Assessment [1b]

How effective is ASDA FM at appealing to it's varied target audience through it's music schedule?

ASDA FM is the UK's most listened to Radio station due to it having a "Captive" audience, which usually means that the people listening to the station are being exposed to it when gathering in a certain area without the original or main intention to listen to it, in this case any ASDA Supermarket. The Station primarily consists of advertisements and chart music. The main intentions of the ASDA radio as well as the majority of other in-store radios are to both entertain customers who are doing their shopping and to help advertise products and certain offers in store. It could be considered that the radio subliminally helps customers part with their money in-store, after hearing a certain advertisement or song they may be compelled to buy a certain product.
Much like any other Radio Station, ASDA FM plays different types of music depending on what time of day it is, for example on a Friday or Saturday night one could typically expect to hear more up-beat songs, mainly dance and dub-step as this is when a certain demographic are most likely to be in store. The Radio plays more obscure music during the least crowded times of day and provides uplifting music throughout the night to help motivate the night-shift workers. Whilst other stations can specialise in certain genres of music 24:7, ASDA FM ensures that it has a highly varied playlist of songs, one can expect to hear mainstream chart music but more obscure music is often played, including songs that would usually be heard on Radio stations such as XFM and BBC Radio 6, other types of music played include songs directed at children which would usually be heard between 3-5pm (as children are finishing school and shopping with their parents) when these are played you would typically hear advertisements for children's products.
Obviously certain times of year will yield related songs to be played, for example one could typically expect "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" and "Do they Know it's Christmas?" to be played in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Not only does this allow the customer to get into the "Christmas spirit" but it may persuade them to buy Christmas related products, when at the time of shopping they did not have the original intention to buy such products.
In conclusion, I believe that ASDA FM appeals to it's wide range of listeners very well. This is because they have taken into account the Days and Times that certain people are most likely to be shopping, thus ensuring that music directed at them is to be played. With advertisements and promotions constantly being aired between songs, the station has the ability to manipulate a customers trail of thought without them knowing. Most songs are picked out intentionally to get a customer or member of staff in a certain mood.