“Bach is Back” on the St. Louis Airwaves!

Client:

Background:
As classical music devotees remember, it was a hot night in July 2010 when Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 served as KFUO’s (Classic 99 FM) swan song after a 62-year run on the St. Louis airwaves. Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis is dedicated to bringing classical music back to St. Louis’ public airwaves. Organized as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) entity, the station will offer a broad and invigorating arts format beginning on April 8, 2013, both on analog radio at 107.3 FM and in hybrid digital at KIHT 96.3 HD2. Content will also be streamed live at www.rafstl.org.

RAF-STL is committed to filling the void left in the region’s arts and cultural community with its new, one-of-a-kind station that will not only “bring Bach back,” but will build a nucleus for the entire arts and performing arts community of St. Louis to connect, grow and flourish for years to come.

Audience:
There were multiple audiences for the project. These included those who are avid listeners of classical music and supporters of the arts in the St. Louis region, business leaders within the St. Louis region who can help to fund and underwrite the station, and the station’s board and advocacy council.

Objectives:

• Create development materials and case statements to attract donors’ attention and funds prior to the station’s on-air date.
• Develop a cohesive communications strategy for the station’s launch and introduction to the St. Louis community
• Produce, manage and coordinate the station’s official ribbon-cutting on April 8, 2013.
• Manage all media relations, both pro-active and reactive, for the station.

Responsibilities:
RAF-STL retained Schumacher Creative to act as the station’s marketing and public relations partner. This included planning and executing all of the station’s promotions, advertising and public relations plans prior to launch and post launch. Specific projects included the development of both plans and creative work for all advertising, direct marketing, e-mail marketing,
social media and media materials.

Results:

• More than 100 business, civic and philanthropic leaders from throughout the St. Louis area attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and on-air celebration for the station on April 8, 2013.

• RAF-STL has received numerous media placements in all major publications within the St. Louis region including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Business Journal, St. Louis Magazine, West News Magazine, Ladue News, Alive Magazine, and Town & Style.

• Jim Connett, the station’s general
  manager, was featured on “First at Four”
  on KSDK with local anchor, Kay Quinn.

• The station and its unique format has been written about in numerous industry
  publication including Radio Insight and St. Louis Jazz Notes.

• The station’s social media presence increased more than 73.1 percent over a 30-day period.

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