Marketron

It’s Never Too Early to Get into the Spirit of the Holiday Shopping Season

Author: Nick Arias, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB

As incredible as it may seem, the end of the 2023 calendar year is fast approaching. This means that the countdown to the holiday season is right around the corner. To many, this means the start of seasonal shopping for gifts.

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Radio On Main Street, featuring Mike Hulvey, CEO and President of Neuhoff Media

In our thirteenth episode Erica Farber chats with the CEO and President of Neuhoff Media, Mike Hulvey. With 20 radio stations serving consumers from Illinois to Indiana, Mike is the first non-Neuhoff family member to serve as the chief executive of the company in its 68 years of broadcasting. Grit, community, excellence and innovation are the four core values of Neuhoff Media which guide the entire team in everything that they do. As Mike reminds us, broadcasting changes communities and affects lives! 

Click here for all episodes from Season 2: NAB Show

Catch up on episodes from Season 1: ANA Masters of Marketing

Radio On Main Street, featuring Bill Bennett, Media Solutions and Account Manager at Enco Systems

In the fourteenth NAB Show series, we hear the conversation Erica Farber had with Bill Bennett, Media Solutions and Account Manager for Enco Systems, the company who in partnership with Benztown graciously allowed RAB to record Radio on Main Street live in their exhibit booth every day of the NAB Show. Enco Systems has been a provider of technology for the broadcast, audio and video industries for over 30 years. Bill shared that, as a manufacturer, they are nothing without their customers telling them what they like and don’t like and want or don’t want. They have to constantly keep those findings front and center and share with their own developers. As technologists, they build technology to help other people do things better. They have to keep refreshing their products and evolving to what’s possible.  

Click here for all episodes from Season 2: NAB Show

Catch up on episodes from Season 1: ANA Masters of Marketing

Radio On Main Street, featuring Mike McVay, President of McVay Media

In our final episode of this continuing series, we hear the conversation Erica had with Mike McVay, President of McVay Media. Founded in 1984 as a programming consultancy, today the company is focused on radio, network and syndication, coaching talent, working with podcasters and as Mike puts it, “marketing for things that color outside the lines”. Mike is an as astute content and programming thought leader and offers tremendous insights to the radio industry as it continues to innovate and plan ahead for the future. 

Click here for all episodes from Season 2: NAB Show

Catch up on episodes from Season 1: ANA Masters of Marketing

A Menu of Opportunities Await Restaurants

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

The restaurant industry has had to juggle a few plates in the past few years, and some of that juggling continues today. Inflationary food costs, competition and patron expectations are just some of the challenges restaurants are experiencing.

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Using Radio to Drive Growth in Local Markets

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB

Supporting and connecting with local communities can pay dividends for brands, studies show

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.

The Local Connection

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.

Getting Involved

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.

Local Reach, Global Outcomes

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.

Radio Is a Powerful Ad Channel Across the Sales Funnel

Contributor: Todd Kalman, SVP of Sales, Marketron

Radio still has plenty of ears listening. The latest listener data highlights that AM/FM radio is the No. 1 mass-reach audio medium, with 91% of Americans age 18 and older listening monthly. Ad-supported radio also wins in share of ear and time spent listening. These are vital metrics demonstrating that radio is still a dominant presence and the best way for many advertisers to connect with audiences.

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