AUTOGLASS CAMPAIGN HAS HAD NO COMPLAINTS IN TWO YEARS OF RADIO BROADCAST
David Meliveo, Head of marketing, Autoglass
We are sorry that Colin Grimshaw is annoyed by our radio advertising campaign (Radio needs quality controller to act for listeners, 22 May, page 23). Far from wishing to irritate people, our radio advertising is aimed at educating motorists that by doing something about the chip in their windscreen, they can save money and enjoy a hassle-free experience.
To deliver this message we decided to use real technicians and not actors in our adverts. Gavin Jenks, the star of the radio campaign, is a technician from our Birmingham branch and was selected following a nationwide search. We felt that his friendly manner and 10 years of experience in the business made him the perfect person to offer windscreen repair advice to the public.
And the listening public agrees: we track our advertising each week through TNS media tracker and, in the two years that the campaign has been running, we are yet to hear any mention of irritation.
In fact, our radio campaign has contributed to exponential brand growth for Autoglass over this period; we are also reaping the benefits of consumer brand consideration and brand preference.
Autoglass has taken part in the RAB's Radio Effectiveness Tracker trial that Colin Grimshaw mentioned, and the results might disappoint him, since they reinforce that his personal view does not represent public opinion.
Radioville, voted best creative agency in the 2007 Aerial Awards, has created a campaign that we think hits every button. However, when you're reaching around 10 million listeners every week, it's hard to please everyone. This is why we listen to feedback from our customers, colleagues, the industry and the TNS media tracker, and keep our adverts fresh by changing the creative every two weeks.
Autoglass is the biggest supporter of commercial radio and the only top 10 advertiser to spend 100% of its above-the-line budget on radio.
Articles such as this do nothing to encourage other advertisers to spend the money the industry requires to be able to attract new audiences, engage with existing ones and gain audience share from the BBC.
OUT-OF-HOME SECTOR SHOWS WAY AHEAD FOR ADVERTISERS
Dean Drew, Managing director, abc media
I write in response to a recent article in Media Week (Outdoor ad revenues are up 7.7% in first quarter of 2007, 8 May, page 8), which highlights the financial rewards for the out-of-home sector in delivering access to the consumer in ways and places never before available.
In particular, it is reassuring to see that major brands are now booking and repeat booking retail media campaigns in national retail groups and independent convenience stores.
For example, abc media has sold and handled a multitude of in-store campaigns, ranging from screens and radio to shelf-markers and leaflets. In April and May alone, we have worked with Unilever, Arla Foods, the AA, Bernard Matthews and Diageo, to name but a few.
As more of us spend time out of home, there is a growing need to be able to target consumers in an effective way while maintaining reach and frequency.
The ever-innovative retail media sector benefits from improvements in technology and accountability as it continues to mature, and also remains one of the best ways of reaching high numbers of consumers. No wonder ad revenues continue to point in the right direction.
TRINITY MIRROR VENTURE IS OFFERING US WHAT WE WANT
Bob Morrell, Operations director, Reality Training
I found Matt Merrett's verdict on Trinity Mirror's new Echo Outdoor venture (Strategy verdict, 22 May, page 12) extremely negative.
For once, a media owner is not standing by as circulations fall, allowing agencies to strangle it on rates and diminish its profitability. Here, we have a company offering what everybody wants: a cross-platform media solution that includes an outdoor option for the first time.
Isn't this what everybody keeps banging on about? Aren't all these articles about digital supposed to make us realise that things are changing?
Merrett's contention that Trinity Mirror will "forget about newspapers" sounds naive and is, frankly, absurd. The company is acutely aware of its newspaper's strength in Liverpool. It is trying something new and exciting and if Merrett had met the staff selling the new concept, some of whom I have trained, he'd realise what a cost-effective option it is.
Perhaps as a regional press director he feels threatened by new products that may muddy the water - when actually advertisers are crying out for something new.
When new media are invented, they encourage existing ones to adapt. Surely a regional press director should work out how he can use the new medium to connect with his campaigns instead of rubbishing the idea before it has even begun.
If I'm fortunate enough to be in the back of a cab in Liverpool watching Jennifer Ellison writhing about in her Chicago gear, then this broadcast medium is giving me the flavour of the show. I am probably going to look somewhere else to find out the dates and how to get tickets - and it just might be the local paper.
CONTENT AND ACCESSIBILITY ARE WEB TV'S TOP PRIORITIES
Andrew Wilding, Managing director, Vividas Europe
Regarding your analysis, Can web TV services pay their way? (15 May, page 16), I would argue that one of the main causes of concern for web TV is the amount of content available and its ease of access.
Many services still have limited content availability and programmes can take hours to download. Solving these problems should be the first priority of service providers.
While TVs have not exactly seen their last day, it is apparent that consumers are increasingly demanding services that fit in with their own schedule rather than that of the TV broadcasters.
It is becoming expected that TV programmes will be available to view on-demand over the internet after they have been broadcast on TV.
However, as demonstrated by 4oD's decision to include more free downloads rather than solely pay-per-view, viewers do not expect to be charged for content.
The download sites therefore need to be funded by other means, namely advertising.
Currently, there is no suitable measurement system for advertisers, so advertising rates cannot be judged effectively.
However, some streaming technologies are able to provide measurable results.
Not only can advertisers see how many people have watched the clip, they can also see how long they watched it for. This will add a whole new dynamic for advertisers when assessing the reach of their campaigns.
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