Capital Radio Advertising is taking on staff whose sole focus is to
sell the concept of radio to creative ad agencies.
According to Nikki Mendonca, the head of Capital’s strategic business
unit, there is an urgent need for people with sales backgrounds to sell
radio to creatives and planners in the agencies.
As part of a drive to dissolve barriers between agencies and media
owners, Capital Advertising has promoted Emily Sutherland, previously
sales executive, to the role of strategic development executive.
At first, Sutherland will be wholly responsible for talking to creatives
and account handlers in advertising agencies. Her initial brief is to
educate creatives about the benefits of radio. Sutherland said: ’It is
essential that all parts of the media chain are fully conversant with
the benefits of radio.’
The promotion is also a result of research carried out across the
agencies which concluded that a number of creative departments would
benefit from direct communication with media owners.
Mendonca said: ’The research findings were shocking and showed that many
creatives feel starved of media knowledge. Account managers are
desperate to learn about the changing media landscape and feel alienated
by the growing importance of media independents.
’As part of Capital Radio’s business base, it’s vital that we keep a
dialogue going with creative agencies and Emily will be instrumental in
doing this. She will be able to tap into the strategic and creative
resource of the unit and help set up long-term relationships with these
companies.’
The strategic business unit was set up 18 months ago and is split into
two divisions: strategic planning and creative solutions. Mendonca
continued: ’Mixing creativity and research into the Capital sell is
crucial to the presentation of our product.
’Everybody assumes that agencies and creatives know exactly what sales
people are talking about when they discuss radio. But there are often
gaps in creative departments’ knowledge, and that’s what we hope to
change.’
