Pirate Radio a Marketers Dream Connection to Youth

Courtesy of Jason Kottke, a fascinating London Times article examines the underground world of pirate radio in the U.K. Pirate radio is just what is sounds like; illegally operated radio stations run by local area DJ's and up and coming artists consumed voraciously by trendsetting youth. Acknowledging this valuable lifeline to an audience that can make or break a brand, both advertisers and record labels knowingly tap this channel hoping to be part of the next big thing.

"These pirate kids are early adopters and they're trendsetters," says Rooney Carruthers, a partner at the advertising agency VCCP, whose clients include Coca-Cola and the mobile network O2. "They spend virtually all their disposable income on clothes, mobiles and text-messaging; they've got this must-have-the-right-label attitude, and if a brand can tap into that, it could be worth millions."

Marketers and record labels can't afford to ignore this audience and they can't find them through mainstream media so they play the dicey game of walking the line of legality while hoping their product catches on or they find the next Ms Dynamite, currently the nations' favorite female pop star.