After the lowest spot play week of 2023, the radio advertising industry witnessed a surprising and much-needed gain for the week of August 21-27. According to Media Monitors, the total spot plays for the top five advertisers reached 216,386, a significant improvement over last week’s total of 180,921.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) jumped from last week’s fourth place to secure the top position with 46,392 spot plays. Following closely behind was Wendy’s, making an impressive debut in the rankings with 44,185 spot plays.
Perennial summer holiday advertiser The Home Depot reappeared in the top 3 for the Labor Day lead-up with 43,519 spot plays. ZipRecruiter, last week’s leader, slid down to the fourth position while increasing its advertising, playing 43,451 spots compared to last week’s 39,567. Rounding out the top five was Babbel with 38,839 spot plays.
The average spot plays per advertiser also saw a boost, climbing to 43,277.2 from last week’s average of 36,184.2.
While the numbers this week indicate a positive shift, the recent volatile movement among top brands signals an unpredictable market. With upcoming holidays, economic variables, and strategic advertising campaigns as we move into the homestretch of Q3, it will be interesting to see if this uptick brings stability to radio’s autumn.
