CRA unveils phase one of new ‘Radio. It’s a Love Thing’ integrated brand campaign via Eardrum

Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) has unveiled the $25 million industry-wide “Radio. It’s a Love Thing” radio brand campaign via Eardrum, at the National Radio Conference in Melbourne today.

Chairman of the CRA brand committee and Australian Radio Network, chief executive officer, Ciaran Davis and Eardrum creative director, Ralph van Dijk presented the campaign to the nearly 600 attendees and described it as one of the most integrated and impactful brand campaigns that the industry had rolled out.

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Anchored by a song written exclusively for the campaign called “Love Thing” co-written by Eardrum and Australian band No Pictures, the Radio. It’s a Love Thing theme is underpinned by comprehensive multi-phased research, the first of its kind, from Colmar Brunton that investigated the correlation between radio and happiness levels, openness to advertising and search and purchase behavior.

The first stage of the research involved conducting interviews with media agencies and advertisers to analyse media buyer’s attitudes. Online respondents were also recruited and asked to provide information relating to their media consumption, openness to advertising, happiness plus search and purchase behaviour.

The second phase of the study continued to investigate how radio advertising influenced  consumer behaviour, to support and strengthen the outcomes obtained from the first phase of the study. After analysing nearly 20,000 responses, Colmar Brunton was able to conclude that radio listeners were nine times happier and more energised when respondents listened to radio.

The research showed that this positive effect on mood translated into openness to advertising messages. With 67% of respondents confirming they were open to advertising messages, the highest across any form of media, including television, online and print. This openness to advertising was shown to result in search and purchase increasing by more than 40% for those brands who advertised on radio.

The Radio. It’s a Love Thing campaign highlights the unique relationship between radio listeners and radio and will be used as the umbrella theme for future brand campaigns.

The campaign begins with a series of four radio ads that will air across 260 commercial radio stations. The ads have been recorded by the new industry brand voice, Andrew Hansen (The Chaser) but with the same sense of fun and humour as previous campaigns.

The six week campaign will commence on 20 October 2014 and will direct listeners to visit the newly created Radio. It’s a Love Thing website. The website will act as a one-stop shop for all materials relating to radio advertising. It will showcase resources that advertisers, agencies and members can use to understand advertising on radio – research, GfK radio ratings and all the case studies that were previously available on the Radio Connects website.

The Radio. It’s a Love Thing campaign will be supported by station and trade banners, and for the first time will include video content of personal anecdotes and insights from high profile talent and commercial radio listeners.   

Phase two of the campaign will be launched in early 2015 and will provide insights into the strong impact that radio has in driving brand purchase in both metropolitan and regional markets.

The brand campaign has been spearheaded by award winning radio specialist agency, Eardrum and its founding creative director van Dijk, who has worked closely with the commercial radio industry for a decade.

Says van Dijk: “We wanted to capture the essence of what listeners love about radio and communicate how advertisers can benefit from that relationship. It’s such a feel good campaign and the track really grows on you.”

Says Joan Warner, CRA chief executive officer: “Radio began its all of industry radio brand campaign in 2003 well before it became popular with other media. Whilst all stations are highly competitive against one another, it’s important that we continue to work together, to promote radio as a platform. We’ve extended the campaign this year to include the Radio. Its a Love Thing website to bring all of the valuable research and information together in one place for advertisers and our members.”

Says Davis: “This is the first research of its kind to draw these valuable conclusions about radio.  We know people have a strong connection to their favourite radio station and this research confirms it.”

Chief executives, program managers, promotion and sales staff from across Australia will attend the National Radio Conference to hear and see the campaign for the first time.

The National Radio Conference will be held in Melbourne at the Grand Hyatt on 17 October, the day before the 26th annual Australian Commercial Radio Awards on the 18 October at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Further conference speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.