Hello, is anyone listening?

March 13, 2018

2017 was an exciting year for radio – never have we seen so much activity in the industry this decade. First, Mediacorp shut down Lush 99.5, then it rebranded 938Live to 938Now. Shortly after, SPH Radio announced that it was launching Money FM and Hao FM in 2018. Later in the year, Mediacorp, started aggressively promoting its Chinese stations. It’s 2018 and we are just getting started.

Money FM

Green is an understandable choice for a business station, but the graphics might be a little too dull for a business station which also wants to talk about how you should enjoy with your money. The ads look like they came right out from a business presentation.

Thankfully, they soon retired the clipart icons and patterns in exchange for a more modern style which is relevant to its identity. The slanted lines are an extension of the italicised wordmark in the logo, which makes the identity come together cleanly.

Hao FM

For all you non-Chinese speaking folk, 好 means good, and its slogan reads ‘good music, good FM’.

The turquoise/gray combination gives off a feeling of zen, which is also aided by the casual and round script used for the logo. Hao FM’s primary target audience are those who like to listen to good ol’, pre-Internet era Mandarin songs. As such, many who tune in would likely come from Generation X and above. This logo fits the demographic perfectly.

After 23 years in Chinese radio broadcasting, Mediacorp’s new campaign aims to refresh the image of each station to cater to younger audiences.

Mediacorps Chinese Stations

Love 97.2FM, Yes 933 and Capital 95.8 FM have been around for a long time – Mediacorp just celebrated 23 years of Chinese radio. All 3 stations have nice, modern logos rolled out over the past few years and this campaign adds additional colour into their already exciting identities.

By tidying up each identity to create a strong and cohesive voice for each station, Mediacorp definitely knows the benefits of consistency in branding.

Is radio still a thing?

When I asked my friends in their 20s if they listen to radio, they said only when they are in the car. Some won’t actively, turn on the radio, while others sarcastically asked what radio is (we’re young, but not that young).

As long as people tune in, advertisement revenue will also flow. Till then, expect SPH radio and Mediacorp to bring their best to the table, because there are only so many ears to fight for in our small nation.

This is an excerpt from Branding in Singapore.