Powerful marketing
4 Digital Group recognises the central importance of marketing, and can call upon the full resources of its partners.
We have learned from the early experiences of promoting digital terrestrial television and from Channel 4’s and Sky’s role in the subsequent success of Freeview.
4 Digital Group’s resources include:
- Channel 4’s television and online presence in homes across the UK, as well as its experience in successfully launching new channels – E4, More4 and Film4;
- Emap’s wide range of national publications, which provide opportunities for brand leverage and cross-promotion;
- Carphone Warehouse’s 650 high-street retail outlets; and
- Sky’s substantial subscriber base in more than eight million homes across the UK.
4 Digital Group firmly believes that the industry needs to move quickly and effectively to drive early promotion in the first three years of the multiplex. It is during this critical time that the UK will be undergoing its transition to digital television, and radio must remain at the forefront of a converging multi-media environment.
Accordingly, 4 Digital Group will commit £4.5m to general marketing of digital radio in the first three years of the licence period, together with over £25m of marketing spend to support the launch of the individual new radio services.
4 Digital Group has also reached an agreement with the BBC on the development of DAB, which will give digital radio the consumer breakthrough it really needs. We recognise that a major – and sustained – marketing campaign will be necessary to drive take-up to the level where consumer prices begin to fall significantly and DAB’s future is secured.
With Channel 4, Sky and the BBC working together once again, 4 Digital Group is confident that we can do for digital radio what Freeview has done for digital television.
