The Ali Clarke Breakfast Show’s big ad blitz only buys small ratings bump

Radio insiders say there’s a key reason Mix’s big name signing has not translated to ratings success in Adelaide’s biggest battleground.

Adelaide radio personality Ali Clarke. Picture: Mike Burton

Mix 102.3 is estimated to have spent more than $100,000 on promoting The Ali Clarke Breakfast Show since July, but it is still not the ratings winner the station was banking on.

For the second consecutive survey Clarke’s show is in sixth spot with 8.3 share points, despite a gain of 0.3.

In recent months Mix has upped its promotion in what industry insiders say is an obvious attempt to attract more listeners.

Insiders say they have never seen the station do so much advertising – which has included posters of Clarke on bus shelters, billboards, TV and more – for its breakfast show.

Ali Clarke, centre, with former co-host Erin Philips and co-host Eddie Bannon. Picture: Simon Vaughan

Nielsen Media Research AdEx estimates Mix has already invested $127,000 in advertising alone this financial year.

The spend in just three months is already more than 20 per cent up on the estimated $104,000 spent in total over the 2021-2022 financial year.

With breakfast regarded as the crucial timeslot in radio – because that’s where advertising dollars are made – it’s safe to assume that the bulk of Mix’s promotional spend is invested in The Ali Clarke Breakfast Show.

With an industry insider telling The Advertiser a “bundle” buy of bus shelters, billboards etc would be about $50,000 per month, the promotional push appears to have been a costly exercise for little return.

The Ali Clarke Breakfast Show’s latest radio ratings result is 6.3 share points behind Adelaide’s No. 1 breakfast show; FIVEaa duo David Penberthy and Will Goodings took out the top spot in breakfast with 14.6 share points, up 0.8 from last survey.

The radio ratings results ladder is based on share points which are calculated by taking into account the number of people tuning in for at least eight minutes within a 15 minute timeslot, which is also known as “cume” or cumulative audience, and the time they spend listening.

In terms of cume, Mix 102.3 had the third most popular breakfast program with an audience of 144,000, down 8,000 from last survey.

Finishing sixth on the ratings ladder for a second time would be a disappointing blow for the show’s namesake; Clarke had been a top performer in her role with ABC Adelaide.

An industry insider had previously told The Advertiser that it was because Aunty’s listeners were loyal to the station itself and its news bulletins, whereas audiences tuning into FM stations did so because they were drawn to breakfast announcers who were a “personality”.

Mix was once the top station in the breakfast timeslot on the FM dial for and the No. 1 station overall for what seemed like countless weeks. At the end of 2021, prior to Clarke’s arrival, its breakfast show was in fourth spot with 9.0 share points, behind ABC Adelaide (17.4), FIVEaa (12.6) and Triple M (12.2).

Last month Clarke hit back following Mix’s rating slump, revealing the real reason she quit the ABC to join the FM station.

It was also the number two station overall on 10.9, behind ABC Adelaide on 12.2.

It is still in second spot with 10.6 this survey, where Nova 919 took the lead with 11.8.

Mix was contacted for comment.