GCap commits £4m to local radio rejig

LONDON - A £4m marketing campaign over four months is to back a relaunch of GCap Media’s local radio division, known as the One Network since 2005, which includes BRMB, Invicta and Power FM.

The campaign, planned for 2008, will be conducted through national, regional, trade and consumer media and includes on-air ads, live events and press advertising.
It is the first branding campaign across the network’s 42 stations in seven years and forms part of a multimillion-pound relaunch at the radio group.

Group programme director Dirk Anthony said: “It is the most significant revamp the network has undergone.” He refused to confirm the full cost, but admitted it was “well into seven figures”.

National and local programming is to be boosted. As well as two new national shows fronted by celebrities Myleene Klass on Sunday nights and Jeremy Kyle on Saturday mornings, the network is increasing celebrity news coverage with the launch of The Entertainment Edge, fronted by Ryan Seacrest.

Local coverage will be supported online by a raft of activities, including a facility for upcoming artistes to upload music and receive airplay on their local stations. Local news and information services are to be enhanced by two-minute breaking news, traffic updates, travel, gig and local events information.

Online, a full relaunch of One Network websites will be built around new and local music, with all sites offering the uploading facility. Listeners will be able to upload details of local events and an enhanced streamlining service will offer national celebrity news and gossip.

Anthony added: “The ability of people to take information and entertainment from a wider area than before has meant that the lines between local and national have become blurred.”

The changes will be presented to agencies over the next month. A full-scale launch is planned for 26 September. Referring to the investment in networked programming, Simon Daglish, national sales and trade marketing director, said: “This enables us to offer advertisers a one-stop shop to a larger audience with some well-known personalities. It really strengthens our cross-platform offer.”

The changes follow audience research after a tough year at GCap. Flagship station Capital 95.8 slipped to fourth place in London in the last Rajar figures and lost out in the top breakfast radio slot to Heart FM’s breakfast show for the second time in three quarters.

Media Week 18-Sep-07, 11:10