strong alignment between broadcast content and digital presence
A scalable creative system capable of keeping pace with a live media brand
The work helped extend the show’s cultural relevance beyond radio into digital spaces.