Marketing honours students TUNE IN to TUKS FM’s next chapter

Tuks FM 107.2, the University of Pretoria’s iconic campus station, is gearing up to celebrate 45 years on air in 2026. Renowned for developing fresh talent and producing ground-breaking content, Tuks FM faces a new challenge: strengthening its digital presence and connecting with an evolving campus audience in a competitive audio streaming environment.

With this challenge in mind, the Marketing Management honours Class of 2025 received their final brief for the year in the Services Marketing module, which required teams to balance academic rigour and practical feasibility, starting with in-depth interviews to understand students’ radio habits and perceptions, followed by empathy maps developed from the interview insights. This foundation formed the basis for innovative brand awareness campaign recommendations, tailored to Tuks FM’s unique position in the South African radio and music market.

The project culminated in presentations to a panel of Tuks FM representatives on 19 November 2025, led by station manager Nicole da Silva, the external examiner from the University of Johannesburg, Prof Isolde Ward, the Marketing Management honours programme coordinator, Dr Danita van Heerden, and the course facilitator, Dr Michelle C van der Merwe. 

The top teams were recognised for their strategic thinking and fresh ideas. First place went to the Amplified Creatives for their “Tap in” interactive marketing campaign, which uses various campus touchpoints, pop-up events, and a three-tier membership model to boost both digital engagement and on-campus visibility.

Placed second, Studio 45’s “Your Campus, Your Frequency” concept focused on elevating student voices through interactive content and weekly music voting, combined with creative physical voting boxes and social media integration to drive direct participation.
 

Two teams received a special mention for their event-based campaigns. Airphoria 4’s “We Are LIVE” campaign centres around their ‘Run Rave, be aLIVE’ event – an energetic campus experience that combines a fun run and rave, and All 4 One (On Air) for their “Can You Hear What’s Missing?” campaign, which culminates in a ‘Silent Rave’ partnership with university residences.
 

The Tuks FM exam project demonstrated how empathy-led research and creative strategy can drive meaningful brand innovation. By blending insights with bold activation ideas, the Marketing Management honours students delivered campaigns poised to strengthen Tuks FM’s relationship with its audience and secure its legacy for future generations. Happy birthday, Tuks FM – may the next 45 years bring even more growth, creativity, and connection.