Smooth Radio nominated for ‘Brand Revitalisation’ award

Smooth Radio has been nominated for the Marketing Society Awards for Excellence ‘Brand Revitalisation’ award.

The Guardian Media Group brand will be up against BBH (British Airways), Unilever (Flora Cuisine), Heinekan UK (Foster’s), Coley Porter Bell (Museum of London) and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO (Twinings Tea) at the awards ceremony on 11 June.

Richard Jacobs, head of commercial strategy at GMG Radio, said that in 2009, after a series of re-launches and acquisitions, Smooth Radio had become a network of six local radio stations, which led to confusion about what the brand offered.

“Smooth Radio had 2.8 million listeners a week across the UK but planners and buyers were largely uninterested in what appeared to them a confusing and ‘bland’ brand. In contrast though, its listeners were passionate about the music.

“In 2010 parent company Guardian Media Group Radio took advantage of the newly relaxed Ofcom guidelines and decided to launch Smooth nationally. The music was tightened and we invested significantly in a formidable line-up and a fresh multi-platform marketing approach, created by Arnold KLP.

“The transformation and growth of the Smooth Radio brand in just one year is nothing short of remarkable.”

Jacobs said the strategy was about researching and understanding consumers; improving the product; a multi-platform consumer marketing campaign; generating PR and word of mouth.

“Attracting the right sort of commercial partnerships was a key factor in maintaining the brand clarity for Smooth, so communicating clear brand messages to media buyers required a proper strategy,” he continued.

“Our MediaLab team conducted bespoke research into our listeners’ attitudes and commercial habits on subjects including finance, health, beauty, entertainment, leisure and family values. They then focussed on age-specific research, including Naughty 40s (which was picked up in The Telegraph, Daily Mail and the Mirror) App Fab 50s and Money, Love, Sex, Travel.

“The work has helped us to secure major long term commercial partnerships from the likes of Direct Line, Flora pro.activ and PG Tips and brand new business delivering millions of pounds of new revenues.

“Smooth Radio continues to go from strength to strength and we were delighted to be shortlisted recently for a Marketing Society excellence award in recognition of the huge changes we’ve made to the brand in such a short space of time.”