If you’re a brand, agency or publicist aiming to land a spot on one of Australia’s top-rated breakfast shows, you’re going to need more than a catchy subject line.
Nova’s Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie executive producer Tom Ivey has fielded thousands of pitches across his 20-year radio career, and he knows exactly what cuts through the noise.
With a background that spans SAFM, 2Day FM, Triple M, and Nova, Ivey’s been EP of Fitzy & Wippa since its launch 14 years ago.
These days, the show boasts its highest-ever audience, 668,000 weekly listeners, and sits as the second most listened-to breakfast show in Australia. For advertisers, that means visibility. For Ivey, it means a very full inbox.
Ivey has been working with Fitzy & Wippa since they looked like this…
Tom’s inbox: what gets read, what gets binned
“I get somewhere between 20 and 30 pitches every day,” Ivey tells Mediaweek. “Of the 100 pitches I get per week, roughly three or four might make it to air.”
That’s a high bar, and first impressions matter.
“I’ve lost count of how many people begin their emails with ‘Hi Tim.’ If the idea is strong enough, it can still make it through because I’m learning to put my ego aside,” he jokes.
What definitely won’t help your cause?
Gimmicky greetings.
“FRIYAY, TGIF, and ‘Hey legend!’ are all awful ways to begin your pitch,” says Ivey. Instead, show you’ve done your homework. “Begin your email with something like: ‘I heard your team talking about [insert topic here] the other day, so I thought I’d get in touch.’ It goes a long way if you’ve taken the time to listen to the program you’re pitching to.”
When (and how) to follow up
Want to make Ivey’s list of producer icks? Call after you’ve emailed just to say you’ve emailed.
Worse? “Please don’t call to discuss that pitch at 4pm. My alarm clock goes off at 3:50am every morning. How would you like it if I did that to you?” he quips.
If you haven’t heard back, Ivey says patience is key. “You’ll get the most from me if you follow up by email a day or so later. If it’s been a week, it may mean the pitch wasn’t quite right for us.”
Ivey is the current executive producer for Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie on the Nova network.
What does make a great pitch?
Keep it brief. Be clear about why your idea, guest, or product matters to Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie listeners. “Exclusivity is always preferable, but I understand a publicist’s need to cast the net wide… just don’t mention the wrong breakfast show in your pitch.”
A thoughtful pitch that understands the show’s tone, talent and format will always go further. “Listen to the show. Know something about the talent you’re pitching to. It will honestly go such a long way,” says Ivey.
“If you have suggestions for how your product or talent can integrate into the show, that’s always welcome.”
One last thing? “Never deliver perishable food to a breakfast show on a Friday afternoon as most talent have left the building.”
The (non perishable) takeaway for brands and agencies
Radio is still a high-impact, high-reach medium, especially when integrated into formats with loyal audiences and strong brand equity. For agencies, landing coverage on shows like Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie can mean major cut-through, but only if approached with relevance, respect and creativity.
Pitch smart. Pitch well. And for the love of audio, get the producer’s name right.
Pictured: Tom Ivey