GMG reviews its £3m regional radio account

Guardian Media Group Radio is reviewing the advertising for its regional radio brand, Real Radio. The incumbent Clear Marketing has been invited to repitch against three undisclosed agencies.

The shorlisted agencies will pitch for the business, worth an estimated &£3m, in January. The winner will be responsible for the advertising and marketing for the brand’s three stations in Wales, Scotland and Yorkshire. Real Radio’s campaigns use a lot of television and outdoor activity, although it is not clear how this will change in the future.

The Real stations in Scotland and Wales are the number one commercial stations, according to radio audience research group Rajar. The figures for the six months to September 12, 2004 show that the three stations have a 10.1 per cent share of listening and a weekly reach of nearly 1.4 million people.

Manchester-based Clear Marketing has handled the Real account since 2002 (MW September 5, 2002). It took over the business from Cheshire-based agency Cranshaw Middleton, which had created the launch campaigns for the stations.

Clear Marketing also handles the advertising for Smooth FM, the rebranded Jazz FM North West station. The &£2m advertising business for Jazz FM is handled by Kitcatt Nohr Shaw.