Campaign Media Awards 2008: Radio Sales Team of the Year - Bauer Media

One of the major projects for the year has been re-energising Kiss, against the received wisdom that youth audiences are tuning out and turning to digital media. The sales team has worked hard to back up the new presentation, with the result that new brands have signed up to advertise on the station, including Visa and Wrigley Fusion.

They have also created the branded event Kiss Does Summer on the Coke Side of Life.

Going beyond traditional radio airtime sales has also been key to the success of Bauer Media's radio sales team.

One event saw 22 stations hand the reins over to kids for the charity Save The Children.

For the Kids Day was a first in radio history and saw the unprecedented opportunity for teenage listeners to interview Gordon Brown at Number 10, read the news and conduct their own celebrity interviews.

Over at another major Bauer brand, Magic 105.4, the team has been translating the station's Rajar success in London into sales revenue. Notable highlights of a year in which many new brands were introduced to the station include a six-month campaign for Dove and a year-long deal with More Than to sponsor the Magic 105.4 Indulgence Shows.

Bauer credits some of its success to its innovative Inside Panel, which gives clients access to a 10,000 consumer opinion panel. It has also developed a "localness study" to illustrate to advertisers how local spending power and local connection is imperative to community cohesion.

For insights into the youth audience, Bauer has been providing research via kissconfidential.com - a key tool in re-engaging agencies and clients with the brand.

A sales team is nothing but its people, and Bauer Media has strived to create a difference for its staff with two new initiatives. "Task Force" involves clients setting a brief which is then addressed by a crack team with the aim of delivering inspiring and creative ideas within 24 hours.

The second initiative is "Power of Radio", launched with the aim of driving knowledge across the company. The result is a deeper understanding of the medium for new starters and a bank of case studies for future use.

This article was first published on Campaign