Radio Advertising
An old medium enjoying a golden age
We produce a large number of radio commercials every year, both as standalone campaigns and in conjunction with a TV creative. With nearly 40 million people listening to commercial radio every week, radio advertising is a highly effective way of reaching a huge audience. The rise of online radio, smart speakers and podcasts is further expanding possibilities.
Featured radio ads
Reasons to advertise on radio
With over 30 years of experience when it comes to radio advertising, we have the expertise to make your campaign a success. Here are some of the reasons it works well.
The average production budget for a 30 second UK TV commercial is around £150,000 (source: Televisual Magazine). The creative budget for a radio commercial is typically in the £1,000 - £5,000 range. So in terms of production costs, radio advertising represents a low-risk way to test the water.
It typically takes several weeks to plan, shoot and edit a TV commercial. In contrast the creative side of a radio campaign can be turned round very quickly - in just a matter of days. So it is easy to make a radio ad with a topical message, or to produce something at short notice to take advantage of a business opportunity.
Commercial radio is largely made up of a network of local stations (or national stations that have localised advertising). So smaller companies, typically ones that do not offer a national service, can easily target specific geographical areas. Plus you can choose whether to advertise on a music station, a talk radio station or one that has a hybrid format.
Compared to other media, radio is the highest scoring medium for increasing happiness. Tests show that radio listening stimulates positive engagement in the brain. People have favourite radio stations or broadcasters; radio creates a personal, engaging and emotional experience that holds the listener’s full attention for higher brand recall.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you need any help or advice about creating a successful radio campaign, please get in touch!
The structure of radio broadcasting in the UK favours certain types of business. For example local retailers, service providers or dealerships can use local radio stations to target listeners who are in close proximity. That's why you often hear adverts for dentists, solicitors, hair dressers or removal companies that could never use TV effectively. Radio is also good for retailers who want to advertise regular promotions or short-term offers; the cost of making a new TV ad each time would be prohibitive. And radio is great for start-up businesses with no known brand identity; as stated above, it is a very cost-effective way to see whether your new venture will gain any traction.
Every campaign starts with a good brief. We need to agree exactly what the commercial is trying to achieve, what the key messages are, and what features or benefits need to be included. Space City will then devise (typically) 3-4 script ideas, as well as itemised budget and a production schedule. Once we go into production, we can usually complete the recording and editing of a commercial in a couple of weeks.
There are really only two variables here: the artists and the music. You need to pay a fee to each voice artist used, so clearly if there are several voices it will cost a lot more than just using a single narrator. Also, you could consider using a well-known celebrity. This will cost a great deal more, but nowhere near as much as it would cost if you were using that same person to appear in a TV ad. As regards music, you could pay a fortune to use a well-known song or instrumental track; we always advise people to use something that is specially composed. Not only is this much more cost-effective, but you're getting a piece of music that can be used anywhere and at any time without the need to pay any further usage fees.
Yes they do. In the same way that Clearcast has to approve any advert you put on TV, the radio advertising industry uses the services of a body called Radiocentre to ensure that ads comply with the rules laid out in the BCAP Code of Broadcasting and the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. Radiocentre aims to clear most scripts within about 24 hours, once again showing how quick and flexible the medium can be. (Some types of radio adverts -- e.g. for medical products -- may take a lot longer to get cleared). But beware: if a commercial is broadcast without the necessary clearance, Ofcom has the power to revoke the radio station's broadcasting licence!
Radio is often used to broaden the impact of a television campaign; you can exploit strong audio brand cues to readily trigger visual recall of a TV ad. According to recent research, consumers who came across both the TV and radio ad for a brand had a 35% higher ad recall than for those who only saw it on television. In production terms, the combination is also very cost-effective. You can use the same actors/narrators for both your TV and radio ads. You can use the same music. So the actual production cost for making a radio ad in conjunction with your TV campaign can be very low indeed.
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