UK Music Week was always going to be a logistical challenge for the stations involved in its launch, but after the success of the charity broadcast for the victims of the Asian Tsunami through UK Radio Aid and the cross-network broadcasts for Live 8, the groundwork had already been laid.
Major causes are something the UK public latches on to with enthusiasm, but the promotion of UK music may not attract quite such high interest levels.
Although certain brands would find it advantageous to be associated with bands of the moment like the Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand, this is something they can already do through national and local stations reaching their target demographic.
It was a shame not to attract a lead sponsor for such a prestigious and widely promoted event, but perhaps it was too big for some brands and not quite the World Cup for others.
Having said that, MediaCom set up the largest cross-radio network promotion for our client Egg Money, across 60 GCap Media and Emap stations during September and October last year, so we're supportive of the right kind of initiatives and this initiative was an ambitious project.
The number of stations involved was multiplied by the number of record companies which had to be contacted to secure the talent for the event.
It was a massive undertaking and though there were a few shortfalls, advertisers and their agencies should be encouraging the commercial radio industry to keep up the hard work and add some unity to an ever-fragmenting marketplace, provided it benefits our brands and our consumers.
The jury is still out, however, over the crowning of Pop Idol poster-boy Will Young (left) as the favourite UK artist of all time, ahead of the likes of Coldplay, Oasis, David Bowie and The Beatles. But UK Music Week was a bold attempt to take the cross-network event away from a charity-based format and try to create a more commercially-focused offering, and any initiative to attract advertisers to commercial radio should be applauded.
- Review by Richard Jacobs, head of radio, MediaCom.
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