98FM aims to match voice to the face

98FM HAS launched an outdoor and print advertising campaign to promote the presenters of its morning and drivetime shows – names that are perhaps more familiar for their television careers than for their radio work.

“Our listeners don’t always make the connection between the on-air presenters and their TV shows, and one of the main objectives of this campaign is to ensure that this connection is made,” says Clíona Hurson, marketing director at 98FM.

“Aidan and Claire”, who feature in one of the two campaign strands, are Aidan Power, veteran of RTÉ television gigs including Celebrities Go Wild and Winning Streak: Dream Ticket, and Claire Solan, the online backstage reporter on The Voice of Ireland. They have hosted 98FM’s Morning Crew since September 2010.

Former breakfast hosts Dermot Whelan – presenter of RTÉ Two’s Republic of Telly – and Dave Moore, who now co-host the drivetime show, are the subjects of the second strand.

Breakfast is still the biggest show of the day for 98FM, as it is for most radio stations, but drivetime is increasing in its importance to the schedule, says Hurson. The Morning Crew has a listenership of 61,000 from 6am to 10am, while Dermot and Dave reaches 51,000 from 4 pm to 7 pm, according to the latest Joint National Listenership Research figures.

With George Hook’s The Right Hook, on Newstalk being “very male-focused”, there is an opportunity for 98FM to provide drivetime entertainment that “would have a bit more of a female lean in terms of listenership”, Hurson adds.

The outdoor ads will run for two weeks and are weighted towards public transport in a bid to catch commuters’ attention. The print campaign will surface in the Mirror, U magazine and Hot Press, among other titles.

98FM has an overall 9 per cent market share in Dublin, similar to Q102 and behind FM 104.

“Competition is as hugely strong and vibrant as ever,” says Hurson. “It’s a very cluttered market.”