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The youth market is the latest to be targeted as part of the industry’s $20 million advertising campaign aimed at highlighting radio’s effectiveness as an advertising medium for advertisers and marketers.

”Radio is extremely effective at targeting young people and this advertisement is about highlighting that fact to people wanting to communicate directly with this market, “ chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner said today.

The 45-second radio advertisement tells the story of two teenage girls, Madison and Alecia, talking about the importance of radio in their lives. It will air nationally on all commercial radio stations from tomorrow (April 1).

“Commercial radio continues to gain in popularity among younger listeners who are spending more time listening to radio – a trend that has been evident over the past five years,” Ms Warner said.

Recent trends research, conducted by Nielsen Media Research of its ratings surveys over five years, shows young people (aged 10-17 and 18-24) spent significantly more time listening to commercial radio in 2003 compared to 1999. For the 18-24 year olds, listening time increased by one hour and three minutes to 18 hours and 31 minutes a week in 2003 and for the 10-17 year olds, listening time increased by one hour and 24 minutes to a total of 11 hours and 54 minutes a week spent listening to radio in 2003.

The research also shows that commercial radio reached 81.5 per cent of people aged between 18-24 in 2003 compared with 78 per cent in 1999. Reach for 10-17 year olds increased to 84.3 per cent in 2003 – up from 82 per cent in 1999.

“Today's young people love radio because it complements a faster-paced lifestyle and it is also the most interactive and portable medium,” Ms Warner said.

“Younger audiences, particularly the under-25s, have access to new technology and mobile phones, and they have taken very quickly to interacting with their favourite radio stations and DJs via email and SMS to request songs, have their say or enter competitions.

“The youth market provides a great opportunity to increase radio’s share of advertisers’ current radio spend as well as bring new advertisers into radio,” Ms Warner said.

The youth advertisement is part of a national brand campaign for radio, started in June last year, and devised by creative director Ralph van Dijk of advertising agency Eardrum. It delivers the message that radio advertising is twice as effective at reaching audiences throughout the day as television. 

“This commercial highlights the importance of radio in the lives of young people. No other medium is as effective at communicating to them in their own language, one to one, wherever they are”, Mr van Dijk said.