With only a high school education, Vivien Thomas worked as an assistant to a surgeon. Born in 1910 and without any formal medical training, he developed a procedure used to treat blue baby syndrome. He was a teacher of operative techniques and was a pioneer in cardiac surgery. He received an honorary doctorate from Johns Hopkins University in 1976.
Dr. Thomas’ contributions to the medical field are just one of thousands of reasons we celebrate the achievements of Blacks every year during Black History Month.
Time just continues to fly by. It’s hard to believe that we are already in the second month of 2022. And the big day is quickly approaching. Which big day? Super Bowl!
A 2016 PwC publication stated that fintech (short for financial technology) would reshape banking. Based on a survey of banking executives, the article stated that, within five years of the article, 90% of banks expected growth of mobile applications. At that time, a little more than half of the respondents offered a mobile app for their clients, and 18% were currently developing one. Clearly, the pandemic has had a greater impact on services and offerings by banks and financial institutions.
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.
Author: Stephanie Heracleous, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB
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.
Contributor: Rick Kestenbaum, General Manager, AnalyticOwl
As lockdowns occurred at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Americans experienced financial concerns and reviewed all their household expenses – including insurance. Consumers evaluated their auto, home and life insurance policies. They also realized the importance of their insurance carrier’s ability to handle their concerns quickly, efficiently and virtually.
Contributor: Dustin Wilson, Manager of Client Development, Digital, Marketron
It’s no secret that integrated advertising campaigns typically perform better. When you pair radio and digital ads, they’re an excellent complement to each other. That’s because audiences consume content in multiple ways across lots of mediums. And that’s a necessity in a world where people encounter hundreds if not thousands of ads in a single day.
The competition to break out from the noise and connect with audiences is key for any advertiser. However, they may have misconceptions about what channels work best. Well, they don’t need to go on hunches, and neither do you. Data and research support that radio ads can lift the performance of digital ones.
Author: Madison Wright, Associate Producer, Radio Mercury Awards
Since their inception, the Radio Mercury Awards have honored the best in radio creative and have brought together agencies, productions companies, advertisers and radio broadcasters, all to celebrate radio.
On Wednesday, November 17, the awards, produced by RAB, brought the celebration event to wherever viewers were watching – at home, in their offices, with family or with colleagues, all to celebrate the power of radio and the future of audio creative.
Here are four key takeaways from this year’s awards:
Radio and audio continue to be front and center in an advertisers’ media mix. The robust number of entries this year exceeding the previous few years reflects this trend.
The caliber of work submitted in this year’s competition so engaged and engrossed the final round jury that it took nearly two full days to deliberate and determine the winning work. Thus, showing that the art of radio creative continues to grow and evolve.
2021 celebrates the 15 winners and is now woven into the rich history of the Radio Mercury Awards. Want to hear more? We encourage you watch the full, encore viewing of the show here.
Alejandro Ortiz, executive creative director, Campbell Ewald Detroit/NY, will be serving as the 2022 Radio Mercury Awards chief judge.
“I’m super excited, I have a lot of history with these awards… this is an amazing festival and the quality of work that comes in every year is incredible. I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone comes with.”
Stay tuned for more information regarding 2022 Call for Entry. Want to stay ahead of the curve? Be sure to subscribe to the Radio Mercury Awards mailing list here.
Before the pandemic, traditional aspects of the auto purchase were changing. People were considering subscription auto plans versus ownership. Vehicle options were also shifting. COVID-19 changed all that.
Traditional vehicle ownership is still considered to be the most convenient, practical and flexible by consumers. When it comes to audio entertainment, traditional sources are important.
There’s nothing more thrilling for some than shopping for a new sofa, bedroom set, stove or refrigerator. It is so important to find the that one item that is just what you are just looking for or to quote the fairytale, the one that is “just right.” Looking for that “just right” item isn’t as easy today.
Although some adults have already started their holiday shopping, there are some that will wait for the right time to purchase something new and shiny – for themselves or as a gift. The new and shiny isn’t a car, it’s jewelry.
With lockdowns in place during 2020, Americans hungered for the thrill of the game and the luck of the draw as sporting events and casinos shuttered. People turned to gaming and event alternatives, all online – prompting a surge in participation well into 2021.
While TV’s upfronts season traditionally takes place in May, the radio industry’s upfronts season takes place in September and into October. Upfronts are a chance for radio – on a national, regional, or local level – to secure business for the duration of the following calendar year. This benefits radio by securing committed ad dollars well in advance. It also benefits advertisers by allowing them to see what new shows, content or event opportunities a cluster, station, radio group, or network has planned for the upcoming year. In addition, upfronts allow brands and agencies to strategically plan their advertising dollars, book ads at scale, access premium inventory and secure efficient pricing. It’s a win-win opportunity for all.
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.
According to the latest data from Pew Research, the U.S. Hispanic population grew 23% – from 50.5 million in 2010 to 62.1 million last year. Hispanics are the largest minority and have a buying power of $1.9 trillion, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth.
While many behaviors shifted during the pandemic, Americans became more aware of their overall health and wellness. As consumers focused on exercise and rediscovered the outdoors, many reviewed their intake of vitamins, supplements and nutrients as a way to improve and or boost their immunities.
The growth in audio usage across all platforms and devices has been incredible. One segment of that growth has captured a lot of attention – podcasts. Podcast listeners have been considered a niche audience. Do they differ from broadcast listeners, and what are their views about broadcast radio?
An online search for Gen Z will deliver results in the billions regarding various topics and industries. If you are wondering why, it is because they are about to become the largest and most important consumer target. They may also be the most complex.
Contributor: Sarena Gerard, Senior Research Associate, GfK
Combining online and in-store shopping is a highly personal, consumer-driven experience that’s here to stay — one that predates COVID-19 but that has picked up major momentum over the last 18 months.
For many consumers, pivoting from in-store to online shopping was one survival tactic among many adopted to cope with pandemic lockdowns —and as the omnichannel trend continues to rise, many advertisers are working hard to get in front of consumers in both online and in-store environments. This is especially true in categories that have experienced strong omnichannel growth over the last year – among them clothing & fashion, household cleaning products, and packaged foods and beverages.
Author: Madison Wright, Associate Producer, Radio Mercury Awards
For the past 30 years, radio broadcasters, agencies and advertisers have entered their creative work into the Radio Mercury Awards. Produced by the Radio Advertising Bureau, it is the only awards competition that exclusively honors creativity in radio and audio since its creation in 1992. Around 20,000 commercials have competed for close to $3.5 million in prizes.
When reflecting upon the Radio Mercury Awards, especially during this special anniversary, two things come to mind – the rich heritage of the awards show and how they continue to matter to the creative community as the medium continues to evolve.
