Radio vs. Other Traditional Mediums
by Sharon LaGaipa
Traditional marketing has dominated marketing and advertising for years. Traditional Marketing includes Direct Mail, Newspaper, Broadcast/Cable TV, outdoor Billboard Ads, and Radio.
Traditional marketing has proven successful over time and has many benefits. It can still aid in reaching your target audience and can be attention-grabbing.
Direct Mail is targetable, has reach and can be measured depending on the messaging and structure. However, consumer perception often associates Direct Mail with “junk” mail and can lead to very low response rates while being extremely costly. You may not get what you pay for with Direct Mail. If you do find it works for your particular business, consider complementing it with a Radio campaign. Radio can bring high level attention to your Direct Mail piece and is a medium which, contrary to Direct Mail, has an audience is highly receptive to ads.
Newspaper Advertising can be visually impactful and is one of the oldest forms of advertising. The Hartford Courant is the country’s oldest newspaper in continuous publication, first published on October 29, 1764. That was then, this is now. Newspaper circulations have been diminishing rapidly in recent years especially given changes in consumer behaviors and how content is consumed. Production costs remain high with Newspaper Advertising and therefore this form of advertising can be challenging as relates to Return on Investment (ROI). Statistics have shown that large ads are not always effective. If Newspaper Advertising is a strategy you’re utilizing, consider a modest ad size and build in Radio to your media mix. The power of voice will not only reinforce your brand with memorability, therefore making what consumers see in print much more impactful.
Broadcast and Cable TV, while they have the allure of reach and visual/audio format, audiences are declining with the rapid movement towards Connected TV and OTT. Broadcast/Cable TV production costs and limited targeting options can put into question the value. Further, with the rise of fragmentation on TV, reaching audiences isn’t as easy as it used to be. On the other hand, Radio can be efficient, economical and expand beyond the home … to the car, at work and on the go. Additionally, Radio has the ability to boost a TV/Cable advertiser’s message through “imagery transfer” or “theater of the mind”. Numerous research studies have proven Radio listeners visualize images from a TV ad when they hear that advertiser’s same or similar message on the Radio, reinforcing the impact of the TV ad schedule.
Billboard and other Out-of-Home advertising is eye-catching and bold and can be a good way for businesses to attract the attention of a mass audience. It can certainly contribute to branding and name recognition. With that said, it has very limited capacity for your message and fleeting impressions with short exposure time at typically 4-8 seconds. It’s difficult to capture fully engaged attention as people focus on driving. Radio reaches over 82% of drivers and its listeners are highly receptive to ads. Next time you’re on a major highway and tuned into Radio, as you listen to the ads, compare those to the Billboard ads and consider which medium leaves a stronger impression on you.
There’s no doubt incorporating forms of traditional advertising can be effective as part of a marketing mix. However, Radio transcends other media. Radio reaches over 92% of people ages 18+ weekly. It establishes a personal connection with the consumer that cannot be matched by other forms of advertising. Our radio stations, combined with our fierce portfolio of digital marketing solutions, make Connoisseur Media your standout resource for traditional & new media.
Sources: Quora.com; RAB.com; Connecticuthistory.org; Forbes.com; Adweek.com.
