Contributor: Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer, CUMULUS MEDIA/Cumulus Radio Station Group/Westwood One
People across the country are ready to go and are already on the road. According to the Dallas Federal Reserve, 69% of U.S. workers commuted to work daily or somedays in September – up from a low of 55% in May.
As the number of people working remotely declines, American’s are resuming their commute to work or to school and radio is joining them on their drive.
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Engagement. Local. Heart. Soul. Creativity. Partnerships. Those were words that resonated across the various sessions and events that took place during Radio Week.
From Oct. 5 – 9, CEOs, managers, sellers, radio personalities and some the brightest creative directors participated in two of radio’s biggest events – Radio Show and the Radio Mercury Awards.
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
In less than a month, Americans from all walks of life will use the opportunity to make their voices heard. They will vote.
To say that this election will be like no other would be a great understatement. While campaign advertising started early, over the next few weeks, the airwaves will be inundated with information, facts and promises to influence and sway voters. During this emotionally charged year, connecting personally will be vital to the success of a candidate’s campaign. No other medium connects and engages personally more than broadcast radio.
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Inclusiveness and diversity are words that we are hearing a lot lately. Sometimes they are used interchangeably, when in fact, they are different. According to the Cambridge dictionary, inclusiveness is “the quality of including many different types of people and treating them all fairly and equally.” Diversity is “the condition or fact of being different or varied; the mixture of races and religions that make up a group of people.”
Continue reading “Inclusive, Diverse and Community”
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Have you ever heard of Sutton’s Law? It’s based on the principle that when diagnosing something, you should first consider the most obvious. It is based on bank robber “Slick” Willie Sutton’s response to a reporter’s question: “Why do you rob banks?” His response? “Because that’s where the money is!” This same response could be applied to the question; “Why boomers?”
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
September 15 marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which recognizes and celebrates the contributions of American citizens whose ancestors can be traced to Central and South America, Mexico, Spain and the Caribbean. Hispanics have had a tremendous impact on everything in the U.S. – food, culture, entertainment and even population growth.
Continue reading “The Influence of Hispanics in the U.S.”
Contributor: Stephanie Digeon-Heath , Client Services, The Media Audit
On November 3, 2020, Americans will head to the poll and decide whether to reelect Trump or whether to elect former Vice President Biden as president. For loyal supporters of either candidate, their minds are most likely made-up. However, this may not be true for all Independents. Independents are thus considered pivotal voters. “Presidential general elections are generally determined by two factors: the size and relative enthusiasm of each major party’s base, and which way the swing voters in the middle go,” said Charlie Cook, a political analyst and founder of The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan online newsletter. The closer the race, the more pivotal Independents voters become.
Contributor: Todd Kalman, Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketron
There really is no better medium than radio for connecting advertisers to the target consumers they seek. Across the U.S., you’ll find radio stations that have been fixtures in their communities for many, many decades, with a long and proven track record of highly successful results for their advertisers. The COVID-19 pandemic has only strengthened listeners’ connections to their favorite stations. In fact, studies show that people are tuning in more in their cars and homes and streaming more via their devices. In uncertain times like these, radio is a lifeline to information and a morale booster for people who are cut off from their usual social outlets.
Continue reading “The Power of Integrating Radio and Digital Advertising”
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
As one of radio’s top-spending categories, the role that radio plays in the car, as well as car sales, remains a dominant force. Radio reaches consumers (or auto-buying intenders) while they are in their car – on their way to work or just running errands.
As the events of this past March progressed and many people found themselves homebound, things changed. However, the role that radio plays in driving traffic to auto dealer websites did not. Radio was effective at driving search for dealerships pre-COVID-19 and continues to do so today.
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Radio. According to Merriam-Webster, radio is “the wireless transmission and reception of electric impulses or signals by means of electromagnetic waves.” At the Radio Advertising Bureau, these are just some of the words we use to define and describe radio: mass, personal, engaging, live, local, interactive, informative, entertaining. And yes, there are many more that can be used as we celebrate radio.
Contributor: Alli Romano, Columnist, Alli on Audio Podcaster- MediaVillage
As brands navigate today’s uncertain advertising market, audio can offer them a brand-safe haven. According to exclusive research from The Myers Report, audio outperforms many other media in important sales categories, including trust, client support, and communicating value. Now, it’s up to the audio industry, including broadcast radio and digital audio, to deliver that message to brands, agencies, and ad executives.
Continue reading “How Radio/Audio Can Succeed in Tough Ad Market”
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
It’s August! Did you know that August is considered National Back-to-School Month? It’s the time when parents of school-aged children are in the deep throes of clothing, shoes and school-supply shopping. This year will be no different from any other.
Contributor: Nicole Beniamini, Vice President, Edison Research
Fridays are my favorite day. Not just because it’s the end of the workweek and the start of the weekend, but because I know that every Friday is a chance to listen to brand-new music. Hearing the latest music has always been a passion of mine, starting from my childhood days of keeping a cassette tape in my stereo, ready to (illegally) record any new songs that came on the radio.
Author: Rita Landells, Member Response Manager, RAB
If the holidays represent the most wonderful time of the year, it would be no surprise that consumers are already thinking ahead to the holidays and fantasizing about a more optimistic time. According to a recent Voxware study, 51% of consumers expect to begin their holiday shopping earlier than usual this year. Another study done by Radial found that 39% of shoppers plan to begin shopping for the holidays in October.
Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
As states are in various phases of reopening, consumers find themselves in various stages of their own phases. These phases continue to shift and change the behaviors that had once been routine to so many. In order to meet the challenges, needs and concerns of their customers, businesses will need to be nimble to best address and meet their customers’ expectations.
Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
Radio has long been known as a deeply personal, trusted and supportive partner for consumers, communities, and companies of all stripes. Fostering unity is part of the DNA of the more than 15,000 radio stations across the country. It is the spirit of radio.
Contributor: Leo Kivijarv, Ph.D., Executive Vice President & Director of Research of PQ Media
In August 2019, PQ Media projected that political media buying would reach $8.33 billion in 2020. This projection was made before Michael Bloomberg became a Democratic presidential candidate and spent over $500 million in his failed attempt to win the nomination. Additionally, since the original projection was made, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, requiring politicians to revise their media buying strategies because planned rallies and fundraising events had to be cancelled.
Since the last blog post, a few items have happened which will impact the 2020 presidential and other elections.
Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “be the change that you wish to see in the world.” This simple, yet meaningful advice is perhaps more relevant and inspiring today than when it was first spoken.
There has been a marketing shift brewing over the past several months that has been ignited and fast-tracked by the current climate. We are seeing brands across all categories expressing their humanity, supporting consumers, contributing and leading social justice causes and using the power of their voice to publicly express their values and lead by example to inspire and activate change.
Contributor: Angela Jeffrey, VP Brand Management, ABX
In a recent study of 168 COVID-19-related Radio ads measured by Advertising Benchmark Index (ABX) since March 4, advertising effectiveness scores were amazingly high. Radio spots featuring thanks to first responders, helpful advice to listeners regarding resisting the virus and conveying a serious tone in their announcements all did well. Below is a look at how Radio is performing right now, including a close look at five of the top ten COVID-19 spots, showing how effective Radio can be during a time of crisis.
Continue reading “Radio Ad Effectiveness Scores Go Sky High with COVID-19 Messages”
Contributor: Leo Kivijarv, Ph.D., Executive Vice President & Director of Research of PQ Media
It’s been over nine months since I last posted on the RAB blog regarding political advertising and marketing during the 2020 elections. Back then, there were still more than 20 major Democratic candidates, enough to compose a football team. Two Democratic debates had been aired, as top candidates jockeyed for the lead. Primaries were still months away and candidates were in full fundraising mode. Donald Trump and the Republican Party were on edge about the 2020 elections. On the one hand, they were touting the strength of the US economy, although there were fears of a recession if the US-China tariff trade wars escalated. On the other hand, impeachment was being discussed, but it related to the obstruction findings in the Robert Mueller report. Based on the political environment in August 2019, PQ Media was predicting that political media buying would reach $8.33 billion in 2020.