“
We are ready
”.
Three days before the transition from 2022 to 2023, Stéphane Bosc, the boss of Virgin Radio, is confident but above all impatient.
Not at the idea of spending a new year but because, on Sunday January 1, at midnight, its radio will once again become Europe 2, the name it bore until 2008. At the time, to surf on the success of brands Virgin, Lagardère had signed an agreement with the American group to use the franchise.
A broken contract after the recent decision of the management.
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Harmonization
“
Two main reasons led us to change the name
”, adds Stéphane Bosc, director of programs and antenna since March 2022. “
The first: the expectation and desire of listeners.
Referential and unifying, the Europe 2 brand is their madeleine de Proust
”, he underlines.
A desire for harmonization and European brands also motivated the decision.
“
We wanted a solid platform with Europe 1 on the one hand, the generalist and on the other, the musical
”, adds this former director of programs for Nostalgia.
Little chance on the other hand that RFM, the other station of the group, becomes Europe 3.
RFM is more than forty years old now, it works very well and has a big notoriety.
A change could weaken it
», Explains Stéphane Bosc again.
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Precisely, does he expect a drop in audiences on the side of Europe 2?
“
Changing a brand is always complicated
, recognizes the boss.
The decision was not easy to make because it entails economic and strategic issues.
Hearings are declarative.
We now have to make the brand known so that people know us first, then listen to us and finally, say they listen to us
”, he lists before relativizing: “
We are optimistic.
We give ourselves time, about three years
”.
For a year, Médiametrie will pool Virgin Radio statements with Europe 2.
Several hundred thousand euros
Choice of new skins, jingles, logo and slogan… It took the station management six months to finalize this transfer.
For several days, the Parisian and regional studios have been revamped and don the colors of Europe 2. "
We took over those of the time, the white and the red which stick well to the pop-rock music broadcast since September
", specifies Stéphane Bosc.
Stéphane Bosc, director of programs and the antenna of Europe 2 since March 2022. Guilhem Canal
Because, who says new name, says new editorial line, now more oriented towards the French scene.
Stéphane Bosc wants to find talent.
“
As in the great era when Europe 2 discovered M and Dionysos
”, recalls the one who targets 29-49 year olds.
The playlist will be refocused around the great pop-rock icons, young French-speaking and confirmed talents, without forgetting the “Gold” titles.
Special Sunday morning
To make the brand known to as many people as possible, a major advertising campaign will be deployed in January, through spots broadcast on TV and on Youtube as well as on posters in Paris and in several cities in France.
The artists Angèle, Clara Luciani, Kungs, Adé or even M have agreed to appear on these in a refined setting, in black and white.
Total cost of the communication and marketing operation?
Several hundred thousand euros.
The first jingles will sound Sunday at midnight, after the countdown of the happy new year.
A musical mix concocted by a resident DJ will then be broadcast and from 6 a.m., the morning workers of the week, Guillaume Genton, Diane Leyre and Fabien Delattres, will exceptionally meet live to animate a special “Morning without filter”.
With a new constraint: do not quote Virgin Radio!
“
There will inevitably be a few hiccups but the new logos are all over the studio so normally there won't be many!
», Reassures Stéphane Bosc.
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