Virgin Radio teams up with Vodafone UK

Virgin Radio, the Scottish Media Group-owned national station, is launching an advertising initiative claiming to make traditional spot advertising more accountable. The station has signed up Vodafone UK as the launch partner for the service.

Called Feedback, the new service aims to emulate the interactive “red button” service that is available to digital television viewers by encouraging listeners to interact with ads.

Feedback will work by inserting interactive elements such as special offers into the advertiser’s normal spot advertising to encourage a response from listeners. The response will be processed via Virgin’s text number, which can also be used for transactions or purchases after the spot has been aired.

The scheme, which will launch this week, will be available to advertisers across the FM, AM and DAB platforms and through listening via digital TV and the internet.

Vodafone is using the initiative to drive sales of the Motorola 3G handset by offering a free Bluetooth headset to listeners who buy the phone. Feedback will be used to raise awareness of the offer and to encourage customers to visit a store to take it up. It will also form a new part of Virgin’s Access All Areas advertising scheme, which allows brands to get more involved in the station’s content and production.