There is a myriad of facts, figures and seemingly convincing arguments from the radio industry’s marketing bodies on both sides of the Atlantic why businesses should spend their increasingly hard pressed advertising budgets on radio. Are the reasons they give to advertise on radio and use up their clients’ ever more stretched promotional pound or dollar on radio justified?
Marketing Radio in the United Kingdom
The Radio Advertising Bureau in Britain is funded entirely by the country’s commercial radio industry and their aims are “to encourage advertisers and agencies to consider radio more often as part of their communications solutions,” as well as promoting the medium as a whole and to see its use as a more effective and creative medium. In promoting radio in this way the RAB have identified a number of reasons why advertisers should use radio.
Seven Reasons for Using Radio from the RAB (UK)
Presumably for the simple reason that if advertisers and their agencies are given a reason to use radio as an advertising medium they are more likely to do, the RAB have come up with seven:
- Efficient Targeting – from individual stations targeting to specific musical interests, to radio’s structure of local and national stations, advertisers are able to choose specific audiences.
- Relevant Times and Places – Radio is generally a live and reactive medium. Listeners are engaged in other activities and also listening on the device that suits their lifestyle. Radio advertising can fit into this and often therefore be more relevant.
- Better Reach in an Ad Avoidance World – RAB research indicates radio has low levels of ad avoidance.
- The Multiplier Effect – this has been a large part of the RAB’s marketing of the last few years and they cite research to promote the way radio multiplies the effect of TV.
- A large “Share of Mind,” for a Brand – frequency of ads and a longer time spent listening by a listener works in favour for an advertiser to create a “disproportionately” larger presence.
- Radio Drives Response – especially on-line. Radio’s claim as a ‘Call to Action,’ medium has always been one of its big selling points, and listener / on-line interaction reinforces this.
- Radio is a Friend. Radio is often listened to as a personal medium and is often quoted as a ‘Friend’ to describe listener’s interaction with it.
In the UK, the RAB also undertake a considerable body of research into effectiveness to back up their claims with facts and figures and qualitative arguments as well as promoting training, awards and workshops to help potential and existing advertisers and keep radio at the front of their media choices.
Marketing Radio in the United States
Similar to the UK radio industry’s marketing body and with a similar name and obviously similar aims, commercial radio in the United States is promoted through the activities of their Radio Advertising Bureau. Perhaps because of the varying history of the commercial aspect of the medium, (Commercial radio only started in the UK in 1973, while the US commercial radio broadcasting started some 50 years before.) and the ‘slightly’ differing cultures of both countries, the USA’s RAB mission is also slightly different. Its stated aims are to:
- Share knowledge
- Facilitate Consensus
- And Drive Revenue
- Whilst its main objectives can be paraphrased as:
- To make Radio the primary medium for all advertisers and build perceptions.
- To increase ad and marketing revenue and
- To make it easier to but radio through set “standards and guidelines”
Support from the RMB to radio Advertisers in the US
Perhaps taking a slightly different angle to it UK cousin, it provides reasons or perhaps information for advertisers to use radio as an advertising medium in the US on its website under the following headings:
- A Radio Marketing Guide – including who radio reaches, comparisons for marketers and top advertisers.
- Radio Facts – and research on planning and scheduling
- Radio Studies – a comprehensive research portfolio
- Radio in the News – latest articles on such topics as technology, consumer trends, media and marketing.
Any advertiser considering using radio as an advertising medium for their business or brand can download a wealth of information just from these two organisations and with the facts perhaps feel more able to make a more informed decision.
Sources: The Radio Advertising Bureau UK
& The Radio Advertising Bureau USA
Dan McCurdy - Dan McCurdy is a freelance writer producer creative and lecturer. Dan is one of the UK's most experienced radio writers and producers. ...
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