Radiocentre News

All the highlights from Tuning In Scotland 2023

We welcomed a full house to the Everyman Edinburgh last week for Tuning In Scotland, our latest event covering the newest developments from across the sector.

More than 100 guests enjoyed a jam-packed morning of presentations showcasing the effectiveness that radio provides for brands, the innovation that is driving the industry forward and the positive impact that radio continues to have on audiences in Scotland and across the rest of the UK.

If you weren’t able to join us, or need a refresher, you can find videos of all of the sessions below.

Kicking off the morning was Radiocentre’s CEO Matt Payton, who gave an overview of the strength of the commercial radio market in Scotland and also shared details of the work Radiocentre is doing to protect and secure access to radio for audiences of the future.

Next, we heard how one well-known Scottish advertiser (and their agency) built the foundations of their brand through radio. Discussing the dangers of following category trends, and the importance of distinctiveness in sonic branding, Patrick McGuire, Partner at Thompsons Solicitors and John-Paul Hughes, Executive Creative Director at Mind Field took us through their audio advertising journey.

Partnerships can offer a powerful way to connect with radio audiences, as Bauer and EssenceMediacom found with their recent Tesco Bank campaign.  Toby Hutchins, Head of Strategy at EssenceMediacom Scotland, and Justine Murphy, Agency Sales Director at Bauer, discussed the campaign’s success, which included dramatic increases in awareness, consideration and brand perception metrics.

Moving on to innovation, Lyndsay Ferrigan, Communications Manager at RAJAR took to the stage to talk through the evolution of audio audience measurement which allows us to track shifting listening trends and observe the huge growth in digital and smart speaker listening.

At the end of last year, Radiocentre launched a new report, Generation Audio, that looked into the reasons why people choose to listen to commercial audio in such huge numbers. Radiocentre’s Client Director Lucy Barrett took the audience through some highlights of the report and how advertisers can put its learnings into planning practice.

Laurence Harrison, Director of Automotive Partnerships at Radioplayer, went on to discuss the important work that they’re doing on behalf of broadcasters to keep radio strong in cars.  This includes partnering with car manufacturers and big tech to create brilliant in-car radio experiences for the future.

A fascinating session with Corrie Martin, News Editor, Regions, at Global, and Gina Davidson, Scotland Political Editor at Global’s LBC, revealed how Scottish news stories such as the death of the Queen at Balmoral, the Scottish independence debate, and the SNP leadership contest have been driving the UK news agenda lately, with Scottish radio at the forefront throughout.

DC Thomson’s Head of Radio, Adam Findlay, spoke about the recent launch of their station Pure Radio, and how they are tapping into the positive power of radio. Using a mix of great music, humour, and a wee bit of cheekiness, they are lifting the mood of listeners and expanding horizons for the fast-growing station.

There are plenty of exciting changes happening at Bauer Media. The final session of the morning was a lively presentation that covered a lot of ground, featuring Victoria Easton Riley, Bauer’s Content Director for Scotland, Michael MacRae, Head of Content for Greatest Hits Radio Scotland and Forth 1 breakfast duo, Boogie and Arlene. They discussed the transformation of the Scottish market, the expansion of Greatest Hits Radio and the high-profile arrival of broadcasting legend Ken Bruce to the network.

See all of the photos from the event below.

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