Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
The tooth fairy… from a young age. Many of us are told that you will receive a “reward” when you lose a tooth. So, why as adults, do so many of us dread dental visits?
Continue reading “Dental Anxiety Is Real—And It’s a Marketing Opportunity for Local Practices”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Most Americans don’t circle Tax Day on their calendar with excitement. Instead, it lingers in the background — wedged between work deadlines, family schedules and the constant mental note of “I really need to do my taxes.”
Continue reading “From Nerve-Wracking to Reassuring: How Radio Connects During Tax Season”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
From the music in our headphones to the some of the food and flavors we can’t live without, Hispanic culture is influencing America. Hispanics in the U.S. represent a powerful and rapidly expanding consumer segment that no advertiser can afford to overlook. With a population of 68 million and rapidly growing along with a purchasing power projected to surpass $2 trillion, Latino consumers are driving growth across nearly every category—from retail and technology to entertainment and automotive.
Continue reading “Hispanic Consumers Are Listening — Here’s Why Advertisers Should Too”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
January often brings a mix of optimism and caution. Businesses are setting new goals, reviewing budgets, and closely watching economic signals. For advertisers, uncertainty can lead to hesitation — but with the help of broadcast radio, businesses can seize the opportunities that still exist.
Continue reading “Why Radio Starts the Year Strong – Even When the Economy Feels Uncertain”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
As we look back on the past year, our blog explored a wide range of topics—each shining a light on why radio continues to be America’s top media platform.
New measurement tools in audio give marketers a better sense of their ROI
Contributor: Matthew Schwartz, director of editorial and content development, ANA
Video didn’t kill the radio advertising star. Neither did social media, online gaming, nor Netflix. The rise of digital platforms has been a veritable boon for audio advertising, which encompasses ads on streaming music services, podcasts, and traditional AM/FM and digital radio stations. Despite the dizzying number of media channels — or maybe because of them — radio continues to provide advertisers with effective reach at lower cost per thousand than linear or streaming programming.
Continue reading “Audio Advertising Gets Some Fine Tuning”Author: Tammy Greenberg SVP Business Development, RAB
The pressure is on almost every marketer. A whopping 95 percent of marketing leaders say their teams are under more pressure than ever to prove marketing’s value, according to “CMSWire’s 2025 State of the CMO Report.” Equally worrisome, the report, based on the responses from 515 marketing leaders, found that 69 percent of marketers feel the gravity of responsibility to deliver quantifiable ROI, up from 59 percent in 2023. Using audio media platforms to amplify brand-building efforts — and drive full-funnel results — could be the solution to relieve the pressure.
Continue reading “Radio Pumps Up Marketing Effectiveness”Misconceptions about audio could leave brands missing out on a valuable medium
Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
Audio consumption has seen significant growth in recent years due to an expanding landscape. With consumers turning to audio for the convenience that it provides – allowing them to multitask – and the plethora of content to suit all moods and needs, it may be no surprise that WARC reports audio has grown significantly faster than media consumption overall, across demographics. However, there is a significant gap in the investments marketers allocate to audio versus other media. WARC projected that, by 2024, audio would account for 24.5 percent of all ad-supported media consumption but only 8.4 percent of ad investments. The disparity between engagement with audio and investment in audio is profound.
Continue reading “It’s Time Marketers Hear the Truth About Audio”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
If you find yourself browsing weekly supermarket circulars to find out which of your favorite brands are on sale, you aren’t alone. Consumers are working hard to fight the inflation battle at the registers.
Continue reading “Why Radio Should Be on the Shopping List”Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP Business Development/RAB
In the age of AI, audio’s ability to forge deeply personal and trusted relationships with listeners is an opportunity for brands.
Continue reading “Humans Matter”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
During this time of year, we all try to find some time to take a breath and look back at the events of the year. Some will make you laugh, while others may make you cry.
Continue reading “2024 – A Look Back”Author: Nick Arias, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB
According to Edison Research’s The Infinite Dial 2024 study, an estimated 235 million people (82%) are social media users.
Continue reading “The Power of Social Media and Radio”Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
The constantly evolving makeup of today’s American population has made it one of the most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations in the world. From a marketing perspective, multiculturalism is a challenging concept to activate; developing creative and selecting the right mix of media that will achieve relevance across a multicultural spectrum is a difficult feat. For efficiency, many brands will market in a way that either appeals to the cultural nuances of a total market, a specific race, or communities of people who share the brand’s values.
Continue reading “Why Radio Should Play a Central Role in Multicultural Campaigns”Digging Into Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ Partnerships with Stations, Local Children’s Hospitals, and Businesses
Contributor: Fred Jacobs, President and Founder, Jacobs Media Strategies
For more than four decades, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has been focused on raising money for local children’s hospitals in communities throughout the U.S. and Canada. Broadcast radio has played an integral role in these fundraising efforts, as stations in hundreds of communities have showcased their local impact and influence through partnerships with children’s hospitals and area advertisers. With the mission to change kids’ health, CMN Hospitals has helped raise more than $9 billion for 170 children’s hospitals.
Continue reading “How Talent “Ambassadors” Facilitate Charitable Initiatives and Sponsorships”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Here we are. Welcome to the first week of 2024! This first week is when many will start something new. Whether that “new” is exercise, reading more, taking on a new hobby or something else, it is also a good time to remember some of the things from 2023.
Continue reading “Radio Highlights to Kick Off 2024”Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
The current economic environment and consumer concerns over inflation are challenging marketers and media alike to do more with less in an increasingly complicated and competitive marketplace. Add to that the ongoing threat of another health crisis, the rapid influx of advancing technology, and the multiplicity of events in 2023 and their long tail impact, one thing has remained stable, efficient, results-driven, and a trusted partner to marketers. Radio.
Continue reading “Radio Works to Drive Business Forward”Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
The phrase “Think globally, act locally” was popularized by the environmental conservation movement in the 1970s, but it holds relevancy today for marketers looking to drive brand growth. Regardless of the size and scope of a brand, the ultimate point of purchase and consumption is often within a local community.
In a recent CMO Council report based on a survey of more than 140 marketing leaders in B2C and B2B brands, a third of respondents say 40 percent or more of their company’s revenue comes from local business partners. Yet, the report says, less than 30 percent of small businesses have fully recovered from the pandemic. The report underscores national brands’ responsibility to drive local demand to grow revenue and aid the performance of local partners.
Supporting local economies and resonating with people in local communities (i.e., keeping them informed, entertained, and connected) is a fitting definition for radio. As CMOs face pressure to reach profitable goals and are often expected to do more with less, radio can help brands drive local demand and sustainable growth in neighborhoods coast to coast.
Eighty-nine percent of radio listeners believe that one of radio’s primary advantages is its local feel, and appreciation for local content among listeners is on the rise, up 33 percent over the past five years, according to the 2023 Jacobs Media Techsurvey. Couple that with Horizon Media’s finding that 72 percent of adults appreciate brands that try to get to know their local culture and community and using radio becomes an obvious path for brand marketers to drive local engagement and action.
According to a recent Katz Radio Group survey, localizing radio messaging leads to increased attention and impact among listeners. The study tested generic and localized versions of audio advertising for a retailer, insurance brand, and healthcare provider in different geographical areas. The study found that while every ad improved purchase intent, ads that incorporated local elements averaged a 24 percent lift in effectiveness.
The same is true for contextual messaging. When there is synergy between an audio ad and the content, the better the outcome up and down the purchase funnel. Reaching people at the exact right moment and place with relevance and with local nuances can move KPIs.
Arguably, part of the effectiveness of local radio can be attributed to the bond shared between radio’s local on-air influencers and their listeners. “Imagine picking up the phone and calling a friend and chatting twice a month for a few years,” Damon Amendolara, host of The DA Show for CBS Sports Radio, told Barrett Sports Media in a recent interview. “With how much we text today and how infrequent we all actually call one another, a caller to a radio show may actually have a closer bond to you than some of your friends or family. Hearing that person’s voice regularly creates a deep connection.” Brands can leverage these connections in authentic ways for more effective campaigns.
Community engagement and experiential marketing can build strong connections and foster a positive brand image. Arguably, radio pioneered experiential marketing to mass audiences through live, in-market events that provide entertainment and information to local communities. And now that live, in-person events are back following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, brands can leverage the immersive experience of radio-hosted events such as music festivals, fundraisers, and block parties to build relationships, boost demand for local products and services, and, ultimately, drive growth for their local business partners.
Indeed, when brands make the most of what radio offers, the results can exceed expectations. In 2022, Nissan, in collaboration with iHeartMedia, the Black Effect Podcast Network, and popular on-air host and podcaster Charlamagne Tha God, developed a campaign to invite students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to sign up for a groundbreaking mentorship event focused on professions in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). The vast majority of HBCU scholars who participated in The Black Effect Podcast Network’s Thrill of Possibility Summit indicated the event met or exceeded their expectations and provided an unforgettable learning experience.
Lanae Jackson, senior manager of multicultural marketing strategy at Nissan, speaking at the 2023 ANA Advancements in Measurement Conference, said the campaign “performed better than they ever could have imagined.” The combination of efforts to promote the Nissan-sponsored event leveraged iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s platforms, including broadcast radio, digital and social media, and podcasts, to not only drive massive lift for the auto brand, which saw a 73 percent increase in upper funnel metrics, including unaided awareness, but also worked to solidify the brand’s commitment to increase Black representation in STEAM-related careers.
The concept of thinking globally and acting locally brings together a brands’ global aspiration with relatable local value.
As consumers continue to seek out local businesses and prefer brands that understand the nuances of their community, brands that drive resonance within these communities and at national scale through the power of their local and national radio partners will undoubtedly achieve sustainable growth.
Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
The marketing industry has long leaned into results-driven marketing efforts that square up against specific goals, audiences, and strategies. Today, due in part to the current financial climate, seemingly all marketing is performance marketing, with metrics defined by cost per audiences reached, served, and, ultimately, converted.
Continue reading “How Radio Builds Effectiveness for RMN Campaigns”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
The holiday haze has finally lifted, and routines are back in full swing. Some folks are talking about a “dry” January or working on those resolutions they made. January is a month when people regroup and reset for the year ahead.
Continue reading “Get Ready for 2023”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Shopping habits have changed. Consumer expectations of the brands they purchase and where they purchase them have shifted dramatically. These changes will continue to impact retailers everywhere from Main Street to Broadway. Retailers of all sizes are constantly trying to navigate these changes, so it is important to understand the values of today’s shoppers.
Continue reading “Radio’s Role in the Valued Business of Retail”
