Pirate to release Lennon radio show

Toronto production house Pirate Radio and Television has started a branded entertainment division. Its first project? A two-part radio program narrated by Graham Nash (of Crosby Stills and Nash fame) commemorating the 25th anniversary of ex-Beatle John Lennon's assassination. The title sponsor? Toshiba. Explains writer and director Terry O'Reilly: 'We try to come up with interesting radio programs that advertisers can leverage. Branded entertainment is something I'm not sure is even happening in Canada. So we've created a seven-hour radio special around Lennon.'

O'Reilly explains that the project was divided into two three-hour parts plus a series of vignettes. The first is a three-hour special airing on Sunday, Oct. 9 called Dreaming of the Past, with a theme that spans the years between Lennon's birth in 1940 to when the Beatles broke up in 1970. The special will air in Canada, the U.S. and other countries around the world on classic rock stations such as Q107 in Toronto, CFMI in Vancouver, CKDK in London, Ont., and CFGQ in Calgary. CHOM, an English station in Montreal, is also picking up the special.
By Pia Musngi
October 4, 2005

Toronto production house Pirate Radio and Television has started a branded entertainment division. Its first project? A two-part radio program narrated by Graham Nash (of Crosby Stills and Nash fame) commemorating the 25th anniversary of ex-Beatle John Lennon’s assassination. The title sponsor? Toshiba. Explains writer and director Terry O’Reilly: ‘We try to come up with interesting radio programs that advertisers can leverage. Branded entertainment is something I’m not sure is even happening in Canada. So we’ve created a seven-hour radio special around Lennon.’

O’Reilly explains that the project was divided into two three-hour parts plus a series of vignettes. The first is a three-hour special airing on Sunday, Oct. 9 called Dreaming of the Past, with a theme that spans the years between Lennon’s birth in 1940 to when the Beatles broke up in 1970. The special will air in Canada, the U.S. and other countries around the world on classic rock stations such as Q107 in Toronto, CFMI in Vancouver, CKDK in London, Ont., and CFGQ in Calgary. CHOM, an English station in Montreal, is also picking up the special.

The second three-hour show entitled The Dream Never Dies covers Lennon’s post-Beatle years, his assassination up to what is being released from his catalogue of songs today. Part two will air on Thursday, Dec. 8, time to be determined.

‘We’re building a long-term, loyal audience over two months through 65 one-minute programs called A Minute of Lennon to keep listeners hooked. Within each 60-second spot is a 30-second audio tag for Toshiba, our title sponsor,’ O’Reilly says. ‘When we went out to talk to sponsors [about this opportunity], we sold out the show within five business days.’

Also signed are secondary sponsor brands Tim Hortons, Goodyear and EMI Music. Brokers for the deal include Due North Communications for Goodyear and Enterprise Advertising for Tim Hortons. Toshiba and EMI Music deals were done direct.

Also on tap for Pirate is the pitch for and creation of one-minute branded radio shows that O’Reilly explains will connect to an advertiser. He cites the example of a celebrity sound byte series where stars can talk about their first job ‘brought to you by’ a career search website.

‘This would be a one-minute show at the same time every day for example,’ he says. ‘It would need to be bought as a show within its own title slot and not as part of a commercial island.’

Pirate is now shopping the concept to various brands. ‘We’re talking to a major department store for one idea, and a major DVD retailers for another.’ He says for a deal much like the Lennon one, the cost is ‘into the six figures. A one-hour, one-time show is substantially less.’