Jacaranda FM makes waves with a world first
Radio station’s vibrant campaign has the listeners’ ears
THOSE travelling through Illovo yesterday, jamming to a local radio station, were delighted to see the play list being enacted on stage and on a billboard.
Some of the listeners were so thrilled that they paused in the peak-hour morning traffic to capture the moment on video, and take pictures with their cellphones.
Others got out of their vehicles and danced to the music.
The stunt, which was a world-first for radio, was part of Jacaranda FM’s #MoreMusicYouLove campaign and played for an hour on north Joburg’s Corlett Drive and Oxford Road.
It involved an interactive story in which professional actors took to the stage during the breakfast show and lip-synced the station’s on-air music play list.
The simulcast production involved enacting 13 songs, including US R&B sensation John Legend’s All of Me.
Some of Jacaranda’s presenters including former Miss SA Liesl Laurie were also involved, and she and others were screened on the billboard during adverts of the station and as the news was being read.
Local musician J’Something also participated and took the stage when his song with Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend with Micasa and Euphonik was enacted.
In an effort to include the listeners in the campaign, the central theme was “the greatest love story never told”.
This was determined by the station’s listeners who got to choose not only the characters, but how the story unfolded.
Jacaranda FM’s general manager Kevin Fine said the project came as a result of research the station had conducted, which revealed that people wanted to listen to more music on their radio stations.
“Our research shows that audiences want more music that they can sing to, dance to and connect with, which is exactly what our product delivers.”
He promised that the station would continue playing some of the best music from across the world.
Fine said that the day’s proceedings were to highlight the importance of music and the effect it had on those who listened to it.
“Today was really about how music can impact people’s lives.
“The most meaningful way we thought we could do this was to combine storytelling and music,” Fine said.
He said that during the #MoreMusicYouLove event, each song had a different meaning to everyone.
The radio station’s marketing manager, Minisha Patel made a promise that the station would play more music.
“In the future, following extensive research, Jacaranda will be playing more music than any other station, and the music that people love.
“We want our audience to connect with our music because it appeals to our emotions, it makes you feel happy, it makes you feel sad, it creates such a sense of nostalgia and creates beautiful memories,” Patel said.