Marketron

What’s on the Horizon for Radio

Contributor: Nicole Ovadia, vice president of forecasting and analysis, BIA Advisory Services

The radio advertising landscape is in the midst of a dynamic transformation, but within this evolution lies a world of untapped potential. As consumer habits adapt and digital integration becomes the norm, key industries are reshaping their advertising strategies. Yet, amidst these changes, local radio stands strong as a resilient and potent force in the media mix – the fifth largest media when you examine the total local advertising marketplace.

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How Talent “Ambassadors” Facilitate Charitable Initiatives and Sponsorships

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.

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Radio’s Impact: Championing Children’s Health and Building Transformative Business Partnerships

Contributor: Fleur Voruz, Senior Director/Media, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Through purposeful partnerships, radio stations uniquely position themselves as champions by raising funds and awareness for critical needs in their local communities. These collaborations not only elevate positive listener sentiment, but they also drive employee engagement and business value for the radio station and its sponsors.

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Radio Highlights to Kick Off 2024

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.

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Radio Puts a Bow on Holiday Gift Shopping

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

With Thanksgiving behind us, it means that the holiday shopping frenzy is just beginning, or is it? If you are following consumer sentiment reports, it is anyone’s guess as to how “frenzied” it will be. Retailers will need to be diligent about product promotions and sales and where they promote them.

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Radio Works for Local and State Government Agencies

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Political views and interests by Americans have been the topic of many news articles and stories. Yet, how Americans view their state and local governments has been favorable. According to a Pew Research survey in 2022, 66% of American adults have a favorable view of their local government, and 54% have a favorable view of their state government.

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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.

Top Cultural Trends of 2023

Contributors: Maxine Gurevich, SVP/Cultural Intelligence and Courtney Mota, VP/Cultural Intelligence, Horizon Media

In 2022, we saw several pivotal events — the overturning of a 50-year law by the U.S. Supreme Court, Elon Musk’s seemingly impulsive Twitter takeover, FTX’s high-profile collapse, nationally televised hearings of the January 6th Committee and a contentious mid-term election. These are the kind of events that force people to question how the actions of a powerful few impact the majority. In 2023, we’ll be asking what role there is for brands to play in helping the current systems work better for more people. People are tired but better informed, and brands should prepare to demonstrate value upfront before asking people to part with their already-stretched, too-hard-earned money.  

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The Local Podcast Opportunity

Contributor: Steve Goldstein, founder and CEO, Amplifi Media

When you think of podcasting, it is almost always about national podcasts. That appears to be changing. The next wave of podcasting growth is coming from locally-focused content. While the early days of local podcasting were populated with hobbyists, a larger ecosystem is now brewing with TV stations, newspapers, and outside companies coming into the space. Several radio groups, with plenty of radio stations, have robust national podcast efforts, but in general, modest effort has gone toward creating and selling local podcasts.

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Radio Can Help Jewelry Retailers Outshine Their Competition

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Graduations have begun, as have weddings. Festivities and gatherings are in full swing. As is the case with many events like these, jewelry of some sort is given to mark the occasion.

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Why Radio Is the Ideal Place to Share Brand Stories

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB

Consumers have strong expectations that the brands they choose both support and align with the values that are important to them. Recognizing what drives consumers, brands are laser-focused on living their mission, principles, and ethics. As such, brands market their products and services grounded in that mission and the shared values and beliefs between the brand and its target customers.

Giving back to community, lending resources of support, promoting social consciousness, doing what is good for the environment, and inspiring change are just a few examples of shared values in action. Brand messaging articulates both why the brand’s mission matters and to bring communities of people together to advance the values it supports while creating long-lasting relationships and loyalty.

In a recent RAB live online presentation to its members, Karriem Edwards, vice president of development for the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County, referenced Michael Porter, a well-known strategist and professor at Harvard University. Mr. Porter spoke about shared value strategies and how businesses must make local community a part of their business strategy to succeed.

Karriem pointed to his organization’s partnership with the Cox Radio Group in Miami, where community is central to its business strategy. This benefits the organization beyond measure. This is true for radio stations across the country. Community and shared values are local radio’s DNA.

Community, trust, reach, personal, uplifting, authentic, local, enjoyable, essential, lifesaving, relaxing, engaging, regulated, actionable– these are the attributes that brand marketers should find when identifying the environment to share their stories, their mission, and their values.

Nonprofit organizations understand this, which is why their reliance on local radio partnerships is prioritized and delivers strong results, according to Tim Delaney, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits. For-profit brands that follow the lead of mission-centric organizations will be rewarded with loyal consumers and business growth.

The data and insights that marketers are leveraging to speak directly to their target consumers makes the job so much easier to craft the story that will resonate. However, using programmatic and digital platforms as the primary mechanism to deliver a one-to-one message, may risk dehumanizing the connection that consumers want and expect from brands. It may also exclude potential consumers – future brand ambassadors.

The importance of the environment in which the story is told cannot be underestimated. The context of a message will change depending on where, when and the way a consumer processes it – is it a trusted environment? Is it a believable environment? Is it a local environment? What is surrounding the message? Is the consumer in the right frame of mind? Are there enough consumers there? The answers to these questions must be yes to advance the marketer’s cause and to achieve desired outcomes.

The company you keep matters when planning to disseminate the brand’s mission, purpose and product attributes that make lives better. Radio across platforms checks all the boxes as the right environment and platform to share brand stories.

  • Radio is trusted. It is trusted more than any other media, including over two times more than social media. 
  • Radio is local. It provides the content and information that is relevant to the consumer. In fact, 87 percent of listeners believe that it is the local feel that makes radio stand out among other options. 
  • Radio is community. Radio doesn’t just reach the community, it is woven into the fabric of community. Radio stations bring consumers together and motivate them to act.
  • Radio is personal. There is nothing between a listener and the music, conversation and content. Radio is a friendly voice in the ear and a truly one-to-one experience.
  • Radio is uplifting. Consumers listen to radio for many emotionally based reasons, with mood elevation as a driver for nearly 40 percent of consumers; association with that mindset is gold.
  • Radio is authentically human. On air personalities are the human tissue that connects the listener to the station and to the community. They are the original influencers. They are lead generators for advertisers and are an incomparable asset that can help to build and bridge the connections between brands and the consumers the brands are trying to reach.
  • Radio is essential. Time after time, when disaster strikes, radio stations are “on the ground” and often the first and only source to provide timely information and provide the support to the communities it serves.
  • Radio is a companion. Radio continues to play a huge role in the lives of U.S. consumers, especially as we commute back and forth as part of our daily routine. Radio rules the dashboard, with 75 percent of consumers tuning in to AM/FM radio while in the car, significantly more than any other audio platform. 
  • Radio is actionable. As a truly mobile medium, radio is the medium closest to purchase. Radio drives web traffic, foot traffic, event attendance, fundraising and volunteerism goals, awareness and ROI.
  • Radio tells stories. Stories are immersive; they pull the listener in, making them feel like they are completely involved and experiencing the content. Chris Smith, principal and chief creative officer at Plot Twist Creativity, once said, “Radio is the modern campfire.” Regardless of content format, the power of storytelling with radio has the ability to gain and hold a listener’s full attention. 
  • Radio reaches everyone. Radio is the number one reach medium across virtually every demographic and culture – more than any other media – all screens and all platforms that are available throughout a consumer’s day.

Radio shares values with the communities that it serves and the listeners that spend an average of 11 hours with them each week. The company it keeps speaks volumes for a brand. It associates the brand with a similar attitude, character, ability and personality. To truly deliver on its mission, embrace audiences through an alignment of values; brands can be part of radio’s circle of trust.

Insurance and Radio – It’s Personal

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

With major shift in the workplace model from in-office to hybrid, Americans are revaluating their residences. Is their current residence conducive to sustain a regular work-from-home situation versus an occasional event? Whether it is a condo, a home or rented apartment, many consumers appreciate the importance of homeowners/personal property insurance.

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From Bud to Bloom – Radio Grows Site Traffic for Lawn and Garden Retailers

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

According to Punxsutawney Phil, winter should be over in three more weeks. Within those weeks, landscapers and lawn and garden centers will experience an influx of want-to-be and experienced gardeners. It’s the time when most people will find out what kind of “thumb” they have.

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Radio Digital Sales Surge 33%: Debriefing the RAB-Borrell Annual Benchmarking Report

Todd Kalman, senior vice president of sales at Marketron

Now in its 10th year, the RAB-Borrell Digital Benchmark report is a must-read for the radio industry. As broadcasters seek to increase revenue and diversify offerings, digital advertising is a critical part of this. In 2021, the world faced year two of the pandemic and its impact. The findings of this year’s report show there are reasons for optimism.

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Radio Plays a Part in the Future of Retail

Author: Victor Texcucano, Content Coordinator, RAB

COVID-19 fears and restrictions have helped establish several new trends in the world of retail. Since the rise of e-commerce over the past decade or so, shopping has evolved to become much faster and much more convenient.

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Marketers Ride New Waves of Radio Advertising

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB

One of the hottest trends in advertising is “screen-free media,” as people liberate their eyeballs and engage their ears with a potpourri of audio programming. However, for marketers to capitalize on the audio renaissance, they must develop an audio strategy that goes beyond ad buying and adopts a distinctive voice and sound for their brands, according to the Carat Trends 2021 report, titled “The Year of Emotionally Intelligent Marketing.”

The diversification of audio platforms and the attention audio commands among consumers has opened up tremendous opportunity for brands to expand their audio strategies and grow their audiences.

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Radio Post-Pandemic

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB

The challenges that the marketing, advertising and media community faced throughout 2020 and the first half of 2021 have been like nothing any business has ever seen or experienced before. These challenges brought opportunity and have demonstrated a collective resilience in nearly every sector of business.

The next frontier for radio has been shaped by many of the lessons learned as consumers, businesses and brands have leaned in to audio across all platforms as the soundtrack to their daily journey.

What is new is old. What is old is new. Radio trends born from past truths.

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Motivating Listeners to Act in 2021

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB

Forecasts reveal that digital is driving the advertising rebound in 2021 and, according to Tony Hereau, VP of cross platform insights at Nielsen, “Radio is the soundtrack of America’s recovery.”

Radio, across all of its digital platforms, has and continues to experience exponential growth, earning significant share of media consumption throughout 2020 and the post-pandemic. While over the air AM/FM radio accounts for 76 percent of the daily audio time spent with any ad-supported platform, understanding consumer behavior as they move across platforms and what motivates listeners is critically important for marketers who are poised to succeed in the rebound.

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Radio Covers Auto Insurance

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, nonessential workers limited their vehicle use – other than for trips to the supermarket or leisurely drives. As lockdowns lifted, drivers hit the road again as businesses reopened and companies developed hybrid work-from-home and office schedules. In a report issued by INRIX, a location-based data and analytics firm that tracks traffic and parking, the vehicle-miles traveled may have had dropped initially but speeds increased. Based on this same report, collision rates began to climb back up to pre-COVID-19 levels between August and October.

Recognizing the shift in consumer behavior, the insurance industry responded by offering their customers discounts or rebates. However, those consumers who had once not owned or leased a vehicle, were now beginning to view vehicle ownership as a form of personal protective equipment. All these shifts created another behavior – search for auto insurance.

While radio reaches 88% adults who use any auto insurance provider, radio’s reach is even higher among adults, Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics who are planning to switch their auto insurance provider – 90%, 94% and 93%, respectively.*

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Purpose in Action with Radio Drives Business and Positive Change

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB

It has been well-documented that consumers, now more than ever, care deeply about how brands are addressing social and environmental issues. According to the 2020 Porter Novelli Executive Purpose Study, 89% of business leaders believe companies that lead with purpose have a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace. In fact, 85% agree being a purpose-driven company drives profit. The bottom line is that in increasingly competitive markets, in just about every category of business, a brand’s contribution to society becomes the decisive point of difference for consumers.

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