All We Hear Is Radio Bla Bla

At Cannes we heard news that UK agencies appear to have no interest left whatsoever in radio. That everybody is focused on TV and online.

Creatives don't want to work on radio because they think it is boring, that it has little creative opportunity, that they cannot get a raise or become known by making great radio work. This means radio work often gets farmed out to juniors or neglected, not given the care it deserves.

Radio isn't a big impactful medium, it won't do anything for your brand... so let's focus on the TV and online stuff shall we?

The problem with that view is that it is totally wrong.

If you think radio is useless then you are not doing it right. Use it like any other medium and make the most of the opportunity. Treat it with respect, understand how to make it work, and then make bloody good stuff.

Has everyone forgotten the Budweiser Men of genius work? Radio spots so good that they turned it into a TV campaign, which wasn't as good as the radio. Have we forgotten that radio is really good at reaching people while they are near a computer? A nice way to promote your new digital work no?

Agencies complaining about low budgets, why not consider if that dirt cheap, badly shot on a shoestring 20 second TV ad you just made, which will air 3 times on an obscure satellite channel (UK Gymnastic 2 +1); might be better as a national 40 second radio campaign on the same budget. Giving you time to actually be creative instead of having 5 seconds to shoehorn in a cheap gag.

I've seen cases of miniscule budgets turned into double figure ROI using radio. You would think people might notice this...

We have some brilliant writers in this country, let's remind them why campaigns are about the bigger picture, not just the fashionable bits.

BERRAND Values

Rob Campbell in his early days
(Blogosphere in-joke)

As an avid follower of a variety of different genres of music, I've been a regular reader of Kerrang for about 10 years. It's always been a reasonable barometer of what is interesting and exciting in the world of rock, metal and alternative music, but with a good sense of history, remembering the greats of the past and how they influence the present.

The thing that struck me this weekend though, is how inconsistent the values of Kerrang appear to be when moved into other media, and how balancing mass appeal with loyalty to your core values is a tricky thing.

On the way 'Dahn Sowf', we drove through Brimingham, and we tuned into Kerrang Radio to see if would play decent music during the day (as opposed to the trite enforced retro blandness of most local radio).

What I heard confused the hell out of me. I listened for about 8 songs, which included The Kooks, The Police, Blur and Coldplay. Fucking Coldplay. On Kerrang.

Never in a million years would Kerrang even consider writing about Coldplay (unless they have taken an unexpected death metal turn on the next album). Yet here it was being played out attached to the Kerrang brand. One of the trailers then said 'we don't play the same pop as everyone else, we play rock'. Not on this listen you didn't.

I'm not expecting them to go all out: "You're listening to the Kerrang morning show, coming up we have Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, and Cradle of Filth." But under any appropriation of the Kerrang brand the stuff they were playing just does not fit.

The Kerrang TV channel has always been somewhere in the middle. Playing decent stuff in the early hours, but suffering from an obsession for soft rock at all other times. I used to switch off because there was only so many Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Foo Fighters and sodding Nickleback tracks I could take.

It's a brand that in print has always felt like it had a solid set of values and yet in TV and radio it always feels like it is compromising those values in the name of a bigger audience. I wish Kerrang TV and radio would decide what they are, and either change their content or change their branding.

A face for the radio

Rubber Republic have created a nice video for the BBC's Today radio show. A nice behind the scenes of the wardrobe department.

It's sensibly silly and funny; and well worth a watch.

Web 6.0? Oh no....

"Ever feel like the online world is leaving you behind?"

No quite frankly, but I am sure a lot of people do. Which is why I severely dislike the new radio ads for government backed training schemes.

The ads are basic and reasonable enough, but using those annoying alienation tactics I loathe so much. "Mum who is jealous that her daughter gets online tips from her friends mum" and "Grandad who feels silly not being able to get in touch with his family" are among two ideas that just sound patronising when they should be inspiring.

Win back your kids love by knowing some good URLs! No. A better understanding of what your kid enjoys and gets up to? Yes.

Yes, tell over 50's that they can keep in better touch with their families using the internet; but don't insult their intelligence whilst doing it.

Clear to See

After criticising their recent TV ad, I am glad to say that the current radio ads for Specsavers are much better. Nothing specifically amazing, but they are funny and well written.

They talk about competitor sales, how they exclude pretty much everything. A choice quote "I'll have these." 'Sorry, those aren't in the sale' "What about these?" 'Sorry' "These?" 'No.' "These?!" 'No..'

Much better.

Still they get worse

Ive not watched much tv recently (thank Guitar Hero 2 and Paper Mario!), but I do hear the radio at work.

And oh dear.

Debt management/iva ads havent got much better have they.

A new low is W3 Debt Solutions, who compare putting a plaster on a cut to getting debt help. Except in that patronising, nagging, know it all tone that seems to swamp these ads.

Are there no debt companies that understand how to make a decent ad? Just because you are talking to people with money problems doesnt make them stupid or ignorant.

Feed Me Now Seymour!

W+K's lunchtime revolution ads for Pizza Hut are clearly having an effect.

Ive heard one radio ad and seen one print ad that are complete and utter rip off's of the concept. Including one for a chinese restaurant that borders on photocopying!

I will try and get an image of the print one shortly...

Debt Ads Matter

Honestly.
Radio ads are so polarising. Some are great and some are awful.

While others are just diabloodybolical.

An ad for Debt Matters is currently on our local station all the time. (im not linking to them as I would hate to promote their site based on this ad).

It goes pretty much:

"Did you know you can pay off debts without a loan?
Do you?
Oi, stupid, are you listening?
Look, you are in debt, therefore you must have a brain the size of a pea.
Do....you.....un...der...stand.......Comprehende?
(aside) Idiot.

I really hate this kind of hard sell ad, and I hate the assumption that everyone in debt is ignorant and stupid even more. I speak to people who use these kinds of services on a regular basis, and most of them seem just as intelligent as anyone else. So why do this company (among others) not understand that? Honestly...