DRDB Signs John Peel For Marketing Campaign

The commercial radio industry has signed John Peel as the new “voice” of DAB digital radio. The signing sees the continuation of marketing efforts to raise the profile of the platform.

The Digital Radio Development Bureau’s (DRDB) marketing director, Mike Spencer, said: “The last months of 2001 were very positive for digital radio. The announcement of Goodman’s plans to make a new range of affordable digital radios was followed by the highly successful £99 radio promotion in December (see Cut Price Digital Radio Promotion Is Success). Now we’ve got people talking about DAB, it is vital that we keep the marketing and promotional momentum going through 2002.”

Peel will feature in four executions which launch today across national, regional and local analogue commercial radio stations in the UK and Northern Ireland, explaining “Digital Radio for Beginners.” The next phase, also featuring the veteran radio presenter, will follow in April/May, and two more sets are planned for the second half of the year. Independent Media Distribution has agreed to distribute the ads free of charge to support industry commitment to the platform.

The DRDB is also planning to target the retail trade with a series of print ads running in trade magazine ERMagazine, while the BBC is expected to begin cross-promotion of its planned new digital radio networks soon: BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra launches next month, while the provisionally titled “Network Y” is due to appear in Spring.

DRDB: 020 7306 2630 www.drdb.org

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