Radio Advertising: The Perfect Partner to any Media Campaign

Many advertisers are looking for a medium that increases reach, frequency, recall and the ability to target a specific demographic while still hitting campaign goals. Radio advertising provides all these opportunities and more for direct response campaigns. As a vintage album-oriented rock jock, that navigated the 80’s and transitioned to advertising, radio is my “go to” form of advertisement for moving the needle on client’s campaigns.

As an example, Modus Direct had a traditional out of home client that was launching a campaign in Miami to develop their direct response brand. While the initial plan focused solely on billboards, we recognized the need for a more comprehensive approach. Radio became the final layer, enhancing the launch’s impact and overall success. Armed with a media plan targeting formats that reached the client’s audience demographic during top listener dayparts, the campaign was set for optimal results. Leveraging strong relationships with radio reps, the media team negotiated added value placements during key radio dayparts such as weekends.

The synergy between radio and out of home advertising was palpable as we rolled out the campaign in Miami. While the initial response was moderate, we eagerly awaited radio’s arrival to the market two weeks later. Broadcasts first began during AM/PM drive times, targeting heavy congestion on I-95 during the morning and afternoon commute. Frequency was focused Monday through Friday during the traditional sweet spots for radio of 7a-9a and 4p-7p. Our :60 spot filled the air waves with audio goodness and message delivery.

Daily frequency and recall between the OOH and Radio messaging proved to be a positive combination yielding consistent performance. According to an April 2023 Neilsen Survey, AM/FM listeners are 63% less likely to skip ads while in the car. This presents advertisers with a golden opportunity to capture their audience while they are sitting in traffic enjoying their favorite radio station during their daily commute.

The combination of time spent listening and the visual reinforcement of the messaging on I-95 worked very well as the client saw brand awareness grow in the market. Direct response radio can deliver a one-two punch, whether combined with another media or standalone, to achieve desired outcomes.

As we know, campaigns take time to grow, and awareness will develop with time as the roots in the market gain traction. Radio is a very resourceful form of media while delivering exceptional frequency and recall for your performance driven campaigns.