WASHINGTON, DC - Following the success of its recently launched $28 million advertising campaign, "Radio. You Hear It Here First," the radio industry is unveiling another wave of commercials promoting the medium with additional spots that underscore radio's role in breaking new music.
The new spots feature emerging artists such as R & B artist Brooke Valentine, country act Julie Roberts, rock group Blue Merle, electro-rock band The Bravery and the Los Angeles alternative group The Ditty Bops.
Additionally, the campaign announced it had begun airing spots featuring legends Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hall and Oates.
The new emerging artist campaign is unscripted and gives each of these talented up-and-comers airtime to use as creatively as they like. The results range from The Bravery's Gregorian-like chant intended to calm morning commuters to Blue Merle stumping to have a violinist named Ishibashi join the band as its fifth member. Brooke Valentine uses her time to call an old friend who seems to be miffed by the singer's rising popularity. Julie Roberts recounts how she had her demo played for her boss, who just happened to be the president of a major record label in Nashville.
Like the first wave of commercials that featured superstars Nelly, Ludacris, Avril Lavigne, Ashanti, Alicia Keys and Hoobastank, the ads with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hall and Oates involve the artists reciting a series of accomplishments and milestones achieved only after being discovered on the radio.
"One of the patently false criticisms circulated about radio in recent years has been that stations no longer discover new artists," said David Field, President and CEO of Entercom Communications. "Nothing could be further from the truth. Last year alone, radio broke 1,000 new artists. By featuring new, up-and-coming talent, this next wave of spots drives home our message that radio takes chances and unearths tomorrow's stars."
The spots begin airing this week across the country on thousands of radio stations that have committed to this unprecedented effort. The spots are expected to run for the remainder of the year on format-specific stations across the country. Nearly all major radio companies including Bonneville, Clear Channel, Emmis, Entercom, Greater Media, Infinity, Regent and Susquehanna have agreed to air the spots throughout 2005.
"These commercials remind listeners that radio is an organic and spontaneous medium that constantly surprises listeners with new, compelling and previously unheard content," said Jimmy Steal, senior vice president of Programming for Emmis.
The National Association of Broadcasters is a full-service trade association that promotes and protects free, over-the-air local radio and television stations' interests in Washington and around the world. NAB is the broadcaster's voice before Congress, federal agencies and the courts. NAB also serves a growing number of associate and international broadcaster members. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.
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