Making A Comeback

Apparently, cassette tapes are making a comeback.

Some things should never make a comeback.

Shell suits.


Photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash

 The mullet haircut.


Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash

And cassette tapes. 


Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

None of these should make a comeback.

Unless you enjoy the hiss that even the Dolby switch can’t take away. Then there was the squiggling sound that your favourite album would make as it snagged and wrapped itself around the motor wheel.

The Rushtons got an Echo Dot at Christmas. We’re among the 26% of adults who own voice activated speakers, and among the 94% who listen to live radio on it. My wife can listen to stations from her home town in Kenya, or our local stations, depending on the mood. I can listen to what I want… to listen to Get Carter Productions ads being played on the big national stations, or some comedy on Radio 4.  Sophia, who turned 2 in March, now asks Alexa for “Knock Knock” jokes and to listen to Cbeebies Radio. I can’t think of a use for a cassette machine that my Echo Dot or Mobile Phone hasn’t got covered. Now we’ve got one in the kitchen too! We are not alone in the choices we’re making. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/aug/01/britons-turning-to-commercial-radio-in-place-of-bbc

Radio has changed and is changing.

The audio landscape is vibrant, fast moving and exciting and throwing up all sorts of opportunities for advertisers. If you wanted to aim an ad for delivery to ME, people of my age, my income, and in my postcode, you can do that! And the delivery is accountable, deliverable and measurable.

Radio isn’t a new way of advertising to people. Radio is a tried, tested and hugely successful advertising medium and if you’re not using it as a major part of your advertising strategy (to quote Angus Deayton) you’re a bit of a clot.

Simon Rushton