Results and Effectiveness

Fastrack 94.3 was India's first branded radio station. It was among top 3 radio innovations recognized at Cannes 2009 Media Lions. The identity change received 11,700 audience responses in first two days, 2.25 times above average. Fastrack achieved its highest ever-spontaneous saliency (54%) in next Brand Track done by TNS Mode. The campaign triggered 97% growth over previous year and a whopping 208% month-on-month. Such was the impact that within a month, two rival stations followed suit, one with a STICK ON campaign and another station, RED FM turning Blue, creating a new format of advertising.

Creative Execution

Radio One, India's leading FM channel with presence across top 6 metros was the chosen partner because of its reach, affinity and differentiated programming. Through a multi-stage-programming route, the communication transformation was effected. In stage-1, across 2 days, radio jockeys intrigued listeners by falling in love, exchanged Fastrack gifts. Stage-2 on day-3, the station identity was masked and listeners were asked to GUESS the transformation through phone calls, SMS and online. Stage-3, on Day-4, the shocking identity change was revealed. In a press conference, the Radio One CEO officially 'handed over' the station to CEO of Titan Industries Ltd. Stage-4 was sustenance for 3 days using 17 different programming elements in 6 cities. (Move-on to next song, Move-On RJ, Move-on Confessions, Move-on lines at 4, Move-on Advise, Move-on Countdown, Move-On Show). The impact was created through 2572 programming-led exposures without a single radio commercial on-air.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

'Wait n watch is old fashioned, its wait n pounce now-double impact in half time' 'Right here, right now' '.its time to move on to a new relationship. Life's too short to cry. ' ('The State of Cool', MTV India Insight Studio Publication2008) When Fastrack, India's leading youth accessory brand changed its communication from 'How Many You Have' to 'Move On', the biggest hurdle was to engage its consumers who believed in multiplicity of choice. They had lower attention span, demanded instant gratification. To drive the message, they had to be shocked rather than being informed. FM radio personifies the Indian youth: the fast-paced content, edgy programming & relatable jockeys made it their parallel universe. The strategy was to take over this universe, in truly the Fastrack way. To do that, a radio station was to be literally taken over, even if for a brief period.