As linear TV continues its decline, iHeartMedia Chief Marketing Officer Gayle Troberman is highlighting how those in advertising need radio to bridge the marketer bias between themselves and the average US consumer.
Troberman is featured in the latest episode of the CES Tech Talk podcast in conversation with the Consumer Technology Association’s James Kotecki from CES 2024. She discussed the importance of staying attuned to the real-world preferences and behaviors.
A recent iHeart study conducted with Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries found that in an era of constant and infinite consumer data, marketers are more biased now than ever before in the industry’s history. While most people working in media, advertising, and marketing know what NFTs are, Troberman says 40% of Americans have never heard of one.
As for a specific brand’s marketer bias, Troberman said only half of US audiences know what an Aperol Spritz is, while almost 100% of those in advertising know what the product is.
Outside of iHeart’s research, a 2023 MARU/Matchbox study revealed that 82% of marketing professionals are back commuting to work, yet still below the national average of 94%. Marketing and media agency employees typically spend four days a week in the office, with 11% reporting a seven-day workweek. This contrasts with the broader American workforce’s nearly five-day workweek, highlighting a greater likelihood of encountering outdoor and radio advertising for the general populace.
With 91% of all adults in the US hearing AM/FM every month according to Nielsen, radio makes for a great opportunity to spread the word on brands, concepts, and products that those in marketing take for granted. Troberman took special care to point out the dual nature of broadcast radio’s growth, both in traditional formats and through digital platforms.
She also briefly discussed how iHeart is addressing artificial intelligence. For AI, she views the technology as a way to lower the cost and time it takes to produce an audio ad, especially making it possible to shift the message or tone for different formats and dayparts. Artificial intelligence can be used differently for podcasts, with Troberman referencing recently developed tools that allow brands to pick and choose where their ads go, depending on the episode’s topic and suitability.
The full conversation can be found on the CES YouTube page.
