PRESS RELEASE issued on behalf of ThinkIrish.ie:
THINKIRISH.ie TURNS TO CONSUMERS TO HELP MAKE ITS FIRST RADIO AD
· Ad to run nationally on Today FM
· Extensive use of Facebook & Twitter to create the world’s first “crowd-sourced” radio ad.
Wednesday, 30th June, 2010 - In a global first for radio advertising, ThinkIrish.ie – the consumer-led campaign to support Irish goods and services, is reaching out to consumers across the country to make their very first radio ad which will run nationally on Today FM.
This bold new approach will make extensive use of social networking platforms Facebook and Twitter, together with the thinkirish.ie online recording studio to create a grass-roots “crowd-sourced” radio ad where the entire voice-over will be provided by ordinary members of the public who will be recruited and “audition” online.
Announcing details of the ThinkIrish.ie radio ad, campaign director, Alan Graham said:
“On 30th June 2010, Facebook and Twitter users will be advised of the “going-live” of an innovative Online Recording Studio application on the ThinkIrish.ie website. Members of the public can click through to the site, “read” the new radio script online and sign off on the release sheet before submitting their recording. A review feature is incorporated allowing the user to review their recording and re-record if necessary before submitting their entry.”
“We have very gratefully received support from Today FM who have also undertaken to run a number of promotional spots nationwide to raise awareness and encourage public participation in the recording phase of the commercial’s production. “
Mr. Graham said “We’ve been getting a great reaction to our ambitious plans to blend the very traditional and popular media channel that is radio with the explosion that’s happening in the social media space. People may not be able to control NAMA or the collapse in property prices, but here’s something practical that consumers can actively participate in and start to make a difference. ”.
The social media commercial concept has been brought to life by Bonfire in Dublin. Alan Graham said: “We knew we wanted to do something special with the airtime support we were offered on Today FM, something different to what everyone else was doing and ultimately we wanted to give ownership of the campaign to the Irish consumer. Social media platforms have given us the means to do this and to create a dialogue with consumers. When the Bonfire guys came up with a way to allow members of the public to effectively help create and participate in this radio ad online – we knew we had to go for it”.
Two weeks after going live, the recording studio will close and a selection of the best auditions from a broad demographic base will be made (likely twenty in all). These will be electronically “cleaned-up” and professionally edited to produce the final version of the radio commercial to be aired nationally.
Alan Graham said: “The ThinkIrish.ie radio ad will have no fancy recording studios, no professional Voice Over artists – just the plain people of Ireland doing their bit and having their say in support of a stronger Irish economy.”
Ends
About ThinkIrish.ie
ThinkIrish.ie is an innovative online consumer campaign to generate 20,000 new jobs through support for Irish goods and services. A cornerstone of the campaign is Ireland’s first and only comprehensive product directory which gives consumers access to a definitive listing of Irish made and Irish grown products. The organisation is not-for-profit and has been funded to date by a number of private and corporate patrons together with a significant investment by Worky.com
For more information please visit www.thinkirish.ie
For further information, or to arrange interviews with ThinkIrish.ie, please contact:
Jim Devlin, FD
T. 01 66 33 600; M. 087 2631057;E. jim.devlin@fd.com
 |
|
|
|
  |
|
|
|
