The RadioWorks 2010 Conference has come and gone. And no, we’re not sipping pina coladas on some Mauritian island, but rather thinking up new ways of how we can take ‘RadioWorks 2011’ to even greater heights!

If ever you had any doubts about the unrivalled power of radio, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve once and for all put the matter to bed! Aptly titled, ‘RadioWorks 2010’, our inaugural RAB Conference recently took Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban by storm, bringing together some of the most important players in the radio market.

‘RadioWorks 2010’, amongst many things, signaled the birth of RadioGAUGE – South Africa’s groundbreaking new research project, and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that ‘radio indeed works’! But hey: don’t take our word for it, read some of the comments from the overwhelming feedback we’ve received below;

• “Well done! This was a great victory for radio in KZN. I think it helped in getting our local clients to think a little bigger than just regional radio” – Michael Olivier – Mercury KZN (DBN)
• “The vast collective amount of knowledge and expertise delivered in one workshop – truly motivational. Makes you want to get out there and create brilliant radio right away”! - Alexis Barrell – TBWA Hunt Lascaris (DBN)
• “What stood out for me was the scope of endless possibilities on radio. As a Creative, when you think radio, you think it’s all about a 30 second ad, but this conference gave me a 180 degree change. I was introduced to new promo mechanics – stuff you can’t goggle. It was a great learning experience – to say the least”! – Gift Manganyi – Owenkessel (JHB)
• “At last! It’s not only me going on about how amazing and underestimated this wonderful medium is, that touches each and every person; whether poor or rich, black or white, young or old. I no longer feel alone on this quest, as I have found friends who are believers like me” – Nicola Berry – The Jupiter Drawing Room (JHB)
  
• “The interaction with the audience kept the attention levels high throughout the conference. The speakers were well-informed, and imparted insightful, new information. The great food also deserves a special mention”! – Marita Steyn – Ogilvy (Cape Town)
• “The set-up; big screens and intro presentation. Overall, this was a well-planned event. I appreciate the level of professionalism demonstrated on the day. John Culverwell was my favourite speaker, with the most valuable content of the day” -Waydi Hendricks – SABC – (Cape Town)

The truth is, we couldn’t have pulled it off without you. We’d like to thank you for your contribution to RadioWorks 2010 and your continued support of the medium of radio! Here’s to RadioWorks 2011 and beyond!

TEAM RAB

The wait is over! Welcome to the brand new RAB website! With this, the re-launch of www.rab.co.za , a year later and once again in March, we’re proud to report that the RAB has indeed come full circle. Having undergone this ‘nip and tuck’, we’re proud to unveil our new-look, bursting with a host of innovative new features.

Since relevance and interactivity are key pillars to our success, this invaluable resource comes complete with a new blogging section, podcasts, compelling case studies of some of SA’s best radio campaigns, media planning guidelines from SA’s media legends, station information and much more that’s guaranteed to be useful to anyone wanting to understand the many unique aspects of radio advertising. After all, it’s just what you’d expect from South Africa’s radio advertising authority!

We’ve certainly done our homework, proof of this being the vast array of projects, training workshops and events we have on the go. These are designed to ensure that you stay in touch with and on top of your radio game!

As always, we value your feedback and would love to have your thoughts on the new website. We assure you that it will be put to good use. Go ahead then, let us know what you think, and together, let’s continue to shape the future of radio advertising in South Africa.

Team RAB

Being South Africa’s radio advertising authority comes with a great deal of responsibility. One of the ways we do this is by making it our business to fight radio’s cause and prove once and for all that the medium does work and, more importantly, can weather any storm to deliver a solid return on investment.

True to this purpose, we explore how new digital technology is influencing the way we consume radio. Is it a threat to the future of radio listenership? We beg to differ.

According to research done recently by the Bureau of Market Research (BMR) at Unisa, young people’s purchasing decisions are still more influenced by traditional media such as radio, despite the rapid rise of new media applications such as the internet; and cell phones. This study suggests that the consumption of traditional media such as print and broadcast media is not under threat but rather complemented by the new media. (source: www.mediaupdate.co.za)

A prime example of this is Apple’s unveiling of the new iPod Nano with built-in FM radio. Billed as radio’s second coming, this nifty gadget not only allows one to pause, fast-forward and rewind live radio, it demonstrates broadcast radio still holds a place in the modern media lifestyle, and like Apple puts it; ‘will make listening to the radio nothing like listening to the radio’.

We can’t run away from the fact that we‘re living in the digital age. Apple has certainly ticked all the boxes with this innovative feature. This is a very welcome development and is a testament to radio’s integral place in media consumption for all age groups.

One thing that does remain clear is that radio is quite capable of converging with new media. It remains the only true personal medium where relationships are at the heart of everything it does.