R5 Live launches TV push to boost audience
BBC Radio 5 Live is to embark on its first major TV advertising campaign since the station launched six years ago. It is part of a new marketing strategy for the station.
The move coincides with the appointment of a new marketing manager for the station. Steve Conway, former HP Foods international marketing manager, took up the position this week. A series of marketers have come and gone from the post since the station launched in March 1994.
A month-long TV and poster campaign breaks in mid-February and will attempt to woo new listeners to R5 Live, according to BBC Radio head of marketing Vanessa Griffiths.
Griffiths says: “The station has strong loyalty among its core audience but minimal awareness outside of it. But R5 Live has massive potential to talk to millions more listeners.”
The station has 5.6 million listeners and a 4.2 per cent share of listening, according to Rajar figures for the quarter ending September 1999.
Radio 1 marketing manager Gail Nuttney has been caretaking R5 Live for six months, devising the new strategy and advertising campaign, created by Fallon McElligott.
Griffiths denies that the new advertising campaign is a response to rival Talk Radio’s increase in sporting coverage and its relaunch as talkSPORT this week.
