(By Eric Rhoads) Facts are powerful. The facts about radio are powerful, which is why David Field’s advertising campaign promoting radio (and not Entercom) is smart. Though we have had decades of the “Let’s use radio to sell radio” mentality, the cold hard fact is that the people radio needs to reach may not be regular radio listeners. Plus, somehow it’s always sounded like begging … like things must not be going well if we have to say it on our own stations. Sorry.
Though facts can be used deceptively, facts are more powerful than fluff. Specifics are always more powerful than generalities.
I’m impressed with the fact that Entercom has taken on the responsibility of selling radio to protect its new CBS investment, and they aren’t relying on others to sell radio for them. And I’m impressed with their placement to reach key decisionmakers in advertising, music, and television.
Frankly, it’s about time someone had the guts to step up and do this right.
So, before I poke holes in this campaign, props for Field and friends at Entercom. Nice work.
This campaign is a good start. It gets attention. It easily demonstrates things people might not know.
But who is the source? A radio company. So of course that radio company will be promoting itself. And even though the campaign shares Nielsen and other credible data, some will discount the ad as picking the right facts, but not telling the whole story.
So what’s needed next?
First, I can’t guess what will be in the series of ads to follow, nor am I a high-powered Madison Avenue marketing pro. But here is what I would consider next…
Social Proof
Social proof is an old concept used in direct marketing. For every claim you make, you need to prove that claim beyond any doubt. The rule of thumb is three proof elements for every claim.
People like those the campaign hopes to reach, telling their stories … major marketing people, CEOs, and CMOs talking about why they are using radio and the results they are getting — that would be powerful.
Overcoming Unspoken Objections
What might people think when they read Entercom’s ad, offering facts supported by social proof?:
“I didn’t think anyone was listening to the radio anymore because my kids spend all their time on their phones and my wife listens to Pandora. I was resistant to radio, frankly, but when we started finding out about all the fraud in digital, all the clicks we were paying for that were not real, we decided to try it. The results were better than we expected [be specific], and here is the return on investment we received [be specific], which was better than the ROI we got per click on Google.”
Proof elements from third parties who are not in the radio industry matter, especially if they are the heads of major companies or agencies. Just having Joe’s Pizza Shop telling the story will backfire.
My followup would be a series, with each ad addressing ONE data point. Do a spread related to who’s listening, then do social proof with a respected third party.
And last, as we know, repetition sells. Repeat for a year. Over and over and over. I’d also refer each print ad to a video of the third-party testimonial where more can be said.
That’s what I’d do. But frankly, I’m pretty darned proud of Entercom for having the 
guts to do something this industry should have been doing for decades.
Eric Rhoads is Chairman of Radio Ink Magazine and Streamline Publishing. He can be reached at [email protected]m
“The facts” and a buck, ninety-five will get you a cup of coffee.
Jackson is correct about one thing and overstates another.
Accessing emotions, both on-air and in commercial content generates majic.
Our (radio’s) skills at telling stories are almost negligible. To wit: more than 90% of every stations spot load.
I don’t believe it’s a lack of skill, but a lack of owners willing to invest in their creative department.
If you’re relying on a rep to write a :30 between calls, you’re going to get “for all your __________ needs” and “fast, friendly service.”
It is OUR (radio’s) fault, but it’s not that we’re not able to do it.
I do agree with Eric that Entercom should be praised up and down for at least trying, which is more than anyone else is doing, and with Jackson that they should follow up with third party testimonials. Frankly, if they’re smart, the other big companies will jump on board and use their tonnage to help.
So Entercom should plan to go it alone.
No one cares about the facts. Plain and simple. If they did, we’d be a growth industry.
They do care about the emotional response of a story. Which is why third party ‘proofs’ are more compelling than any of the facts. Tell stories…that’s what we do better than anyone.