A New Jingle Package for Free Radio
The brief we set to Wise Buddah for this package was challenging. They rose to it brilliantly - and we are utterly knocked out by this very individual package which is as characterful as our brand. And - as ever - the team were easy to work with
Once again Free Radio, part of the Orion Media Group, has returned to Wise Buddah for their latest package. David Lloyd and his team at Free Radio wanted to try something different and brought a number of fresh ideas to the table.
This is the second package Wise Buddah Jingles & Music Imaging have done for Free Radio since its launch 3 years ago. Have a listen to to the launch package, in 2012, here.
The 2015 package comprises 8 main IDs, each in 2 forms – standard Out of Break and an alternative ‘Transition’ version to be used to segue songs. These ‘Transition’ versions challenge the traditional concept of the sung jingle by incorporating the station logo sing in the middle and finishing with the Free Radio strapline – ‘We Are Free’. The brief asked for these to reflect the fun character of the station by being surprising and quirky, sometimes featuring suggestions of musical genres not playlisted by the station – e.g. country, big band, 80s computer game.
The breakfast shows across each of the 4 regions were also treated to a plethora of gospel-style songs and associated workparts. There are 15 separate songs, each of which containing a massive 50 tracks of vocals!
Producer Ollie Melville-Smith reveals: “It was great to get such a different brief from Free Radio and take a fresh approach to jingles – especially with the ‘Transition’ versions, which are designed to segue between songs and reinforce the brand in a fun, unusual and memorable way. The gospel Breakfast Show songs were a particular highlight – all 15 of them, each with 50 tracks of vocals!”
Wise Buddah’s Paul Plant noted; “It’s such always a pleasure working with David Lloyd and his team. Their focus and passion is second to none”.
The jingles sound OK, but it’s a shame free radio have chosen not have individual cuts for each local station this time. Not a single difference between the Birmingham, Coventry, Worcester and Wolverhampton frequencies. Free radio is made up of 4 local stations and this package shows how Orion are making it into one huge regional station. Little difference between each city it broadcasts to now. Real shame.