Radiodays Europe Finishes With Imaging, Brands, Midge Ure And New Ideas

Another Year In The Books

The importance of great brand imaging and how it can increase revenue and ratings for broadcasters was the breakfast topic at THE AUSTRIA CENTER (VIENNA). STAXX WILLIAMS of Z100/NYC believed that producers need to avoid thinking about words and instead think in terms of scenes and images. “If you think in pictures and use the same tools that your artists use, this will help your imaging” said STAXX. His imaging directs listeners to action. "The station voice is a voice of authority," he said, "and we didn't want to boss our listeners around." Instead, a catchy, fun, and young jingle directs listeners elsewhere, especially when it comes to smart speakers.

Podcasting: Where Is It Going?

TOM WEBSTER of Edison Research opened this session citing Edison surveys that found 17% growth in weekly podcast listening in 2018. This year, the number of podcasts users listening each week has also gone up from 5 to 7, something that had stayed the same for some years.

JAMES CRIDLAND of PODNEWS/AUSTRALIA offered AUSTRALIAN statistics that showed 29% of Australians listening to a podcast in the last month, and 32% of a podcast user’s listening time is spent listening to podcasts.

Why Kool Brands Hate Radio

In one of the most talked-about sessions of the conference THOMAS GRABNER (Global CEO, Kastner and Partners, Austria), RALPH VAN DIJK (Founder & Executive Creative Dir., Eardrum, Australia), BART DE KOOL (KFC, Chief Marketing Officer, the Netherlands) explored why huge brands shy away from choosing RADIO as their primary advertising platform in favor of TV and online/social media. “No matter how compelling the audience data, aspirational brands simply don’t feel at home on radio.” VAN DIJK said.

DE KOOL added, “It’s just not top of mind ... It’s not in our brief. We don’t get much further than the audio version of the TV ad.” However, he did admit, “I absolutely love radio for the fact that you can advertise our products at 12 and at 6p when people are thinking about eating and you can picture them in their cars maybe driving along listening to one of our commercials when they are feeling hungry.”

THOMAS GRABNER of RED BULL used examples of where his brand used radio to excellent effect. “We used radio to build up the image of “Red Bull gives you wings,” nothing that, “another cool thing about radio is the fact that it’s a very personal experience.” Citing the REDBULL FLUG TAG ROAD SHOW, GRABNER said, “Radio helped us tremendously in holding events and even publicizing them and finding contestants for them.” Radio, they all concluded, should be seen as a way to expand campaigns and instead of copying television or mimicking a campaign, something should be created specifically for the medium.

Midge Ure On Vienna

Former ULTRAVOX guitarist/singer talked with VIRGIN RADIO U.K.'s BEN JONES about his career in music and how it began, “We in the U.K. were so egotistical back in the late '70s; we thought we were making the best music and we thought what was coming from EUROPE was cheesy with BACCARA and the rest, then along came KRAFTWERK.” He shared his personal story of the role radio has played in his life: “I don’t care how big an artist you are – the first time you hear your record on the radio that is a wonderful feeling and it never goes away. When I was a kid growing up in the '60s, you guys from radio educated me with THE BEATLES, HENDRIX, THE ROLLING STONES.”

When BEN JONES asked him how the music industry has changed over the years URE said, “If we have any hope at all of a great musical future – young artists have to be heard and they have to be paid ... an audience doesn’t know what they want until they hear it. The next JIMI HENDRIX is out there but they need the vehicle.”

30 Ideas In 45 Minutes And The Finale

In the end-session, Australian on-air talent and author JO STANLEY appealed to all PDs worldwide with “Five things talent wants you to know” where she shared ideas from the point of view of the air talent. Then RADIODAYS EUROPE's ANDERS HELD closed the 2018 edition of the event saying, “We need to cross borders and learn from each other.”

He also announced that a new RADIODAYS ASIA is set for AUGUST 2019 and the 10th annual RADIODAYS EUROPE will be held in LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND from MARCH 31st to APRIL 2nd, 2019. HELD says “We’re really excited about going there next year.”

ENDA W. CALDWELL reporting for ALL ACCESS from EUROPE is on TWITTER @radioenda

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