primedia Archives

Radio – the driving force behind meaningful connections

December 12, 2011 By Zama

After riding through recessionary waves, emerging stronger and louder, 2011 has once again reminded us of the power of radio as a medium. A quick glance at the numbers and it’s safe to say that radio has proven its mettle time and time again…

With its unique ability to deliver unrivalled levels of immediacy, intimacy and recency, itis our belief that the emotional connection people have with the medium is what’s largely responsible for this success.

Radio has the ability to make people shed a tear, smile, want to share an opinion, be part of something and want to burst at the seams with pride. Radio has conversations with people, it talks one-on-one. For these reasons, radio can be very persuasive.

A sterling example of this is the Lead SA initiative which was launched last year. Built on a premise that calls on South Africans to be the change they want to see, ittruly has received an overwhelmingly positive responses from listeners.

In 2011, Lead SA rallied South Africans to get behind the Bokke; to support the Police Widows and Orphans Fund to the tune of R2.1-million; to sing Happy Birthday to Madiba and to even chase down a taxi driver who had broken the law!

From an advertising perspective, a definite highlight for 2011 has been FNB’s ‘Steve’ campaign. It has truly been encouraging to see a client who really understands the medium and how this can be translated into tangible results. The campaign was impossible to ignore and competitors followed with adverts that spoke directly to Steve.

Radio’s speedily carving itself the role of medium to ‘watch’ in 2012 and beyond. Despite the sexiness of our growing digital offerings and the unpredictability of our buisiness, radio’s real power is in the connection we make with our listeners, this is where the impact lies.

It’s also immediate and as such, programming can change from moment to moment, bookings can come in at the last minute and we need to be flexible enough to accommodate these changes.

Ryan Till

Chief Operating Officer, Primedia Broadcasting

Filed Under: the power of radio Tagged With: primedia, ryan till

December 8, 2011 By Zama

The challenge

Lead SA is a Primedia Broadcasting and Independent Group of Newspapers initiative that was launched in August 2010 with the aim of reigniting the spirit of Ubuntu. It is about active citizenry and promotes nation-building and respect for the country and its laws. With these key driving forces, Lead SA encourages all South Africans to stand up, do the right thing and make a difference.

The Lead SA initiative is a long term project and will focuses on some key areas, including:

· To challenge and rally each South African to take charge of their moral leadership by respecting the law, from holding accountable those around them to respecting the environment.

The Bill of Responsibility, which is based on the Bill of Rights and ensures the rights of all South Africans are protected.
To strive for leadership by promoting excellence, leadership skills, highlighting and striving to address problems within the education system.
The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) is set to be the most powerful radio telescope ever built. Considering the benefits it will hold for the country, Lead SA will play its role in mobilising South Africans and ensuring the project is a success.
Finally, Lead SA will focus on sport as a way of unifying the nation.

Why Radio?

Yusuf Abramjee, LeadSA Executive and Head of News & Current Affairs explains;“The Lead SA initiative is first and foremost about people and there isn’t a more powerful way to engagethem than through radio. Our radio stations (Talk Radio 702, 567 Cape Talk, 94.7 Highveld Stereo and 94.5 Kfm) have shown us that despite the diversity of our nation, people want to be part of the discussion. They want to be part of the change ordinary South Africans can and do make in our country.

As a media company and with the added benefit of having the support of one of South Africa’s leading newspaper companies, the Independent Group, the reach of the campaign has been widened. The sheer volume of stories that have been aired is phenomenal”.

Implementation

A call to action was put out, highlighting how imperative it was for everyone to join hands and stand up against elements that seek to destroy democracy and freedom. This was executed on air through a series of teasers, promos, Q&A’s and editorial. All of this was reflected on social media platforms, websites, the newspapers and activations.

Millions of rands in advertising space is committed to continuously driving Lead SA on-air and via the newspapers. The concept of it has become an integral part of the Primediavalue system and is an initiative that is top of mind to presenters who drive it on air.

The Results

It is important to point out that Lead SA is not an advertising campaign. However, a significant statistic to share is the result of a TNS survey which showed that within 4 months from the launch of Lead SA (August – November 2010) about 1.6-million people in metro SA were aware of the initiative. The breakdown is as follows:

• 900 000 in Gauteng

• 350 000 in Cape Town; and

• 150 000 in Durban

LeadSA has also generated over R250 million in PR exposure.

Learnings

The overwhelming majority of South Africans want a better South Africa and Lead SA has resonated with the personal vision that many South Africans have for their country. There is an enormous amount of good work happening in this country and individuals, business, NGOs and government are doing a lot to move the country forward. The success of the World Cup in South Africa was not just a flash in the pan; it was a great example of what South Africans can do with a common purpose. Lead SA is a common purpose, it’s about moving South Africa forward and it starts with every South African being the change they want to see in their communities.

RAB Commentary

The success of the LEADSA initiative is a great example of ‘radio with purpose’. Not only does it demonstrate radio’s unsurpassed reach by mobilising the masses and making a meaningful difference, just about everywhere from inside a minibus taxi to the ivory tower office, it’s a true testament of radio’s ability to build a sub-brand.

Filed Under: case studies, case studies 2011 Tagged With: csi, lead sa, primedia

Friend with Benefits

October 28, 2011 By Zama

Simon Parkinson, National Promotions Manager: Primedia Broadcasting says when it comes to making that all-important and meaningful connection between brands and listeners, radio stations have a few tricks up their sleeves. Here are a few he swears by – with added benefits to clients, of course…

One of the great things about the medium of radio is that as an advertiser there are different opportunities to suit different objectives and a range of budgets. It is quite possible to do little things on radio that help your brand to stand out – using a mixture of the on-air and online platforms on offer.

First things first; The starting point for any campaign is the brand or product e.g. some products lend themselves to competitions, by virtue of being exciting and desirable. Others need to be made exciting through an association with a fun promotion. The beauty of radio is that it has the ability to make the unsexy, sexy and can add ‘cool’ to something that is ostensibly very dull.

Take insurance for an example; the products themselves are, for most consumers, a grudge purchase. To make an insurance brand stand out, various promotions can be run to elicit talkability.

Taking into account the product itself, there are then various avenues to explore to find the right fit. These include:

Personalities	Radio presenters are in listeners’ homes, cars and offices every day. Listeners build a relationship with them. A recommendation from a presenter has similar impact to getting a recommendation from a respected friend. That’s why endorsements and live reads utilise this personal relationship well.
Activations	An event that represents your brand’s values offers an opportunity to show an audience what you stand for or are offering, e.g. sports events reflect healthy, active lifestyles. Alternatively, an event with broad appeal, like a festival, can make your brand more accessible to the public. Events are not all huge sponsorships. There are opportunities to associate your brand with smaller activations, such as an outside broadcast.
Features	By sponsoring a set feature, such as a finance report or a music chart, your brand gets guaranteed exposure at a time that is appointment listening for a certain target market. The association with the feature could also strengthen your brand’s value perception, whether that be caring, reliable, youthful etc.
Station Extensions	By sponsoring a set feature, such as a finance report or a music chart, your brand gets guaranteed exposure at a time that is appointment listening for a certain target market. The association with the feature could also strengthen your brand’s value perception, whether that be caring, reliable, youthful etc.

In addition to these on-air options, there are an increasing range of opportunities to make your brand stand out on any radio station’s digital platforms as any campaign can now include a mixture of on-air and online.

It’s always worth remembering that radio is not a one-size-fits-all advertising medium. Solutions can be tailor-made to suit your brand, product and budget.

What are you waiting for? Advertise on radio today!

Filed Under: insights Tagged With: primedia, simon parkinson