SAIL down memory lane… Get inspired by the man behind the ship that caused a thousand (sound) waves!
been used before, or making the most out of available resources, these business owners found a way to engage with their target market. What’s better? Their creativity even continues to inspire other brands of today when it comes to marketing! Keep reading to know how one Irish businessman successfully launched a ship that caused a thousand “sound” waves.
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SAIL down memory lane… Get inspired by the man behind the ship that caused a thousand (sound) waves! Back in the 1960s in the UK (United Kingdom), people were used to having and listening to just one supreme radio station around―the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). No one dared to challenge the monopoly. Until… A pirate radio station emerged. Pirate radio station – A radio station that broadcasts without a valid license. It could be because a radio signal crosses a national boundary, or due to the nature of a radio station’s content, transmission format, and transmit power (wattage). Pirate radio stations started at the onset of airwave regulation, when radio was still in its early stages of development. In the UK, the term did not only refer to an unauthorized use of a state-owned radio frequency but also the nature of “offshore” radio stations that operated on ships or marine platforms. Are you curious as to who pioneered the idea of pirate radio stations? It’s none other than “rebel rock broadcaster” Ronan O’Rahilly!
O’Rahilly was an Irish businessman who is best known for the creation of the pirate radio station Radio Caroline. He was also the manager of George Lazenby, the Australian actor who portrayed the role of James Bond in one film. The ship that launched a thousand “hits.” It was in 1964 when the sound of pop music was changing in the UK. People are starting to welcome new genres and different artists. However, listening to hit songs on the radio was another matter, since pop music was only played an hour per week by the BBC through its Saturday morning’s Light Programme. During that time, Radio Luxembourg, which was located in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, was the only refuge for those who were seeking revolutionary new music. Influenced by the radio station’s strategy as well as other offshore radio stations in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, O’Rahilly launched his own radio station (Radio Caroline) outside British territorial waters after buying a disused Danish ferry for GBP 20,000, or about GBP 350,000 in today’s currency. That’s translated to roughly USD 450,000 today.
As a manager of some musical artists, part of O’Rahilly’s decision to create Radio Caroline was his frustration at how difficult it was to get his artists an airplay on official radio stations, since those stations only accepted established artists and musicians―like Frank Sinatra and Perry Como. The pirate radio station began broadcasting on March 28, 1964 with a pre-recorded message from presenters Chris Moore and Simon Dee announcing: “This is Radio Caroline on 199―your all-day music station.” As opposed to BBC’s pop music broadcasting of only an hour per week, Radio Caroline broadcasted from 6 AM to 6 PM EVERY DAY of the week. It was only a matter of time when the pirate radio station attracted millions of listeners, especially teenagers and “postwar boom babies.” The first track that was played by O’Rahilly’s radio station was rock band The Rolling Stones’ version of the song, “Not Fade Away,” with the opening line, “I’m gonna tell you how it’s gonna be.” This opening line was O’Rahilly’s first shot at the BBC bosses, challenging them and their radio monopoly to eventually “get with it.” English disc jockey Tony Blackburn was Radio Caroline’s youngest DJ at that time and the radio station’s presenters included Johnny Walker, Tommy Vance, Dave Lee Travis, Keith Skues, Spangles Muldoon, Robbie Dale, and Tony Prince. A small cabin with only one porthole served as their studio in the ship. RESULTS O’Rahilly’s Radio Caroline became famous that musical group The Fortunes recorded the pirate radio’s theme song, and a Radio Caroline t-shirt became the latest fashion fad during those years.
Aside from that, teenage girls would even travel out in sailboats just to see the ship up close and wave to the presenters on board. Through Radio Caroline, O’Rahilly drew an audience of 25 million in his prime and was credited with helping spark the “Swinging 60s,” the youth-driven cultural revolution in the UK during the 1960s. O’Rahilly was also acknowledged by London-based daily national newspaper The Times as “the godfather of the pirate radio stations which revolutionized British broadcasting in the 1960s.” Lastly, the success of Radio Caroline led to BBC’s launch of Radio 1, Britain’s first legal pop music station in 1967. O’Rahilly utilized his wit and resources to achieve his goal. He didn’t give up even when licensed radio stations were closing their doors to him and his artists. He knew there was ANOTHER WAY AROUND IT. Who would’ve thought that later on, those radio stations, particularly the BBC, would end up being influenced by O’Rahilly and his Radio Caroline? Impressive, right? Be inspired by O’Rahilly’s resourcefulness and persistence! Whether you’re just starting up a business or you’re “already there,” your determination to achieve your business goals, coupled with the right measures, will help you make your brand as BIG as the international waters where Radio Caroline was set. Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerilla Marketing! Do you want to learn about how a famous soft drink brand brought happiness by shaking the boundaries with a Guerilla Marketing Campaign? See it on next week’s Gorillas of the Guerilla Marketing! |
