As a direct result of the success of their “word picture” style of creative used for the series of radio ads embedded in the new Ministry of Sound syndicated radio show, Virgin Mobile will now include Radio to support their new product launch strategy in metro markets commencing in September.

The campaign which has various messages for both the ’25 cents Virgin to Virgin photos’ and the ‘5 cent Virgin to Virgin SMS’ was devised by the Host agency in Brisbane. The brief to the agency was that the creative needed to stand up within the context of the Ministry of Sound environment – “cutting through without the cheese”. Click here to listen.

Virgin Mobile Marketing and Communication Manager, Dave Cain, praised Host for their work. ” The concept of using odd but strong visual images was a strategy that has worked well on radio. We used our sponsorship of the Ministry of Sound syndicated radio program as a test of the creative. The result is, we’ve decided to use more radio to support our upcoming product launch”, he said.

Stations in regional markets that broadcast the program have also been briefed by the show’s other sponsors including Red Bull, Heineken and 1800 Reverse to come up with promotional ideas that tie in with local venues. Ministry of Sound is also looking to include a number of participating markets in its popular touring calendar.

So far, the two hour weekly radio program has been rolled out through some 50 regional markets. The first of the metro stations to take the program from launch over a month ago was Triple M, Adelaide. APD, Ben Dillon-Smith said of the program:

“I was at first attracted solely to the brand of the show – being an under 30’s radio station I’m sure almost all of our audience would have
at least one Ministry CD in their collections at home. I think as far as
the sound of the show is concerned it fits even better than I thought
with the lifestyle of our audience. The Shout outs, the gig guide
answering machine with djs around the country and the best is the Bazook
feature – hold your mobile up to the radio to find out what song is on at
that time. I now just sit at home on a Friday night with my radio
on, throw some cigarette butts and some beer on the floor and turn the
lights on and off really fast instead going out….. I’m a sad person”.

It’s also been well received in the nation’s capital where FM104.7 PD,
Geoff Fisher said, “The audience feedback has been really good. We’ve also got the staff talking it up in the corridors – that’s when you know
you’ve got a good show “.

Peter Saxon, Joint CEO of the show’s distributors Radiowise (owners of this website) said, “This is the type of program we love to syndicate because it works on so many levels for participating stations. Not only is it a truly great show, the barter commitment doesn’t cannibalise radio’s biggest advertisers. Rather it gives stations the opportunity to make sales on the back of it.”