Global Radio has developed a new web-based media planning tool to help agencies plan effective radio advertising campaigns and compare results with those from TV.
Radio 123 is available free to agencies who subscribe to BARB and RAJAR data and will generate a direct comparison for any region between what commercial radio can offer and what television can
Global – who've worked with Media Tel to develop the tool – say it's the first media planner of its kind and aims to make radio advertising, across any station in the UK, easy to understand and execute.
Mike Gordon, Global Radio’s Managing Director – Commercial, said: “This is a real breakthrough for the commercial radio industry. We have invested significant funds and time into creating a tool which will both simplify the radio planning process and provide an accurate comparison between radio and TV ratings dynamically. Radio 123 allows anyone, not just radio specialists, to see instantly the audience delivered by any commercial radio station and how that audience delivery compares against a similar TV audience; all web based and all with the click of a button.”
Based on selecting regions and targets, Radio 123 needs no data inputting, it uses interactive maps to display costs (which will be bespoke to each agency), reach and frequency delivered – across all commercial radio stations and generates a direct comparison of what TV would offer in the same area. Endorsed by the RAB, the aim is to ensure agencies and businesses are aware of radio’s advertising proposition, making it clear and accessible to all. Global will also be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the software including updating radio figures after each quarterly RAJAR and updating rates specific to each agency.
Mark Barber, Planning Director RAB said: "With so many targeting permutations based around geographical communities or communities of interest, the process of planning a radio campaign can be a daunting prospect. The beauty of Radio 123 is that it's simple and intuitive for anyone to use – you don't have to be an expert – and provides data across all UK commercial radio. I would urge any planner or buyer working on a plan to experiment with Radio 123 to explore radio's potential for enhancing their media schedule"
Vicky Fox, Head of Implementational Planning at Manning Gottlieb OMD, said: “Radio 123 is a great initiative for commercial radio. As a 6% medium, Radio has to fight for its fair share of the media budget. This tool not only makes planning a radio campaign easy and accessible, but its direct comparison to TV makes it instantly comprehensible to any planner across the country.
Jonathan Gillespie Group Commercial Director at GMG Radio added: “This software will be key in developing the advertising industry’s perception of how effective radio can be in comparison to other broadcast media.”