Tag Archives: radio

Dumb Ways To Die campaign sets fire to competition: wins 2013 radio ad of the year

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The ad “Set Fire to Your Hair”, part of the “Dumb Ways to Die” campaign for Metro Trains Melbourne, has been awarded the 2013 Gold Siren award for best radio ad of the year at the Siren Awards breakfast in Sydney this morning.

Melbourne agency McCann were the creators of the ad that also won a Silver Siren for winning the single category and campaign category. Check out all of the winners here.

Launched in November last year, within 24 hours of its release, the song was in the top 10 on the iTunes chart and a video released on YouTube was viewed 28 million times within the period of a fortnight.

More importantly, according to Metro Trains, the “Dumb Ways to Die” campaign contributed to a more than 30% reduction in “near-miss” accidents, in the three months between November 2012 and January this year.

Judges of the best radio ad lauded the manner in which the ad delivered; ticking off humour, charm, communication and cut-through.

“Everyone loves a catchy song: clever lyrics with a strong message and a simple melody that you just can’t get out of your head… the benchmark for pop success!” says judge Brad Grisaffe.

The creative rationale behind the ad was simple from the viewpoint of McCann, with its executive director John Mescall explaining:

 “We knew that people didn’t want to hear our message at all. It’s rail safety. Not only do young people not care about safety messages, but we know that they actively tune out these kinds of messages,” he admits.

“So our idea was I guess the inspiration was to make a radio ad that was nothing like a radio ad, but a lot more like the content on either side of the ads: the music.”

Chief executive of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner agrees saying, “it was rare to win both the single and campaign categories at Sirens, which was a testament to the effectiveness and impact of the campaign.”

John Mescall and Pat Baron, the winning McCann writers will receive airfares, accommodation and tickets to this year’s Cannes Advertising Festival this June. The client, Metro Trains Melbourne also wins a trip to Cannes to attend the festival.

Radio spend grew 4.6% in March

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Commercial Radio Australia have released figures showing commercial radio enjoyed a growth of 4.65% for the month of March.

The 2013 Metropolitan Commercial Radio Advertising Revenue figures, sourced by Deloitte, show growth in all five metropolitan markets for March 2013:

  • Melbourne recorded growth of 7.79% to a total of $18.194 million for the month,
  • Perth was up 5.84% to $8.432 million,
  • Adelaide was up 3.76% to $5.489 million,
  • Sydney was up 3.33% to $18. 067 million, and
  • Brisbane was up 1.11% to $9.809 million.

However, the advertising downturn continues with total ad revenue taking a 1.02% hit over last nine months. Perth was the only market to increase its revenue in this time, recording a growth of 3.60% to $70.860 million.

In other markets over the past nine months:

  • Sydney was down 1.21% to $153.073 million,
  • Melbourne was down 0.72% to $151.886 million,
  • Adelaide was down 2.10% to $47.097 million, and
  • Brisbane was down 4.37% to $79.031million.

Chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner said the March figures were in line with recent economic figures released last week, which had shown better than expected growth, like retail trade and house building approvals.

“Radio revenue recorded a small rise last month and coupled with these latest figures, is good news for the industry – particularly the Sydney market,” Warner says, “However the market continues to be patchy with some markets stronger than others.”

 

Perth and Melbourne lift radio ad revenues, other markets struggle

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Perth and Melbourne were the only metropolitan markets to record increases in radio ad revenue during February, with Perth clocking an astounding 11.58% jump.

Figures released by industry body Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) show total advertising revenue across the five metropolitan markets grew 0.44% year on year to a total of $52.003 million.

Perth and Melbourne dragged the figure up with 11.58% and 1.55% year-on-year gains respectively, while Sydney dropped 2.23%, Adelaide was down 1.63% and Brisbane fell 4.78%.

Chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Ms Joan Warner says Perth continued to outperform its peers with help from the upcoming state election.

The Metropolitan Commercial Radio Advertising Revenue figures, sourced by Deloitte, for the eight months of the financial year ending February 2013, show a fall of 1.74% to a total of $441.954 million for the five metropolitan markets.

Perth was the only market to increase its revenue during this time – up 3.3% to $62.427 million.

The figures report total metropolitan radio revenue received for each calendar month and include all direct and agency revenue.

GfK replaces Nielsen as radio ratings provider, online and mobile innovations coming

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A new system of radio audience measurement using mobile and online methodologies will be introduced next year, with GfK to replace Nielsen as the industry’s ratings provider.

Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) has announced this morning the results of a tender issued in September last year, naming global research house GfK as the preferred service provider for the new measurement system.

Radio ratings are currently measured by Nielsen using paper diaries self-completed by a panel of participants, an outdate methodology now seldom used by the research industry.

When calls for tender went out the chief executive officer of CRA, Joan Warner, said tests showed listeners were willing to record their listening habits online and called for a modernised approach.

“This is an exciting time for the radio industry and marks a new era for the future of radio audience measurement in Australia ensuring currency continuity, a multi-mode approach to data collection including plans for the testing of electronic measurement enhancements,” Warner comments on the news.

GfK’s three-year contract will begin on 1 January 2014 and introduce an e-diary for computers, tablets and mobile phones, synchronised across the internet and compatible with all operating systems.

A pilot test will be conducted in parallel to the current measure throughout 2013 to ensure validity of the new system and comparability with the existing currency.

 

Radio ad decline carries over to the New Year

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Radio ad revenues declined by 3.0% year on year in January, with all markets except Perth taking a hit.

Commercial networks across the five metropolitan markets booked a total of $44.0 million in advertising dollars for the months, according to industry body Commercial Radio Australia (CRA).

Chief executive officer of CRA, Joan Warner, says the year began in a similar vein to the end of last year, with inconsistent results across the country.

“The year has begun along a similar trend to last year with advertising revenues patchy among the five metropolitan markets… some performing better than others, often dependent on local influencing factors,” Warner says.

“Radio continues to be a resilient media performer in tough economic times and is competing well in attracting advertising dollars in comparison to other traditional media.”

The five major centres performed as follows:

  • Sydney down 6.2% to $12.8 million,
  • Melbourne down 0.9% to $13.6 million,
  • Brisbane down 7.0% to $6.8 million,
  • Perth up 5.6% to a total of $6.6 million, and
  • Adelaide down 5.4% to $4.2 million.

For the first seven months of the financial year revenues fell 2.0% year on year to $340.0 million. Again, Perth was the only market to grow during this period.

The figures, sourced by Deloitte, report total metropolitan radio revenue received for each calendar month and include all direct and agency revenue.

 

Radio ad revenues down in 2012, but audience grows

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Radio ad revenue in 2012 closed 1.28% lower than 2011, with takings down in all markets except for Perth.

The five metropolitan markets generated a total of $674.020 million for the year, according to figures released by industry body, Commercial Radio Australia (CRA). Sydney closed the year down 1.71%, Melbourne down 1.19%, Adelaide down 0.19% and Brisbane down 2.52%. The only market to record positive growth in 2012 was Perth, up marginally, by 0.27%.

The figures, collected by Deloitte, report total metropolitan radio revenue received for each calendar month and include all direct and agency revenue.

Chief executive officer of CRA, Joan Warner, says the figures reflect the tough economic conditions being experienced across the country. “Radio has had a softer year but once again has shown its resilience and competed well when compared to other traditional media.”

“Results for the year show patchy figures for the five metropolitan markets with some performing better than others at different times, again dependent on local influencing factors,” says Warner.

Month on month, December figures closed the year off with a fall of 0.91%. Brisbane was the hardest hit, taking a 7.77% dip, while Melbourne and Perth were the only markets to register an increase compared to November.

On a positive note for the industry, it closed the year with an increase in its average weekly audience. The latest metropolitan ratings figures show 9.5 million people listened to commercial radio each week in 2012, up from 9.4 million people the previous year, according to Nielsen. Radio reached 85% of 10 to 17 year olds each week, 79% of people aged 40 to 54 years and 78% of 18 to 24 year olds.

On average, Australians spent nearly 16 hours a week listening to commercial radio in 2012 with breakfast remaining the most popular timeslot, followed by drive. Nielsen data also shows that in 2012 commercial radio reached over 60% of Australians in their car each week.

 

Radio ad revenues rebound across the board

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Radio ad revenue rebounded in November with 3.47% year-on-year growth after struggling in the back half of the year.

Figures from Commercial Radio Australia show takings of $64.3 million across the five metropolitan markets, with all markets bar Brisbane recording an increase.

Perth performed the strongest, up 7.29% to $9.2 million, followed by Melbourne, up 4.67% to $19.3 million, Adelaide, up 3.44% to $6.1 million, and Sydney, up 3.76% to $19.8 million. Brisbane dropped slightly on November last year, down 2.41% to $10.0 million

Chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Ms Joan Warner says the results are good news for the radio industry as a whole in the lead-up to Christmas.

“This is positive news for the industry and highlights the resilience and reliability of radio as an advertising medium in what is a tough trading environment,” Warner says. “We hope this is the start of a more positive trend for the rest of the financial year.”

The picture of the financial year to date still remains down on last year however. For the five months to November 2012, total metropolitan revenue fell by 2.07% to a total of $293.0 million.

All markets bar Perth have decreased, with Brisbane leading the fall.

The figures, collected by Deloitte, report total metropolitan radio revenue received for each calendar month and include all direct and agency revenue.

 

Radio ad revenue steadies but still down

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Radio ad revenue fell 3.2% year on year during October for the five metropolitan commercial radio markets.

Despite being down on October last year, Commercial Radio Australia’s (CRA) latest figures herald somewhat of a stabilisation following a disastrous September which recorded a year-on-year decline of 7.5%.

However, ad revenues for the month were down in all markets except Adelaide, with Sydney and Brisbane recording the largest drops, both down 4.2%, followed by Melbourne, which fell 3.2%, and Perth, which dropped by 2.3%.

Chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner says October may be an improvement on September but still reflects a “softer” market since the middle of the year.

“Results for the past few months reflect the challenges facing all media in a tough trading environment,” Warner says. “Some markets are more patchy than others and both first quarter and monthly figures reflect this trend.”

Total ad revenue for October across the five metropolitan markets combined was $61.967 million. Revenues across the five markets were:

  • Sydney $18.704 million (down 4.2%)
  • Melbourne $18.820 million (down 3.2%)
  • Brisbane $9.971 million (down 4.2%)
  • Perth $8.466 million (down 2.3%)
  • Adelaide $6.004 million (up 0.4%).

For the financial year to date, revenue fell 3.5% to a total of $228.628 million across all markets combined.

Collected by Deloitte, the figures report total metropolitan radio revenue received for each calendar month and include all direct and all agency revenue.

 

Radio ad revenue dips after disastrous September

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Metropolitan radio revenue fell 3.6% year on year in the latest quarter, driven down by poor performance in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide and a bad September.

Melbourne and Adelaide suffered the greatest declines for the July to September quarter, dipping by 6.0% and 6.4% respectively. Sydney also declined slightly, dropping by 1.54%, leaving Perth the only market to notch an increase.

CEO of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner says the month of September seems to have been particularly difficult for the media sector.

“Results for September reflect the challenges facing media in a tough trading environment. Some markets are more patchy than others and both first quarter [financial year] and monthly figures reflect this trend,” Warner says.

Advertising revenue for July to September totalled $166.66 million for the five metropolitan markets. Divided by market:

  • Sydney declined 1.5% to $52.822 million
  • Melbourne declined 6.0% to $49.984 million
  • Brisbane declined 5.2% to $25.935 million
  • Adelaide declined 6.4% to $15.403 million, and
  • Perth increased 0.9% to $22.514 million.

September was a bad month all round with Sydney falling 7.2%, Melbourne down 7.9%, Brisbane plummeting by 10.8%, Adelaide down 9.0% and Perth falling by 2.2%. For all markets combined the year-on-year decline for the month was 7.5%.

“The quarter and month-on-month comparisons of 2012 to 2011 highlight the real impact of poor consumer and business confidence and uncertainty about the global economy, a continuation of a problematical retail environment, insecurity about interest rates and the slashing of advertising and information campaign budgets by both State and Federal Governments,” Warner adds.

 

Radio measurement tender calls for new method

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Proposals for a new radio audience measurement system have been called for in a tender issued today for the industry’s measurement services contract to start in January 2014.

While Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) expects the global standard of paper diaries for audience measurement to remain the main method of collection in the short term, it has expressed interest in “proposals for supplementary data collection methods to enhance the basic methodology”.

The CRA has investigated online diaries and the use of mobiles and tablets to record radio listening behaviour in recent months. Chief executive officer of CRA, Joan Warner, says the tests show that listeners are now willing to record their listening habits online.

“Recent tests of an online diary yielded much more positive results that when we carried out a similar test in 2007,” Warner says.

“The industry is looking to enhance the methodology currently used for the collection of radio audience measurement data and is prepared to consider a range of proposals for the next contract.”

A cost effective measurement methodology with demonstrated effectiveness is being sought after by the industry. The current measurement system, deployed by Nielsen, includes eight surveys a year in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth as well as three surveys a year in Newcastle and the Gold Coast, two a year in Canberra and one in Wollongong.

“Australian radio has one of the most robust listenership measurement systems in the world but that doesn’t stop us considering ways to improve it further,” Warner adds. “It should also be remembered that one of radio’s major strengths, its mobility, ubiquity and reach into all situations, conversely, provides one of the major challenges for radio audience measurement.”

A decision on the winning tender will be made early next year following an extensive tender process.

 

Murdoch takes full control of DMG with $100m deal

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Lachlan Murdoch’s investment group Illyria will take full ownership of DMG Radio Australia (DMGRA), after acquiring the remaining 50% share of the business not under its control.

Murdoch first acquired a stake in the radio group in 2009 when his company shelled out $110 million to acquire 50%. He is understood to have paid previous owner UK newspaper publisher Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) $100 million for the remaining 50%, plus half of the company’s annual dividend when its financial year ends in September

“We are pleased to move to 100 per cent ownership of DMG Radio Australia,” Murdoch said in a statement yesterday. “When we acquired our 50% interest in DMGRA in November 2009 we set out to create one of Australia’s leading media companies. Over the past three years, working alongside DMGRA’s wonderful staff, we have successfully implemented our growth strategy.

Murdoch paid tribute to the strong performance of the group’s key radio stations, and its CEO Cathy O’Connor. “In that time Nova has regained its position as the Number 1 national network for people 18-39 and we have successfully launched SmoothFM. The EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) of DMG has doubled and the IRR [internal rate of return] on our initial investment is more than 60%.

“We have great confidence in the continuing potential of radio, great confidence in the management team we have built under Cathy O’Connor, and look forward to further growing DMGRA in the coming years.”

 

Lean July for radio ad revenues as growth falters

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Sydney and Perth were the only markets to register increases in radio ad revenue in a lean July, according to figures released today by industry body, Commercial Radio Australia (CRA).

Overall the country’s five metropolitan markets declined by 1.16% year on year in July with a total of $52.35 million in ad revenue taken during the month.

After a troubled start to the year, Sydney’s small increase of 0.79% to $16.78 million represented the third consecutive month of growth for the market. Perth was the only other market to record growth, up 2.18% to $6.960 million.

Chief executive officer of CRA, Joan Warner comments, “Sydney and Perth recording positive growth for the month is a good start to the new financial year and the third consecutive month of growth for Sydney. Other markets are still experiencing tough economic conditions.”

Melbourne declined 2.54% to $15.67 million, Brisbane dropped 1.82% to $8.24 million and Adelaide fell 6.64% to $4.70 million, pulling the market’s overall fortunes down.

“The radio industry continues with initiatives like the website Radio Connects illustrating the effectiveness of radio ads and featuring real case studies, making it easier for advertisers to see how radio can work for them,” Warner adds.

The figures report actual revenue received by metropolitan commercial radio stations for the calendar month and include all metropolitan agency and direct revenue.