Recent doubts about Black Friday ad revenue wipeout were erased, as radio’s top national advertisers drove ad play to one of 2023’s biggest weeks. For the week of November 20-26, according to Media Monitors, the total spot plays for the top five advertisers reached a staggering 265,047 – up more than 60,000 plays from the week before.
The home improvement sector has been a key driver of growth in the holiday marketing battle. Leading the pack with a significant jump was Lowe’s, which surged to the top with 77,917 spot plays, nearly doubling its presence from the previous week’s strong showing. Budget cell carrier Boost Infinite reemerged as a contender, landing in second place with 58,166 spots.
Meanwhile, Vicks maintained its consistent presence in third, albeit with a slight dip to 45,048 spot plays, but still holding strong in third place. The Home Depot, which has been duking it out with Lowe’s in the ad charts, also ramped up its advertising efforts with 43,589 spot plays, maintaining a solid fourth position and highlighting the fierce competition for the DIY crowd’s attention this time of year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a notable entry to round out the top five with 40,327 spot plays, underlining the importance of public health messaging during the holidays.
With an average of 53,009.4 spot plays per advertiser, the week showed a marked increase in radio’s advertising reach. Some stations are breathing a sigh of relief after the bump, but others still hold their breath to see if the holiday magic and money continue to roll in into December.
