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RAJAR Results prove strong for National radio, Capital Radio still on top…

February 3rd, 2012

Coffee in one hand RAJAR data release in the other, we have been pouring over yesterdays Q4 2011 RAJAR results with great interest.

At this time of the year all eyes turn to London’s listenership, which this quarter leaves Globals Capital FM London sitting proud, with Johnny Vaughan having helped to create Capitals successful breakfast show. Will his departure from the station have an effect on the next RAJAR? Hot on the heels of Capital is Magic with a rise of 8.7% in listeners.

What has been most prevalent in this quarters RAJAR is the strength of the national brands stations such as Talksport seeing a large boost from coverage of the Rugby world cup, which can only be strengthened further in the coming year by their coverage of Euro 2012. Other national stations followed this trend with Kiss and Smooth putting in strong performances and JazzFM showing an impressive 14.3% increase year on year.

DAB radio put in another increase quarter on quarter and is showing a 19.4% share of the radio market. Over 2012 and into 2013 the rise of internet integrated TVs in the home and the continued exponential growth of devices such as Apple’s Ipad will help to further boost digital radio listening. As stations follow in the footsteps of groups like Absolute whose digital integration through many apps and now, their high quality audio streaming seem to be going from strength to strength.

For further diagnoses of the radio industry and how this quarter’s RAJAR figures will affect your radio advertising drop us and email or give us a call.

Radio Advertising – Be memorable for the right reasons

February 3rd, 2012

OK…..everyone remembers the poor guy that misses the crucial penalty in the shoot out. Chris Waddle, Stuart Pearce, Gareth Southgate, David Batty…..oh the list goes on.
Everyone remembers missed penalties,

And in the same way, everyone remembers bad adverts.

But you don’t hear Chris Waddle crowing about how wonderful it is that he missed his penalty!!

So why do some advertisers seem to be proud of producing intentionally annoying and bad adverts??

Memorable Doesn’t equal Annoying

There’s a lot to be said for radio advertising scripts and adverts that are distinctive and catchy. But being annoying is like taking your brand and lighting a match to it.

With brilliant radio advertising creative – you can be memorable and catchy and charming and gorgeous and attractive……without annoying anyone (apart from your competitors)

Memorable catchy Sung Jingles are making a comeback – the RAB themselves have been using this approach within their sophisticated ‘Britain Loves Radio’ campaign

Sonic Identities – have been little understood for decades but are now becoming an everyday currency in our work and daily conversations with new generation Marketing professionals.

Consistent Ad Characters can generate rapport for your brand – not just notability through annoyance

Then there’s Strap Lines that can charm, Offers that can stand out, Humour that can make us giggle hours later, Famous Music that takes us back, Imaginative creative that just blows us away.

There are so many ways to make radio advertising great.

Which is why at Radio Experts we build all of our client’s radio creative campaigns from the ground upwards. Understand the brief, understand the target, understand the brand. Place the ball on the spot and smack it into the top corner.

Anything else is just annoying.

Tim Cowland is a Founder Partner at Radio Experts, a London based specialist radio advertising agency. tim.cowland@radioexperts.co.uk. @timcradioexpert

Talksport responds to the BBC Trust’s proposals for BBC Radio Five Live

January 30th, 2012

Talksport AdvertisingAccording to sources Talksport have responded positively to the BBC Trust’s finding into content on BBC Radio 5 Live.

In a review the BBC Trust have said that BBC Radio 5 live should be providing more coverage of minority sports and more news programming.

“We welcome the BBC Trust’s findings, and in particular its decisions to strengthen 5 Live’s commitment to 75% news, and to ensure coverage of minority sports,” commented Scott Taunton, managing director of UTV Media (GB) to The Drum modern marketing and media magazine.

Whilst BBC Radio has always had a special place when reporting our nation’s favourite sports events, we may be witnessing another wave of BBC sports coverage cuts. This type of change would only serve to empower and embolden the commercial radio sector’s ability to procure, showcase and benefit from the biggest sport events. More commercial audience equates to more advertiser opportunities.

From our point of view it’s a win win!

If you have ad brands that will benefit from exposure in a sports coverage environment or you would just like to know more about the types of sports coverage commercial radio can deliver – please email us or call 0207 8418744.

Tim Cowland is a Founder Partner at Radio Experts, a London based specialist radio advertising agency. tim.cowland@radioexperts.co.uk. @timcradioexpert

Absolute Radio on demand – is in demand

January 30th, 2012

We are intently watching how Absolute Radio are developing their radio products and strangely these are starting to follow a model more similar to Spotify and radio on demand services than radio…

Absolute are imminently going to be offering in stream audio adverts thanks to a partnership with an innovative European Ad measurement and distribution service.

What this service will do is enable Absolute to utilise the razor sharp targeting technologies that Spotify uses within its advertising provision. This means that the advertiser can access a location based targeting mix with the usual gender and demographic audience manipulation (but on a much more accurate scale). Initially this will be for listeners using the Absolute radio app and also listeners who sign up to listen to Absolute’s high quality audio streaming.

All very clever!

It seems that Absolute are reversing the model where Spotify mimics the workings of radio, and Absolute Radio is starting to mimic some of the workings of Spotify and the other Radio On Demand services like Pandora, We7 etc.

For more insights on the radio industry, and the exciting world of in stream audio ads and or if you just fancy a chat please give us a call or email.

Tim Cowland is a Founder Partner at Radio Experts, a London based specialist radio advertising agency.  tim.cowland@radioexperts.co.uk. @timcradioexpert