Opus Secures Toyota For Ad Free Hour On Classic FM
Opus has secured Toyota Avensis as the new sponsor of Classic FM’s Smooth Classics At Seven, in an innovative deal that includes an hour of commercial-free broadcasting on the station.
The media partnership is worth in excess of £300,000 and includes full on air and online sponsorship. For the first time Classic FM listeners will also benefit from a commercial free hour between 7pm and 8pm.
The deal will see Toyota Avensis branding appear on the Classic FM website, with a link from the Smooth Classics At Seven page to the car manufacturer’s website. Product information will also appear on classicfm.com at the same time as Smooth Classics At Seven is on air.
The deal was brokered by Dominique Hempstead at ZenithOptimedia and Opus sales executive, Jael Livingstone, who said: “The show attracts such a high listenership because of its musical proposition, providing a smooth stress-free and relaxing environment. The Toyota Avensis commercial free hour brings a tangible and fitting listener benefit to this environment.”
Lindsey Parnell, client planning manager at ZenithOptimedia, added: “In terms of programming and profile, Classic FM is an obvious choice for the new Toyota Avensis. However, what makes this proposition special is the way that we have brought the ‘quality speaks for itself’ idea alive in a commercial free environment.”
Classic FM has secured a number of high-profile sponsorship deals recently and Opus is hoping to further boost revenue with a new research study, which claims that Classic FM listeners respond better to advertising than their pop music counterparts (see Classic FM Listeners Respond Better To Ads).
The latest RAJAR figures for the second quarter of 2003 show that Classic FM saw its weekly reach decline by 1.7% year on year to 6,568,000. However, the station is still the UK’s most popular national commercial offering with a 4.5% share of listening (see NewsLine).
Opus: 020 7518 2642 www.opusonline.co.uk
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