The look of Capital

Capital’s visual style has become instantly recognisable through consistent branding and a succession of similarly-directed tv ads.

The latest execution of its artists’ line-up idea is on air in the UK now, featuring a string of acts who include Fifth Harmony, Olly Murs, Little Mix and even littler Ariana Grande. We understand the film was shot at the time of the Summertime Ball.

The overall pace of the spot is measured and the art direction is shiny, bright and clean. With no edgy jump cuts, gratuitously exposed flesh or aggressive audio mix it says this is a confident hit radio station that’s safe for family listening and the ad will feel at home on a primetime commercial television channel.

It’s interesting to hear highlighted the benefit of being there 24 hours a day “from the moment you get up” and it wouldn’t be a Capital spot without the words “hits!” and “Boom!” in the script.

Today, every radio brand needs a consistent and recognisable visual expression in order to stay top-of-mind with its target listeners and easy to find across multiple platforms. Regular planned exposure such as that gained from a tv campaign is a particularly effective way to boost visibility.

Capital’s work in this area is a superb example worth studying.

Steve Martin is an international ambassador of radio with more than twenty years of promotion, marketing and production experience. He represents the BBC in Africa and writes within Earshot in a personal capacity.