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Take a Break with Radio

Labor Day – While its origins are based on the creation of a day to celebrate and honor the work of trade and labor organizations, it means something very different today. Labor Day is considered a day of rest and unofficially marks the end of summer, barbecues, days at the beach and summer sports.

Labor Day and every day, radio will be there to entertain, inform and keep listeners company. Radio will be tuned in in-car to provide weather and traffic details. Radio will be present at barbecues, parties and family reunions, providing music and entertainment.

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Reaching Sports Fans with Radio

Sports fans are amazing!  They will go to an event to watch “their” team play – whether it is 102 degrees or 2 degrees – they are there.  They identify with their teams and according to research on the subject, one professor of psychological and brain sciences was quoted as saying: “A huge part of who they are, where they derive a lot of their positive and negative affect, is from what their team is doing.”

Sports fans are very similar to radio listeners.  Both groups have strong emotional connections with the person or persons they are tuned in to.  So when you combine a sports fan that is also an avid radio listener, it’s a powerful combination.

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An Important Audio Device

Throughout the course of history there have been numerous audio and portable audio devices that allowed listeners to take their content with them wherever they went.  On July 27, an announcement was made that may have surprised some people – Apple revealed that it was discontinuing the iPod nano and shuffle.  These two products should receive some recognition because they made audio history and forever changed how people take audio with them.

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Radio speaks to the “Middle Child”

Whether you read ad industry trades, online or print news, there are always articles referencing millennial influences or changes impacting boomers. However, there is very little attention paid to Generation X, which Pew Research referred to as the ‘middle child’ in a 2014 article. Sandwiched between two larger generations, Gen Xers who in 2017 are somewhere between the ages of 38-52, are a much smaller group in size and therefore are often overlooked by marketers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Generation X spends more per household annually than any other generation – approximately $67K which is almost $20K more than what millennials spend. Additionally, they have the highest household income compared to the other generations.

So how do you reach this often over-looked and valuable generation? With broadcast radio — of course.

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Attention Back-to-School Shoppers

It’s time to get ready and get shopping for Back-to-School (B2S).  If you think it’s too early to reach those consumers, think again.  According to Deloitte’s 2017 Back-to-School survey, 71% of B2S shopping occurs during an eight-week period – July through August.

As the medium used closest to the moment of purchase, radio can help influence where they can get the best deals.  According to this same Deloitte survey, consumers are shifting from shopping at larger department stores and specialty channels to mass merchants and off-price venues.   Additionally, 20% of the respondents had not yet decided if they would shop in-store or online and “might be persuaded by targeted promotional efforts.”

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Dynamic and Interactive

That’s what radio is – dynamic and interactive.  So shouldn’t a website dedicated to providing all of the stats, data, research and information about radio be that way too?  Introducing the new dynamic and interactive Why Radio micro-site — an easier to navigate, extensive radio marketing and research guide.

OK, so this blog is supposed to be about sharing information and not filled with commercials according to the rules of blogging.  Well, rules were made to be broken, weren’t they?

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Radio Ties It All Together

Local radio stations are a reflection of the community – the events and the personality of the town or city they communicate and engage with daily.  On July 10th, Chicago radio stations joined as a community to simultaneously broadcast an interview with the Founder, President and CEO of Wintrust Financial Corporation — a bank holding company headquartered in Chicago.

In all, 40 stations in the Chicago area simultaneously aired a :60 second interview with Ed Wehmer, Founder, President and CEO.  During this interview, Wehmer shared his views on radio’s effectiveness.

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Granting Hope to Fellow
Broadcast Professionals

Today’s blog post is courtesy of Jim Thompson, President of the Broadcasters Foundation of America

Radio broadcasters are a central part of everything that happens in our communities. Across all formats, radio reports on monumental events — both local and national.  Radio is there to share in the joy that emanates from parents and their teens when the high school football team wins a home game and the happiness that radiates from children when the playground in the town’s park is finally completed.  Radio is also there to express the sadness that strikes a community when disaster hits. Radio is a medium that connects emotionally like no other.  It is an industry that cares and, with its unique emotional and local connection, it is always there to help!

But what happens when something tragic occurs to someone in the radio or television industry?  When it is the general manager, the afternoon air talent, or even a retired broadcaster who falls on hard times? That’s when the Broadcasters Foundation of America steps in.

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Broadcast Professionals”

Celebrate with Radio

July 4th.  On this day 271 years ago, the Declaration of Independence was signed. In commemorating the occasion, we celebrate our collective patriotism and most importantly, remember all those who have and continue to protect and serve our country.

During this holiday like so many others, radio stations across the country will celebrate, honor and recognize those who have served and continue to serve – both overseas and in our communities.   Radio as a live and local medium has the ability to bring listeners of like minds, passions, interests and lifestyles together.  Radio celebrates with its listeners every day.

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Cost Effective and Targeted: How Radio Helps You Do More

Today’s guest blog post is courtesy of Karen Hayes, Principal, Marketing Consultant with Mount Marketing

Think for a minute. While you read this, another company or organization is targeting your customer. Regardless of what you’re offering — a product, service, or even information – another company is offering the same or similar. Advertising channels, once limited to TV, radio, print and direct mail, have exploded in recent decades. Now companies have multiple channels available to them to target and reach your customers: cable and network TV; radio; print; out of home; direct mail; social; mobile and digital among others. When you have a multi-billion dollar advertising budget, you can leverage a strategic combination of several channels to reach customers. But what happens when you are trying to reach a national audience with an advertising budget so limited that some multinational companies could spend more in one market? That’s the reality for some organizations.

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News – Listeners Hear All About It

Previous posts have touched on radio’s ability to reach people across age groups, gender, language and locations.  Radio’s reach is based upon many things – community, personalities, music and news.  Yes, news.  Despite technology and social media trends, people continue to listen to news on the radio.

While it may not be surprising that of those adults who believe that radio is a good source for learning and providing information, 83% are radio listeners.  It may surprise you to know that of those adults who believe radio is the most trusted, 30% are A18-34, 56% are A18-49, 54% are A25-54 and 36% are A35-54 – based on GfK MRI data.

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Over-the-Air Radio Dominates —
Complemented by Streams

It doesn’t matter what state or city you are in or even the street you are on, smartphones are everywhere.  Smartphones have become an item that you can’t be without.  Think of the last time you forgot your phone.  Did you get that sick and almost lost feeling, like you were disconnected from everything?  It’s even harder when you live in a city where you commute using public transportation?  You have no choice but to read the signage on the bus or trains and even worse, look at people!!  Yikes.

OK, well maybe that’s a bit extreme, but I’m certain that brought at least a chuckle!  The point is that the smartphone doesn’t replace everything in a consumer’s life, but it does complement it.  Similarly, streaming or online radio complements broadcast radio.

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Complemented by Streams”

Men are Shopping, Buying and Listening

In recent years there have been studies and articles about millennial males and the increasing impact they have on purchases for everything from food to personal care.  While this may be true, it is because the role that men play in today’s American families has changed and continues to change.

According to Pew Research Center, “fathers today who live with their children are taking a more active role in caring for them and helping out around the house. And the ranks of stay-at-home and single fathers have grown significantly in recent decades.” The number of stay-at-home fathers varies based upon the source, ranging anywhere from 215,000 to 1.3 million.  Anecdotally, we all know that the number continues to grow – we hear about it more and more from friends, colleagues and family members.

This post is not intended to focus solely on stay-at-home dads, but to highlight how efforts to reach the male audience today has changed and is reflective of the shift in their role at work, at home and with family.  In the U.S. today there are nearly 120 million men 18 and older. So here’s what you need to know.

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Radio Reaches a $1.3 Trillion
Consumer Segment

Previous posts have focused on radio’s diversity – its diversity of music, formats and ability to reach different age groups. Radio also reaches a diverse audience – general market, Hispanic and Blacks/African-Americans.

According to African-Americans: Demographic and Consumer Spending Trends, a report released by Packaged Facts, African-American buying power grew 27% to $1.3 trillion – from 2010-2015. That buying power is forecast to grow 16% from 2015-2020.

While many pieces focused on Blacks/African-Americans’ rise during Black History Month, it’s important to note that this is a powerful consumer segment that should be reached for more than just that period of time. Read on to learn about some of the powerful ways that radio reaches this target audience.

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Consumer Segment”

Radio = Results

Today’s blog post is courtesy of Jim Higgins, President, Chief Operating Officer, United Stations Radio Networks; co-author and contributor: Matthew Warnecke, Senior Account Executive, United Stations Radio Networks

As audience behaviors expand, contract, and realign, much time is taken up with the search for the latest answer to age-old marketing questions. Namely, where are the consumers? How can we reach them? What are their lives like? How can we do more with less?

Potential customers are now living in a media consumption world of “and,” rather than “or.” In other words, don’t put all of your commercial messaging into one media. It’s finding the right “mix” that can mean success in reaching audiences effectively. Multi‐media is the smart answer and radio/audio is a substantial part of that mix. Depending on which recent studies you look at, at least 90% of Americans listen to radio every week! Whether it’s RADAR (247M weekly 12+ listeners), or Nielsen’s Q4 Total Audience Report (280M weekly 6+ listeners), marketers can’t go wrong when they look for consumers among a universe of HUNDREDS of MILLIONS. If we look at Adults 18+, 92.5% (222.2M) tune in to radio each week (Nielsen Comparable Metrics 3Q 16). Nielsen says that is a larger number than TV, larger than PCs, larger than smartphones, larger than tablets. Read that previous sentence again.

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Radio Listener Fans – A Treasure Trove of Information

Radio listeners’ emotional bond with the stations they tune into is no surprise.  We’ve shared in the past the unique connection that listeners have with the personalities on those stations.

Today, the two-way conversation that radio has with its listeners extends well beyond the call-ins from years ago.  Radio engages with its listeners via text, tweets, social media and even via their loyal listener database.  If the concept of a database for a radio station surprises you, then read on.

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The Radio on Main Street Podcast
Featuring Surprising Revelations from the HD Radio Ad Study

In this episode of Radio on Main Street, RAB President and CEO Erica Farber speaks with Joe D’Angelo, Sr. VP Broadcast Radio, and Rick Greenhut, Director, Broadcast Business Development from Xperi, the new parent company of HD Radio.

Joe and Rick provide updates on HD Radio and share some of the surprising highlights gleaned from the recent HD Radio Ad Study.

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Radio – A Smorgasbord of Creativity

The Radio Mercury Awards just announced finalists for the 2017 awards.  There were 117 radio spots and campaigns nominated by a group of some of the most creative minds in the ad business.  It’s amazing to imagine all of those creative minds in one room – listening to their thoughts, insights, and of course, jokes.

“Anything is possible” was the theme set for this year’s awards by Mark Gross, founder and creative director, Highdive Advertising and chief judge for the 2017 Radio Mercury Awards, and there is a video to prove it. If you haven’t already seen it, I encourage you to do so as it truly highlights all that is possible on the radio.

Creativity is not just limited to the commercials that run on the radio stations. Creativity is also seen in the numerous ways that radio goes to market to help drive traffic and awareness of brands and products for advertisers.

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There’s Something for Every Ear

“I’m a purple person.”  “I prefer basic black.”  “I like to wear bold colors.”  People have distinctive tastes and preferences when it comes to clothing or accessories.  These preferences are personal, similar to that of radio listening, and similarly, music choice.

A researcher at Heriot-Watt University in the U.K. studied over 36,000 participants’ ratings of 104 music styles and found a direct correlation to their personalities.  The study showed that heavy metal music fans are normally calm and comfortable around others, while classical music lovers are often shy and creative.  Hard-working and outgoing would be words to describe pop and country music listeners.   The relationship between radio and the listener has always been an emotional one but what they listen to is not just personal, it is an extension of who they are.

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