UK digital radio amnesty promotion concludes successfully

The UK radio industry has just concluded a major cross-industry consumer marketing campaign called the Radio Amnesty. The campaign offered consumers a discount on a new digital radio in exchange for handing in old analog radios, which are then reconditioned and donated to charities working in Southern Africa. The scheme coincided with the scheduling of exclusive digital radio coverage of the World Cup and other sporting and music events, aimed at giving listeners another reason to buy a digital radio.

 

The Radio Amnesty concept was developed by the BBC with the support of the industry body Digital Radio UK, commercial radio, set manufacturers and retailers.

Discounts were offered on selected models from Alba, Bush, MagicBox, Panasonic, Philips, Proline, PURE, Roberts and Sony as part of the promotion.

Digital Radio UK’s Diane Wray has told radioinfo the promotion was very successful.

Coinciding with the promotion was an unprecedented schedule of digital content including World Cup coverage on 5 live, 5 live Sports Extra and TalkSport, Wimbledon Coverage on 5 live Sports Extra, uninterrupted ball-by-ball cricket commentary exclusively on 5 live Sports Extra, Glastonbury coverage on 6Music, and festivals coverage on Absolute Radio.

The scheme which ran for a month and finished this week was supported by a major marketing campaign developed by Digital Radio UK on behalf of the UK Radio Industry, which featured on-air promotions produced by AMV.BBDO and voiced by Stephen Fry, Gaby Roslin and Noddy Holder. The campaign was also supported by in-store point of sale information.

 

The portable analog radios collected during the Amnesty will be reconditioned by RadioFix and sent to Southern Africa to support projects set up by the Children’s Radio Foundation and UNICEF, where they will support the personal and intellectual development of children through giving them access to radio programmes for children. Radios beyond repair will be recycled for parts.