For the first month of broadcasting Radio Caroline was commercial free, but the need to generate a regular income was always paramount and this was finally achieved on 1st May 1964 when the first commercial was aired on the station – for Woburn Abbey stately home and its recently launched safari park.
The Woburn Abbey commercial was primarily to promote the Duke of Bedford’s recently launched safari park. The Duke scripted the commercial himself after a visit to Caroline’s then offices which they shared with Jocelyn Stevens’ Queen Magazine. The commercial was voiced by Ian Ross, an initial founder of Radio Caroline, and it was subsequently claimed that as a result of its transmission on 1st May there were over 4,000 additional visitors to Woburn Abbey the following day, despite unseasonal wet weather.
Other advertisers
Other adverts were also broadcast – mainly for local businesses in south east England, although the well known Bulova commercials also started on May 1st. Later in the month, when the success of Caroline’s broadcasts had been demonstrated through steadily increasing audience figures, adverts for national brands started to appear including Reveille magazine, Harp Larger and the News of the World newspaper.
In December 1964 advertising income for Radio Caroline was claimed to be £50,000 a month (equivalent to £1,021,460 at 2024 prices.
Two early adverts - Duncan Price Lighting Harp Larger
