Consumers want personal attention and in today's progressive era Radio delivers immeasurable value in a fragmented impersonal market place. The boomerang effect of the
digital era shows that while consumers have more choice there is also less humanity in quantity, less true rapport. More than ever you need to consider how you reach, speak, listen, and relate to your clients. That's a good thing because after all, Radio's genius is two-fold. First, its ability to bring human element to your advertising message and second, its ability to reach your customer through several communication touch points – on-air, online, mobile, and on-site.
Radio is and always has been the free and personal medium. These are key factors and often taken for granted. Radio is the last and only medium that is accessible to absolutely everyone with absolutely zero cost for connection or entertainment. In Portland, 99% of employed households have a Radio receiver, the average home has 8, and 94% listen to it weekly. In our high tech world it costs to be digitally linked, and the experience (no matter how savvy) lacks the core ingredient to penetrating advertising: authentic soul. People like Radio. They just do. They find it relevant, entertaining and reliable.
Radio binds communities and lifestyle segments in real-time, which no other medium can do. People habitually tune-in, knowing that thousands of other people are listening, yet they feel a personal relationship with their Radio interaction. Ironically, in a world where nothing seems sacred, where Google has become not only a reference tool but a verb, and where television lulls the viewer into a trans-like state, Radio activates listeners minds and builds trust. We all know that the most valuable and motivating part of life is the emotional link we have with people that are part of our life experience. When a DJ talks about the best risotto in town or the coolest new gadget on the market, people listen and take action. It's like a friend giving a personal referral or a reminder that you have options. This is the magic of Radio and illustrates the uncompromising value of Radio's local influence.
Radio is the original wireless. All the new age marketing tools like social media and e- only campaigns have advertisers chasing the wrong carrot. Driving traffic, creating relationships, and developing brand is a huge endeavor and unless you make it personal your voice will be lost. Radio is the perfect digital and integrated media mix companion. Learn More >>
When you pair Radio with Internet, e-mail, mobile, TV, billboards, or any another medium you'll get the most bang for your buck and the most "sticky" power. Think about it, people are on the move and distraction is common in the process of life but Radio is the only medium that has the ability to get exclusive "audio" audience in the car and it's the last medium they interact with just before they shop. Employed Consumers have a special relationship with Radio they come to engage, real-time 2.5 to 3 hours every day. Let face it, multitasking media is the new reality and naturally, Radio's ubiquitous presence positions messaging anywhere and everywhere the potential consumer is at any given moment. Radio is a strong asset in any advertising campaign.
According to BIGresearch, "Radio consistently shows up as an influential media format in many of their demonstrations using measured media," yet when you look at the percentage of businesses that use of Radio nationally, Radio only gets 7 to 8% of the marketing pie. This is shocking when you consider what businesses lose in influencing the marketplace by not using Radio. For example, here are some interesting facts BIGresearch uncovered about the auto industry, which only allocated 3.1% for Radio in 2007:
"When focusing on consumers who plan on buying a car in the next 6 months and how they say they are influenced by media weighted by the time allocated to various media and also factoring in the cost of the media, the allocation of media dollars looks more like this: Television goes from 63.6% (amount spent by automakers in 2007) to a new percentage of 23%. Newspapers go from a 2007 historical spend of 6.6% to 7%; outdoor from 1.5% actual spend to 5%; internet from 6.8% spent in 2007 to an optimal allocation of 25%; magazines from 18.4% to 17%; and Radio which only received 3.1% of automaker ad dollars in 2007 gets a 23% of the media budget. When viewed in context of all ad dollars spent on these measured media by automakers in 2007, it appears that the misallocation of advertising by the top 7 automakers resulted in $1,639,000,000 that should have been, but weren't, allocated to Radio." – BIGresearch.
Another secret weapon Radio possesses is its unique auditory component linked to memory and learning. Studies have been done that verify that what we hear we remember more clearly than what we see and creates significant emotional impact. For instance, Stephen Kosselyn, a psychology professor at Harvard states, "A word is a key, when a word unlocks the correct memories, it is meaningful." Radio has the ability to unlock stored memories and create a powerful imagined personal experience. We all know that the perfect song or jingle played at the perfect time brings out a memory or makes one. What's your unforgettable audio brand?
Radio involves the listener. It activates everyone's mind theater that links audio to visual images. When Radio listeners create their own unique mental picture with your advertising message, they have played an active role in relating to your message in their own language and visual terms. Radio is interruptive advertising and it's advertising that listeners have come to expect and rely upon for information about local good and services.
What's your competitive edge? Use Radio. It's emotional impact, strong purchase influence, on-air connectivity and digital synergy is under utilized by your competitors. It can mobilize your consumers, build brand, and is inexpensive per listener impression.
Radio's value is its ability to bond the human element to your marketing mix. It is alive and it is always out there. Turn the knob and you will find it waiting for you to tell your story. back to top