Can the radio industry persuade marketers to rethink their media buying strategies?

Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade. Today’s edition features highlights from last week’s gathering of the audio industry’s commercial players for the Heard conference in Sydney.Marketing mastery and audio nirvanaLast week saw Australia’s audio trade body, Commercial Radio & Audio invite agency executives to its Heard event.Across the day, panels explored the emotional and rational sides of radio advertising, and put the case that radio deserves a reassessment of its place in the media mix.Today’s podcast features two of the panels, both moderated by Unmade’s Tim Burrowes.The first featured a conversation on understanding radio’s role within the media marketing mix. Paul Sinkinson, managing director of Analytic Partners, whose speciality is the ROI of marketing, shared details of a study the industry is conducting on whether marketers can find a price edge by investing more in brand building rather than performance activity.He was joined by marketer Nathan James, from drinks owner William Grant & Sons, who shared the results of a brand building radio experiment featuring Hendricks gin. Lauren Joyce, chief strategy & connections officer at Australian Radio Network rounded off the panel.The second panel focused on the trading relationship between the audio companies and media agencies, and how it needs to evolve to achieve audio nirvana.It featured Venessa Hunt, Director of Commercial Strategy & Growth, at ARN; Olly Newton, Executive Head, LiSTNR, Commercial, SCA; Nicole Bence, Chief Commercial Officer at Nova and Ash Earnshaw, Director of Sales, Total Audio at Nine. * Tim Burrowes’ travel to Sydney and accommodation was funded by CRAEditing was courtesy of Abe’s Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.Message us: [email protected] BurrowesPublisher - Unmade This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unmade.substack.com