Radio Fuels the D2C Pipeline
Author: Lisa Cirigliano, Director of Insights and Analytics
Source: Katz Radio Group®
As we hope to begin a transition from pandemic to endemic, retailers are seeing more consumers return to in-store purchasing, while ecommerce continues to grow. Large corporations and brands found great value in ecommerce and the direct-to-consumer (D2C) relationship over the past few years, adding new customers through a new channel. A traditional avenue for start-ups and small businesses, see why this model will continue its growth among the bigger brands and how Radio is KEY to generating brand awareness and driving site traffic.
*January and February 2022 combined sales is already up almost 12% from January and February 2021
The NRF's recent forecast predicts retail sales will continue to grow through 2022 into 2023. Non-store, D2C, and online sales (which are included in the total figure) are expected to grow between 11% and 13% year over year to a range of $1.17 trillion to $1.19 trillion due to the continued use of ecommerce. Consumer confidence, healthy household finances, strong job and wage growth and a decline in unemployment is expected to help weather the impacts of rising gas prices, inflation, COVID-19 impacts, and international tensions.
According to eMarketer's forecast, U.S. D2C ecommerce sales will reach $151.20 billion in 2022, an increase of 16.9% compared to 2021.
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands such as Allbirds, Casper, Peloton, and Warby Parker have creatively found a weakness in the marketing citadel of incumbent brands. By using data gleaned from daily interactions with customers, these brands have been able to adapt how they serve their unique customer communities across a start-to-finish purchase journey. The best of them have parlayed that ability into a profitable business model applied across multiple channels and customer segments.
While forecasts predict D2C purchasing will only account for 2.5% of 2022 total retail sales, many of these brands have successfully disrupted the retail industry by diversifying the consumer experience, and will continue to flood the retail space because of what appears to be a bottomless purse for funding.
A recent Morning Consult study conducted from March 31-April 3, 2022 cites 31% of Americans are spending more money now than before the pandemic. When it comes to ecommerce, 47% said they're spending more online than they were pre-pandemic, while this number jumps to 57% with people who have an annual income of $100k or more.
This holiday season has shown the power of our digital transformation across the globe. Digital is the engine driving our Consumer Direct Acceleration strategy. More legacy brands have seen the value of adding D2C sales channels: building deeper connections & consumer loyalty, expanding reach to a new audience, collecting first-party data to help in product development & marketing tactics, ease supply chain disruptions, and grow profit margins.
Consumers value brands that are consumer centric, who personalize the customer experience, demonstrate they are inclusive & supportive of diversity and other values, and can fully communicate these actions.
The personal relationship and the engagement that radio, in particular local radio, has with its daily listeners is authentic and intimate and unlike any other medium. It only seems natural that Radio, with its ability to personally connect & engage with its audience, mass reach to drive search & site traffic, and proven ROAS, is the BEST medium to deliver D2C messaging.
Why Radio Is the Ideal Place to Share Brand Stories
Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
Source: Radio Blog Matters®
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.
Moving the Needle for Realtors
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Source: Radio Advertising Bureau®
Unbelievable. That’s the word you would use if you, or someone you know, has been trying to buy or sell a home. The real estate market is having its moment.
Home sales in the U.S. hit the highest numbers on record in 2021 with home sales 16% higher than 2020. The median home cost was just shy of $347,000. Based on recent figures, the median home price is now higher, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Buying a home is difficult now for anyone. Low inventory, high prices and rising mortgage rates are making it difficult for home buyers.
These events are creating a perfect storm for both buyers and sellers. Home buyers want to find the perfect home and sellers want to make sure they get the best (and most) for their home. Based on reports released by the National Association of Realtors, both home buyers and home sellers look to and depend on realtor agents or brokers to achieve these goals.
Regardless of age group, home buyers depend on the real estate agent or broker first and foremost to find them the “perfect” home. Secondarily, it’s about negotiation – of the terms and price. Buyers look to agents to aid them in the buying process, note “red flags” in the home, refer service provides such as inspectors, painters, etc., and perhaps introduce them to other areas/neighborhoods they may not have considered.
Sellers look to agents to determine the value and price for their home. While this is common among all age groups, older Gen Y/millennials want their agents to advise them on any repairs or upgrades that should be made on their home that might potentially influence of a higher selling price.
How sellers choose their broker is based on reputation. Honesty and trust rank highest among characteristics and traits. Realtors should make note to mention their reputation as part of their radio campaigns.
Why radio? Because radio works for real estate agents and brokers. Not only does it reach 85% of adults who plan to buy a house, condo or co-op, but it also reaches 87% who plan to sell. Radio also helps to drive traffic to realtor sites – the way that 41% of home buyers search for their new home.
In an analysis of over 281,000 radio ads representing 136 real estate agencies or brokers, radio campaigns generated a 7% lift in site traffic – 195,000 new users after hearing a radio ad. The analysis of 2021 AnalyticOwl data, also discovered that radio influenced behavior beyond the click. There was a 37% increase in in-person (foot) traffic into brick-and-mortar locations.
Advertisers in this category experienced highest site activity on Thursdays followed by Sunday. One could hypothesize that potential buyers and sellers and planning their weekend and using Sunday to do further research on properties they have seen or competitive pricing. As it pertains to time periods, afternoons (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) has the greatest influence – driving the night number of new visits for every radio spot aired.
Radio is a personal and trusted medium. If home buyers or home sellers hear about a realtor on their local radio station, there is a halo that advertisers will experience. There are just a handful of life events that are as big or as important as buying a home. Using a trusted medium like radio to reach a specific audience is not only the right medium for any advertiser to communicate their honesty and trustworthiness, but also the right medium to drive traffic to realtor sites and locations.
The RAB's analysis shows that radio is proving effective at driving engagement in the active real estate category, both online and at brick-and-mortar office locations. Radio places advertisers inside communities, on stations listeners know and trust - a perfect fit for real estate professionals.
New Data on Radio’s Return on Ad Spend
Source: Katz Radio Group®
ROAS ROUNDUP: INCLUDING NEW STUDY FROM CUMULUS MEDIA | WESTWOOD ONE AUDIO ACTIVE GROUP
One of the most powerful ways to illustrate the effectiveness of radio advertising is through Nielsen's ROAS sales lift studies. These studies combine PPM audio data and credit card transactions to tie actual ad exposure to subsequent consumer action. Nielsen has conducted numerous ROAS studies over the years, for a variety of categories covering auto aftermarket, CPGs, telecom, and QSRs, among others. And now, Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group adds another study to the mix, the first published ROAS analysis since the onset of the COVID pandemic.
RADIO BOOSTS BUYERS AND SALES FOR NATIONAL DEPARTMENT STORE CHAIN
Westwood One partnered with Nielsen to examine the sales lift and ROAS for a national department store chain, looking at the entire AM/FM campaign - inclusive of every AM/FM radio ad run by the retailer. The study found that even after a year of COVID impact, radio still delivered positive returns for brands. The radio campaign led to a +10% lift in total spend, driven by a +17% lift in buyer penetration and a +15% greater share of category for the advertiser. As a result, Nielsen found that for every $1 spent on radio, the department store received $13 in incremental sales.
RADIO DELIVERS $12:$1 RETURN ON AD SPEND ACROSS CATEGORIES
Nielsen's collection of published ROAS studies incorporates a variety of categories with varying average transaction sizes, and therefore a wide range of ROAS amounts. Larger transactions drive greater return on ad spend than smaller ticket items. All of the studies conducted by Nielsen, including this latest one from Westwood One, prove that campaigns with radio in the mix have measurable impact on growing the consumer base, sales and spend per visit – generating, to date, an average return of $12 for every $1 of ad spend.
Nielsen Survey: Audio Delivers More Active & Engaged Consumers
Source: Katz Radio Group®
TRACKING CONSUMER SENTIMENT IN MARCH 2022
Nielsen's latest custom consumer survey, fielded in March 2022, reports good news for radio: Americans, and audio listeners in particular, are becoming increasingly more active - evidence that audio attracts prime consumer targets, and that Americans overall are progressively returning to normal behaviors.
AMERICANS ARE BACK ON THE ROAD
Nielsen's latest findings show that Americans are spending significantly more time in their cars since the height of the pandemic - even more so among radio listeners. The number of people spending upwards of an hour in the car daily has nearly tripled since April'20, now up to 39%. Heavy radio listeners in particular are even more likely to spend 1+ hours in the car, with 7 in 10 doing so in March.
One major factor contributing to increase in car usage is the growing number of employed Americans returning to workplaces outside the home. As of this March, nearly 9 in 10 employed adults, who worked outside the home prior to the pandemic, are back to commuting - an +80% increase from the height of the pandemic, and a +10% increase from last March. And the number of people working from home due to the pandemic is down to 12%, with another 5% planning to go back soon.
Also contributing to daily car usage is the fact that more children are attending at least some in-person classes, with 8 out of every 10 students doing so in March. 59% of the surveyed adults say their children are being driven to school, well above the number that are taking a school bus (36%). And radio is the soundtrack to their mornings, as 92% report that radio is on in the car during the drive to school (sometimes or always).
AUDIO LISTENERS ARE KEY PLAYERS IN LOCAL ECONOMIES
Nielsen finds that audio listeners are more likely to participate in consumer activities than the average adult, making them important players in their local economies. Radio listeners, on average, are +9% more likely to engage in top activities, while podcast listeners are +14%. They are more likely to be out in their car, and spending money at businesses, including restaurants, retailers, and coffee shops.
Nielsen finds that audio listeners are more willing to take part in upcoming events, such as attend indoor and outdoor concerts and sports, travel on an airplane, and even vote in the upcoming Midterm Elections. Audio listeners, and radio listeners in particular, are more likely to be registered to vote and always vote in elections.
Heavy Users Of TV, Internet ‘Not Sacrificing Radio Time’
Source: Inside Radio®
While the perception may be that AM/FM radio listening declines significantly among consumers having discovered other, perhaps newer media such as audio or video streaming or social media – especially given the greater opportunities to do so since COVID – a Katz Radio analysis of Nielsen's Scarborough Supplemental Study conducted during fourth-quarter 2021 shows radio's reach among heavy users of internet or TV differs little from that among average adults.
According to Nielsen's findings, reported in the latest edition of Katz's “Sounds Answers” blog, while AM/FM reaches 89% of adults 18+ -- with the average person spending 7 hours and 35 minutes with radio weekly – that reach is still at 88% of adults regardless of how much additional media is consumed. When focused on consumers in the two top usage quintiles for internet or TV, heavy users of the former still spend an average 7 hours and 18 minutes with radio, while TV's heaviest viewers actually spend more time with radio than average, 7 hours and 44 minutes weekly.
“In true media junkie fashion, these users are not sacrificing radio time to compensate for their amped-up usage of other media,” Katz's report says. “People are not replacing radio time with other media usage, even as they adopt or favor another media.”
While digital devices may propel increased exposure to, and use of, other media, a key takeaway from Katz's report is that advertisers should not assume that these users are not as vested in radio as most of the population.
Radio’s Power Hour for Fitness
Author: Stephanie Heracleous, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB
Source: Radio Advertising Bureau®
The new year inevitably brings new goals into homes. As communities wind down from the holidays, folks are actively seeking healthier routines. The pandemic has heightened awareness to the importance of health and has sparked a larger interest for consumers to get back to working out.
According to IBISWorld, January and February are the busiest times for new fitness club memberships as consumers are looking to start resolutions for the year.
Radio is an excellent source for reaching these consumers. Radio reaches 89% of weekly listeners who have an active membership at a fitness club/gym and 89% of listeners who participate in a regular exercise program two times a week, based on MRI-Simmons data.
Staying healthy is motivating consumers, especially during the pandemic. Physical activity has proven benefits on the body, which plays a role in preventing and managing noncommunicable illnesses. According to a survey from IHRSA (the global health and fitness organization), 31% of adults who participated in physical activity showed a lower risk of acquiring a community infection.
Working out is beyond a number on a scale. Being active is the main reason why consumers are motivated to get exercise (46%), while mental health benefits rank second at 35% and weight loss is the third attributing factor (35%), according to The Next Fitness Consumer Report, released by the IHRSA Foundation and ABC Fitness Solutions.
Additionally, consumers are driven to join fitness clubs with a personalized delivery including equipment, programming and convenience of facilities. The main reason consumers are tempted to have fitness club memberships is cardio equipment training, flexibility/stretching, free weight training, equipment-based exercise classes, and health/nutrition wellness coaching.
Fitness clubs are also evolving to the way consumers are keeping up with working out by offering apps and digital add-ons to their membership services. Compared to pre-pandemic routines, consumers are utilizing more online workouts (+15%), using at-home gym equipment (+13%), using other digital exercise programs (+8%) and outdoor exercise (+7%), according to an IHRSA survey.
Radio listener’s attitudes toward working out is positive. According to MRI-Simmons, about 68% of AM/FM radio listeners strongly/somewhat agree that they make it a point to exercise regularly. 52% of these listeners are also frequently looking for new ways to change their exercise routines.
With consumers seeking a balanced approach to the new year, radio is the perfect way to spread awareness of healthy activities as listeners get back into their health groove. Radio, as a personal and emotional medium, can deliver encouraging messaging to both fitness fanatics and fitness newbies. Whether it’s motivational music or tuning into the news of the day, radio can be the power behind the motivation. Get fit with radio, and happy new year!
Gen Z is Tuning into Radio – Social Media Platforms are Taking Notice
Author: Madison Wright, Events and Communications Coordinator, RAB
Source: Radio Advertising Bureau®
You may be looking at this title and are thinking “Gen Z doesn’t listen to the radio; social media is where you reach them.” Did you know that radio reaches nearly 44,000,000 Gen Zers every week, according to Edison Research? While this group makes up around 20% of the U.S. population, per Statista, there is no denying the listening power of Gen Z.
Before diving into this blog, we need to better define who Gen Z is. Generally, Gen Z can be defined with varying end years (2010, 2012 and 2015 being the most common), for the purpose of this blog, we are going to focus on the 9-24 age group. While millennials grew up with the beginning of the internet as we know it today, it’s Gen Z who grew up with the social media ecosystem and the introduction to modern smartphones and smart speakers. Through these devices, Gen Zers are always connected with friends, family and social media influencers. With that being said, it is truly no surprise that, according to 2020 MRI-Simmons data, over 70% of 18+ radio-listening Gen Zers used Facebook in the last 30 days and over 72% of 18+ radio-listening Gen Zers used Snapchat in the past month.
Gen Z connects with radio and radio personalities on-air. According to Nielsen’s RADAR data, 78% of them listen to AM/FM radio. While many listen in the car, radio listening also occurs across devices and platforms, via a smartphone, tablet, laptop, and even a smart speaker. Radio reaches them through the tech they are accustomed to while delivering the news and entertainment they trust. In fact, in Edison Research’s “Radio’s Roadmap to Gen Z Listenership,” some qualitative interviews they did with Gen Z radio listeners found that:
Radio provides a human connection, particularly during quarantine.
Radio offers the surprise of songs that have not been curated in streaming playlists.
Radio is a source for additional information about music and artists.
Radio is a source for news and information.
Radio is associated with nostalgia and good memories.
While Gen Z is listening to radio, they are also contributing to the growing listening patterns in other audio options, like podcasts. According to a Morning Consult survey, nearly 32% of Gen Zers consider themselves regular podcast listeners with categories like comedy, true crime and pop culture piquing their interests.
Audio is hot! Even social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter are taking notice and are better serving users by including audio into the mix of their visual-heavy content. For example, on June 17, 2020, Twitter began experimenting with Twitter Audio, a function that allows users to upload audio as tweets to expand on its “280 characters” and TikTok, a fan favorite for Gen Z, has created a podcast called “For You Podcast,” hosted by one of its creators, Brittany Tomlinson – also known as Brittany Broski. But the big trend right now is audio apps, like the ever-exclusive Clubhouse platform, as well as new audio projects in development from Twitter, Twitter Spaces and Facebook announced it’s in the works of creating its own app to rival Clubhouse.
Gen Z artists are using social platforms like Soundcloud and TikTok for distributing music. Why? It is because they still value the experience of hearing their songs on the radio. If you know a Gen Zer, you’ve probably heard the song “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo. When her song played on the radio for the first time, she was tuning in to a local radio station and shared the video on social media with the caption “heard my song on the radio for the first time the other day. somebody say sike rn [right now].” Her live reaction is a reminder that for young artists, being on broadcast radio is still a pivotal moment in their careers.
Rishad Tobaccowala said in RAB’s most recent sizzle video, “Radio works because it is audio and audio is the most important way to tell stories and move people.” By telling stories and keeping listeners connected, radio holds its title as the first social medium; it keeps Gen Z tied to their local communities while delivering the information and entertainment they need from radio personalities they trust.
Motivating Listeners to Act in 2021
Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
Source: Radio Advertising Bureau®
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.
Radio is seamlessly experienced throughout a consumer’s day, regardless of platform, with motivations for listening ranging from companionship to escapism to mood elevation. Listeners rely on the medium to connect them to the content they desire when they want it, how they want it, and where they want it.
A day in the life of radio listeners varies by motivations, demographics, and psychographics, but there are certainties that remain true. Between August and October 2020, Audacy conducted a groundbreaking study, “Audio Amplification: Defining Engaged Impressions,” in partnership with Alter Agents, and the results showed how audio across platforms draws audiences, moves them emotionally and leads to action. The study found that over-the-air (OTA) radio listening and streaming across all formats tend to be anytime occasions, with significant peaks in listening when people wake up in the morning, and while they are out and about or commuting to work and school. Podcast listening is reserved more for time alone. The Katz Radio Group identifies radio as “the soundtrack to listeners’ daily journey.” Listeners lean into the audio that suits their moods and interests. In turn, audio has the power to improve a listener’s mindset, moments, and receptivity.
Listeners are trusting and loyal to their radio stations, regardless of when or where they are listening. In order for brands to earn and maintain trust and loyalty among their target audiences, they need to not only look inward and toward their consumers, but to look at the environments for which their advertising is running.
Nielsen’s Total Audience Report, released end of March 2021, revealed that broadcast radio remains the No. 1 reach medium, and consumers trust the ads they hear on the radio more so than they do ads on any other media, with 60 percent of adults 35–49 and 54 percent of adults 18–34 considering radio spots very or somewhat trustworthy.
2020 also brought a renewed focus on the importance of local marketing. Nielsen’s Total Audience Report states that the vast majority of respondents agree that it is important to shop local and support local business, with 74 percent of urban dwellers feeling it was very or somewhat important to shop in person at local businesses, compared to 67 percent of suburban and 70 percent of rural residents.
It is a simple fact that the 15,000-plus local broadcast radio stations are rooted in the communities where listeners live, work, go to school, or go about their day. According to the 2021 Jacobs Media Techsurvey, 49 percent of consumers strongly agree that one of radio’s primary advantages is its local feel, and nearly half say they tune in to radio to keep them company.
Localizing messaging and local advertising is more important now than it has ever been. Consumers recall advertising for locally owned businesses at a greater pace than national or online retailers. Radio is the solution for marketers to engage hometown consumers, providing the trusted environment that will build loyalty, influence decisions, and the local insight to create relevant connections. Read more.
Radio’s ability to influence and create relevant connections for brand partners brings another added benefit to them, which is generating significant word-of-mouth activity. According to Idil Cakim, SVP of research and insights at Audacy, and author of the book Implementing Word of Mouth Marketing, audio is uniquely positioned to propel word of mouth for brands. Cakim said “As our Engaged Impressions study shows, audio — including OTA, streaming OTA, and podcasts — is the most trusted medium, when it comes to product recommendations and advertising. Trust is what makes consumers pass along information with confidence.”
Jacobs Media has been measuring Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for the past 17 years as part of its annual Techsurvey. NPS is derived by asking consumers, on a scale of zero to ten, how likely they are to recommend a radio station to a friend, family member, or co-worker. In 2020, commercial broadcast radio earned the highest NPS it has ever achieved, and it has been strong in the past. In a year that was anything but usual, Fred Jacobs, president and founder of Jacobs Media, attributes these breakthrough scores to the fact that “consumers gravitated to personalities and programming they were familiar with and they could count on. Stations that did an exemplary job of reflecting the local vibe — supporting local businesses and essential workers — may have helped power these all-important Net Promoter Scores.”
A few of the most successful drivers of word of mouth included trusted influencers, organic content, and online reviews. Each of these are uniquely part of radio’s DNA. Radio influencers‘ proven track record to drive trust, build brands, and drive word of mouth is undeniable. They are live and local personalities delivering native content to their loyal listeners via their broadcast, social media, and digital audio megaphones. Audio endorsements by radio personalities increase receptivity and consideration with 80 percent of listeners trusting and valuing their favorite personalities opinion and 77 percent indicated they are influenced by a radio personalities brand and product recommendations.
The combination of understanding behavior, as consumers move across radio platforms and what motivates them to act, leads to an omnichannel conclusion. Digital growth, which stems from the incredible surge in search and e-commerce behavior, is important, and understanding the power that radio brings to that digital activity is perhaps even more important. Tony Wright, CEO of WrightIMC, a full-service digital marketing agency, spoke about this in a recent post for Search Engine Journal. “The agency’s clients that effectively use radio have significantly higher click-through rates than their counterparts who are not using radio. We’ve seen the data for clients who are Fortune 10 businesses, as well as start-ups, and know it to be the case.”
Wright added, “when consumers are searching for something and they see a name they have heard of, they are more likely to click on that listing.” Combine Wright’s insights with the trusted, locally relevant, influential, and organic content delivered by radio, and it is a winning combination for any brand.
Throughout 2020 and continuing through 2021, there has been a strong call to arms for brands to step up as a force for growth and a force for good. The marketers who have implemented strategies and further defined their values and purpose to support consumers are making a difference, earning trust among consumers, and contributing to a more “equal, just, and better world” in the places consumers’ call home. Radio, across all of its live, local, experiential, digital, and broadcast platforms, is the most trusted environment for those brand messages to connect and motivate listeners to act.
The Value of Trust
Author: Jeff Schmidt, SVP/Professional Development, RAB
Source: Radio Advertising Bureau®
“Trust me.” Ever have someone say those words to you? Or “I’m going to be totally honest with you…”. Just saying those words is likely to raise red flags for the people you’re talking to. If people can trust you to be honest, why would you have to say it?
According to Harvard Business Review, “The one thing that’s been hit hardest because of the pandemic might be our ability to trust.” While some of us will be going back into the office soon, others will not be going back at all, and many will work in a hybrid model. A hybrid model can be rife with the potential to build or erode trust. Trust is a feeling and a perception. It’s an emotion that is built slowly over time through repeated interactions. So how, in a hybrid work environment, where we don’t congregate around the coffee pot or in the break room, can we build trust with our colleagues or an organization?
Recent Harvard research indicates there are a few things you can purposefully do to build trust:
Acknowledging other people’s emotions can strengthen social relationships at work. The simple act of verbally recognizing emotions makes people feel understood and builds a connection.
Acknowledging negative emotions boosts trust more than positive emotions. Negative emotions lead to more meaningful conversations.
Acknowledging emotions boosts trust more than acknowledging the situation – people give more credit to those who acknowledge and empathize with emotions. (For example, saying to someone “You seem upset.”)
As with the other elements of trust, sincerity is crucial. If your co-workers, clients, or friends believe your actions are selfishly motivated, it will not result in effective communication. Your sincerity, authenticity, and empathy are critical to building trust.
In a post-pandemic world (can we say that yet?), we’ve learned that brand choice and brand loyalty have been severely impacted by current events, lack of inventory, or misfired communication strategies and an increase in customer expectations. People expect more of brands and organizations than ever before and they expect it in advertising. We know that consumers trust radio ads, but what role does trust play in personal and business relationships? In this role, it has never been more important.
Search the word “trust,” and you’ll get nearly two billion search results. Meaning, it’s important stuff. Trust is defined as: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone. This is how to build trust.
Mark Altschuler is responsible for general business management and operations at MediaVilllage. In a recent article, Ad Sales Excellence Begins with Trust, he shares some critical information from The Myers Report Survey of Advertiser & Agency Executives:
Trust and reliability was ranked as the most valued attribute according to 700 advertiser and agency influencers who responded to the 2021 survey.
Altschuler shares seven things he says are common to media that contribute to positive or negative trust:
Delivering on Audience Guarantees.
Being proactive with information. Transparency about changes in your company build trust.
Everyone plays a role. A promise fulfilled earns trust. A promise broken damages trust.
Trust is an all the time thing.
Reverse actions that damage trust quickly. Solve problems and mistakes quickly.
Organizational trust is won by teams.
Trust is a habit to be discussed, understood and honored in the organization.
Without a doubt, the events of 2020 have changed everyone. Sixty-three percent of adults agreed that COVID-19 has changed the way they will act permanently, according to the 2021 April COVID-19 MRI-Simmons. These changes will extend into relationships – whether they are personal or business-related.
Whether you work for a radio station, advertiser, or agency, there are expectations in our working relationships, and that is how trust is created, nurtured, and developed. No matter what research you look at, the common threads of trust are honesty, transparency, and consistency.
The advertising industry applies and uses acronyms for everything – because it helps us remember. While TRUST is a simple five-letter word, we at the Radio Advertising Bureau are using it as an acronym. Trust as an acronym embodies these elements:
T – Transparency – Your friends, clients, and co-workers deserve the straight story – no spin.
Things change, and mistakes happen. Sometimes, with the best intentions, strategies fail to deliver. When they do, don’t sugarcoat it or try and spin it in a favorable light. Tell the truth – even the ugly truth – and work with the client to make the appropriate adjustments.
R – Responsibility – Behavior, not words, mean the most.
Take responsibility for your actions. This can be as simple as showing up for appointments on time or making calls when you said you would. If you make a commitment, take responsibility for it – follow through. When mistakes happen – and they will – admit them immediately and take action to create solutions.
U – Understand – It’s our job to understand challenges our friends are facing, the nuances of ad categories, and the changes to business.
Running a business today is more complex than it ever has been. The more you can demonstrate that you understand businesses’ unique challenges, the more likely you will be able to serve them. People trust and work with people who “get it.”
S – Service – Superior service demonstrates the importance of the value placed on the trust you’ve earned.
As representatives of brands or organizations, you can never maintain a long-term relationship based solely on product, price, or other item. It is what you do beyond that. It’s your service that will set you apart.
T – Truth – Be truthful in all interactions.
Truth is the foundation of trust. In the other areas of trust-building, there is likely some latitude and room for mistakes. But when it comes to truth, a single lie or misrepresentation can kill a relationship.
Trust is critical for relationships to flourish personally or professionally. As a medium, radio is consistently ranked highest above other mediums for trust based on our ability to super-serve our local communities. Responding to the crisis, being the voice of calm during storms, listening and interacting and providing support wherever and whenever needed. Radio’s consistent service to its local communities has earned it the badge of trust. We can all learn from what radio has done as a medium and apply it to our personal and professional relationships.
Marketers Ride New Waves of Radio Advertising
Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
Source: Radio Advertising Bureau®
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.
As broadcast radio remains the king of the audio universe, providing the pervasive scale and reach, omnipresent ease of access, local relevance and personalized, immersive experiences, the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) talked with media and marketing industry leaders and asked them to provide their experience, thoughts and advice that will help stimulate growth for marketers as they navigate audio’s effective use for their brands.
“The ad community is looking at audio in a totally new way, just as they looked at radio in a new way when FM came along and television in a new way when cable came along,” says Jack Myers, media ecologist and founder of MediaVillage. He adds, “Marketers are still catching up with the trend and, in many cases, radio continues to be somewhat of a second-class citizen when, in reality, all the statistics prove it is the dominant force in audio. As the shift from radio to a broader audio perspective continues to grow, the core value of radio must be recognized as the dominant force in audio.”
Painting a Picture
Myers’ advice to marketers evokes a strategy attributed to Phil Guarascio, former CMO at General Motors. To wit, five percent of every budget should be reserved for innovation. Looking to innovate in audio, for instance, brands have landed on podcasting. These brands often end up in the hands of radio broadcasters who can help them broaden their reach, leverage radio as a megaphone, and generate growth.
Asked about the role that radio plays in the marketing mix, Marla Kaplowitz, president and CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s), says that because consumers “are inundated with ads, audio and radio offer a very different and effective alternative to capturing consumer attention while adding complementary scale”.
Kaplowitz stresses that the biggest challenge for brands and agencies tends to be creative. “It is a given that adding radio to a media mix is going to extend the reach and provide the opportunity to engage consumers differently”, she says. “To be successful, brands must be thoughtful about the right execution because audio is not stimulating the other senses in the same way as visual media can. Brands must really focus on allowing the consumer to create their own visual sense connected to the audio advertising that invites them in.”
Kristy Carruba, director of audio strategy and planning at Macy’s, who has been on the buy side of the media industry for decades, has always been a fan of audio branding.
Carruba took part in an Audacy-hosted webinar in which she emphasized that audio is at the forefront of media planning now more than ever. “People create habits and relationships with audio and there is a tremendous amount of comfort they have with the medium”, Carruba told the RAB. “Audio is so good at storytelling and podcast hosts have incredible influence over our customers; we see it in results.” Carruba adds that marketers ignore radio at their own peril. “It’s a big miss if audio is not part of the plan,” she says. “It’s easy, it’s efficient, and it connects with our audiences through the power of storytelling.”
Relaxium is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) natural sleep aid brand in an increasingly competitive market that established itself on television and has recently expanded into radio. Timea Ciliberti, CEO and founder of Relaxium, leverages the medium because it is cost-effective and provides the scale that can generate not only a profitable return, but also a boost in brand awareness.
“We know that our customers listen to radio and we want to make sure we reach others who struggle to get a good night’s sleep”, she says. “Radio endorsers bring an added layer of credibility to the advertising and have loyal fans who really trust their opinions.”
When it comes to identifying the radio endorsers, or influencers, Ciliberti advises marketers to partner with on-air talent who are also consumers with a deep passion for the brand. The more loyal a consumer, the more trusted the conversation for the listening audience.
National Reach, Local Flavor
Radio has a long and proven track record of partnering with the broadcast and theatrical industries to drive tune-in programming and theatrical releases through frequency-based plans, content integrations, and talent endorsements, among other marketing vehicles.
As media platforms diversify, brands continue to cultivate radio partnerships, with the goal of deepening the conversations among consumers. Take HBO Max: WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer platform, which features a wide array of programming from its HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and Cartoon Network properties, developed HBO Max Podcast Program in 2019 featuring companion podcasts for hit HBO series such as Chernobyl and Lovecraft Country.
The podcast program recently expanded to include scripted audio originals, brand podcasts, and look-back podcasts.
“Audio is a way to reach consumers in a different location; no one is driving their car while watching HBO Max,” Josh Walker, chief strategy officer at HBO Max, said during the Audacy webinar. “Audio opens up the opportunity to connect beyond the living room and it is really important to us and our talent as it allows them to create a deeper connection outside of the traditional video format and makes the bond tighter.” And it works, with 85 percent of HBO Max listeners saying they feel more connected to the shows they watch due to the podcast.
Kendra Clune, associate media director at Kroger, the national chain of grocery stores, refers to radio as the brand’s workhorse. Like most marketers, Kroger uses a 360-degree approach for its media and marketing efforts. “Broadcast radio in particular is used to build efficient reach,” Clune says. “It’s also a media channel that keeps the brand top-of-mind to build the mental availability for our customers.”
Kroger is on the air in its various markets 52 weeks a year, connecting locally with its key audiences. The company deploys a laser-like focus on ensuring its marketing mix modeling data and audio – inclusive of radio, streaming, and podcasts – delivers strong ROI, with double-digit growth year-over-year. “If you are looking for efficient reach with local impact,” Clune says, “radio is your answer because for Kroger it delivers one of the strongest ROIs.”
Andy Ehlen, senior media planner/buyer at Grady Britton, amplified the sentiment regarding the impact that audio provides to both local and national media plans. “Radio is truly mass media,” he says. “It’s one of the few forms of media that is versatile, free, and open to everyone, making it so easy to reach everyone while targeting niche and diverse groups of consumer audiences.”
From broad reach to content alignment to promotions and events, Ehlen says there are myriad ways to slice and dice an audio plan (depending on budgets, target audiences, and the brand objectives).
Maureen Carlson, chief programs and marketing officer at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, discussed the relationship that nonprofits have with radio broadcasting. “Radio in particular has an unbelievable social-responsibility attitude, one that is all about giving back,” she says. “It is one of our most effective fundraising vehicles, responsible for raising more than $700 million dollars over the last couple decades.”
Asked what sets radio apart, Carlson says it’s the ability for local storytelling. “When radio station talent share a passionate story about how the fundraising effects a local child, in a local community at a local hospital, magic happens,” she says. “These stories work better in radio than they do in any other media.” Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals deploys a three-pronged approach to its radio strategy: embedded spending within the brand marketing mix, annual radiothons, and partnerships with brands in which the nonprofit tells a story and raises funds simultaneously. From the nonprofit’s perspective, a beautiful story combined with a powerful delivery by a beloved radio talent leads listeners to take action.
Boosting ROI for Other Media Channels
Radio has been dialing up new opportunities for DTC brands. According to eMarketer, digital DTC sales are expected to grow another 15.9 percent in 2021, reaching $175 billion by 2023. That’s on top of the pandemic-fueled 45.5 percent growth for direct-to-consumer brands from 2019 to 2020.
Marc Osgood, owner of direct response advertising and marketing firm Direct Response Professional, says that radio should be considered when looking for the next acquisition channel. “Ad channel synergy is real,” he says. “The ad dollars you spend in radio not only drive their own ROI but can also help elevate other media, including television, print, and online, and the reverse is also true.”
Osgood says it’s easy to test marketing messages with radio, which provides brands and organizations with efficient cost-of-entry from both a creative and media standpoint. “Radio is at its best when your advertising speaks to the customer’s inner voice that visuals could distract and when used properly,” he adds. “It can really be a powerful platform.”
Full-service omnichannel agencies that are putting audio at the center of their client efforts are achieving results. Havas Edge, for instance, is a data-centric shop that provides brands with the ability to test, optimize, and scale their audio advertising campaigns.
“We are in an exciting time for audio, and measurement is different for every platform,” says Christina Wong, group media director at Havas Edge. “With streaming and podcasts, we can measure through pixels and broadcast. What we have found across the board, regardless of channel, is audio’s ability to drive lift across KPIs, and when you combine audio with other channels it’s an even greater lift in web traffic and conversions.”
For marketers who have yet to consider audio’s appeal, “don’t get overwhelmed with audio across all of its channels,” Wong adds. “You have to start with the trusted source, ask questions, don’t be afraid of it. The listeners are loyal, and when you tap into that loyalty it will be a long-term play that achieves both short- and long-term results for the brand.”
Marketers from both the client and agency sides agree that audio, and more specifically radio, when distributed across multiple platforms, brings ample benefits to brands and organizations: efficient reach, storytelling in its purest form, social responsibility, and immersive experiences that drive results.
The advice from brand to brand for effectively using audio is resoundingly clear: If a marketer is not using audio, jump in because it is a tremendous opportunity for increased engagement and growth. Audio is where the consumer wants to be. Sonic identities are key, and radio is fueling the entire audio ecosystem.
This article was originally published to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Knowledge Center.
People are Tuned In and On the Go
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Source: Radio Advertising Bureau®
People are resilient. It is an awesome wonder of human nature. There’s no doubt that everyone has experienced challenges, but looking around, you see that people have returned to doing what they did pre-pandemic. They are tuned into radio and ready to go.
Nielsen’s online survey, which has been monitoring consumer behavioral trends since the pandemic’s onset, highlights how consumers across the country aren’t just ready – they are on the go. The results of their June survey found that 90% of adults believe that life is becoming more normal. Their sentiment is improving as businesses are opening and life is appearing more normal.
Radio listeners are back on the go. They are shopping for groceries in store, driving around, ordering takeout, shopping in store and dining out – more so than the total surveyed. While people are spending more time in car, heavy radio listeners are more likely to spend one hour plus than the average in their cars.
What are they doing in their car? Listening to radio, of course. Nearly 90% of those surveyed say the radio is always/sometimes on during the drive to school. Yes, cars and people are on the go and radio is there keeping them company, entertaining and informing them.
People aren’t just tuning in while in car – they are tuning in everywhere. Broadcast radio listening levels are now 97% of March 2020 listening levels (pre-COVID-19). While we know that media habits have changed, people have also rediscovered radio. Since the onset of the pandemic, 56% of adults 21+ started to listen to radio, according to the July COVID-19 study from MRI-Simmons. Of these adults, 74% consider broadcast radio very trustworthy.
Like people, radio is resilient. It continues to play a role in the lives of consumers – before, during and after (dare we use that word) a pandemic. People tune in to radio and that’s why it has the largest share of ear compared to other ad-supported audio options – 76% among adults 18+, according to Edison Research.
It doesn’t matter where people are, where they are going or what they are doing, radio is there. People are on the go and radio is with them and along for the ride.
Radio Post-Pandemic
Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
Source: Radio Advertising Bureau®
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.
With a goal of allowing a consumer to feel part of what is being presented to them, immersive experiences are not new to radio. Audio, in its purest sense, is an immersive form of media with nothing between the listener’s heart, mind and their headphones or speakers. They ingest content and contribute their own thoughts, making it a much more relatable and resonant experience. As Dr. Tiffany Eurich stated in a contribution to Medium, “Audio creates an opportunity for mental space for creativity to flourish.”
In early to mid-2020, there was an incredible surge in television binge-watching, which ultimately plateaued and began to decline due to screen fatigue. As consumers began to come out of their COVID-19 cocoons, radio harnessed what makes it such a special medium for its listeners, with a renewed focus on creating immersive experiences that are built on trust.
In March 2021, Audacy released a study to define and measure engaged impressions across media channels with immersion as the key metric, because immersion is predictive of action. This study showed that audio (comprising over the air, streaming over the air and podcasts) is more immersive than other media, including linear TV and social media, Google Search results, print media, and AI-driven pureplay platforms. Trust is at the basis of the most memorable content. Audacy found that their listeners trust audio brand recommendations more than non-Audacy listeners do, and that trust is earned by their consistent delivery of relevant local content. Listeners have confidence in what an audio host has to say, especially when immersed in an environment that is full of shared references and a sense of communal connection to their everyday lives.
Radio welcomes you to the club
One of the most prevalent media trends of the past year has been the rise of social audio platforms, such as invitation-only Clubhouse, Facebook’s impending launch of a suite of social audio tools, Twitter Spaces and dozens more. It has been noted that the 2020 quarantine accelerated social audio platform launches to capitalize on video and Zoom fatigue. These new audio-first social platforms are in the early stages of consumer adoption, some will survive and some will not, but the trend is here to stay.
The success of social audio stems from what radio knows and delivers. Radio is the original social medium, connecting communities of like-minded listeners, with a radio personality initiating the dialogue. The conversations, the storytelling, the connection to local and national news and information, the entertainment, pranks, celebrations and the live play-by-play sporting events that put you in the middle of the game – all of this provides the social connections consumers crave.
Radio’s social connections extend well beyond the broadcast, seamlessly moving to digital platforms and back again. Broadcasters have embraced social audio technology by bringing its trusted and brand-safe equities to these platforms. By hosting conversations on Clubhouse, driving increased engagement on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms and advancing technology on their own digital apps and online platforms, radio will continue to innovate on pace with technological advancements providing additional opportunities for brands to connect with listeners.
Access for all
Each year, millions upon millions of people attend radio-hosted and brand-sponsored small and large events in local markets across the country. But the pandemic upended live events and experiential marketing, and radio broadcasters were quick to reinvent the wheel. Throughout 2020, radio broadcasters produced events and experiences that ultimately drew wider appeal and increased engagement, delivered exceptional content and united communities when they needed it most.
One such example is how Connoisseur Media’s Chaz and AJ morning show delivered throughout 2020 and 2021. The morning show that airs on 99.1 WPLR and 95.9 The Fox in Connecticut has historically raised funds and toys to donate to countless families across the state through a series of events that lead to a December toy drive. In 2020, the Chaz & AJ Toy Drive event kicked off in September with a first-ever Food Truck Festival – a two-hour culinary extravaganza where attendees sampled their way through some of the best food trucks known in Connecticut, safely from their own vehicle and served by the station’s on-air personalities. The event sold out in an instant, helped to showcase many of the local restaurants who were struggling during the pandemic, brought people together for a couple of hours of pure joy and listeners have been more giving and more generous than ever before.
Making us better people for better communities
The extraordinary events of 2020 put the spotlight on the growing importance of inclusiveness, diversity and community – equity for all individuals and equity for all businesses and brands. Radio has always and will continue to be inclusive, meeting with, entertaining, informing, inspiring, connecting and supporting diverse audiences in the communities where they live. Consider the examples Annette Malave, SVP Insights for the Radio Advertising Bureau, shares in a Radio Matters blog post: “How often has someone called into a sports station to share their opinions on last night’s game or the more recent controversies that take place on the field? Consider the on-air personalities that ask their listeners to share their experiences with racism and discrimination. What about employees and family members of small-business owners who called a local radio station for help on notifying the community that the location was open for business?” These are all examples of the ways that radio has included the thoughts, concerns and emotions of those within their listening community. But it certainly does not end there, and there is more work to be done. Throughout 2020, radio stations across the country rallied more support for local communities and small businesses than any other medium. Look no further than the “Celebration of Service to America Awards” presented by The NAB Leadership Foundation, highlighting a selection of the significant impact radio stations have on the lives of those in the communities they serve.
Moving forward, radio’s unwavering commitment to supporting the communities it serves will continue to inspire and create positive change that improves the lives and livelihood of all people and all businesses.
America is on the move again
A Katz Radio Group analysis of Apple Mobility data shows that driving levels among Americans in April 2021 are up 37% from a pre-pandemic baseline, and they have increased 76% from April of 2020. Increased consumer mobility sets the stage for more radio listening in local markets as 75% of consumers state radio is the audio source used most often in the car, far exceeding any other audio option. According to Edison Research Share of Ear study, AM/FM radio enjoys an 88% share of ad-supported audio time spent in the car. So what will happen to time spent in a vehicle with AM/FM radio now that the country is on the move?
According to a MyMove.com study based on United States Postal Service data, over 15.9 million people moved their primary residence during the pandemic. This, coupled with increased sales in 2021 for used and new automobiles leads to the prediction that there will be more shuttling of children, more errands outside of walking distances and more driving in general.
2021 road trips are expected to surge. In a recent survey by Erie Insurance, 56% of consumers said they plan on traveling more than 100 miles from home, with the vast majority (80%) saying they will travel by car, SUV or truck. 51.2% of respondents said they plan on taking at least one road trip in their own vehicle this year, while another 30% would like to take a road trip in their own vehicle, depending upon the state of the pandemic. Of those who will travel, 55% plan to drive more than 500 miles from home.
Personal vehicles will dominate the work commute. A Cars.com survey referenced by NBC News revealed that among those who will go back to their offices, over 60% plan to swap public transportation for their cars. And almost a quarter have purchased a car during the past six month, with more than half of those saying they did so specifically because of the pandemic.
The flexibility that will be offered to employees to continue working from home part-time or full-time is likely to lead people to increase the time spent in a vehicle versus those that decrease it. According to Slate, teleworkers tend to travel quite a bit, and the places they reach are typically further than if they were at the office.
It is clear that the time spent in a personal vehicle is a trend that will not soon pass as consumers remain more comfortable in their own personal spaces. Radio is along for the ride as the primary audio companion to both drivers and passengers. The dayparts that listeners spend in their vehicles listening to radio will continue to evolve. Whereas all radio dayparts have always been important to an effective and efficient media plan, in a post-pandemic world, all dayparts are increasingly more important as commute times will vary, weekend road trips will surge and daily shopping, dining and other leisure activities will increase.
The hottest new audio platform is broadcast radio
Audio was experiencing tremendous growth prior to 2020 as platforms continued to expand, podcast consumption exploded, online and mobile listening grew and listening through voice assistants continued to climb. This growth continues in 2021 at an accelerated pace because audio provides consumers with a haven due to its immersive and intimate nature.
With its unrivaled reach and its pervasiveness across over-the-air broadcast, streaming, mobile, podcast and voice-enabled digital platforms, radio is not only the leader in the audio space, but it is leading the media industry, reaching more than 235 million people ages 12+ every week.
Broadcast radio is the definition of social audio. Broadcast radio provides access for all. Broadcast radio is the backbone of support for the individuals, small businesses and communities it serves. Broadcast radio is on the move with consumers across America.
In many ways, the year that was 2020 is analogous to a masterclass on flexibility, adaptation, survival, respect, understanding and purpose. The post-pandemic future for radio is bright and marketers poised to leverage its strengths have the opportunity to connect in a more immersive and inclusive way with consumers.