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Ideas and technique to help you promote and image radio

Christmas, one ear at a time.

Posted by on 9 December 2015

Santa wearing headphones. Naturally.

Santa listens in stereo.

Enjoy some inventive use of stereo audio in this promo from Tone Radio at the University of Gloucestershire.

[audio:http://earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/tone-radio-xmas.mp3|titles=”Christmas promo from Tone Radio.”]

Producer Adam Stoner told Earshot how it came about:

Because we’re a student station a lot of the audience goes home for Christmas quite early so we started our Christmas promotions around 15 November. The campaign we created was based on the idea “Is it too early for Christmas?”

You have different things in each ear. It’s actually quite horrible so the audience is forced to choose one ear.

There were some prizes to win including some cider and tickets to a winter ball. These were in both ears so we hoped that people would rewind and listen again to the ad.

A lot of the reaction from the audience has been very positive. I think people are replaying it three times to hear how it sounds in each ear and then both ears together.

I’ve learned that nothing beats getting into the studio and making the piece. I just came up with the idea while sitting at the desk messing about with the Pan control. I drew inspiration from a road safety ad which said “it’s difficult to concentrate on two things at once”.

Tone Radio serves around 10,000 students and staff across four campuses in Cheltenham and Gloucester. The station streams online.

Earshot says

This spot grabs your attention however you’re listening. Adam has recognised that most listeners to his station use earbuds and listen in stereo. That insight has provided the opportunity for this idea. A great example of being focused on your listeners and then doing something creative with sound to engage them.