Radio continues to be a powerful medium for driving consumer purchases and building brand equity. Beasley Media CRO Tina Murley and Cox Media Group EVP of Radio Rob Babin shared their experiences and strategies for maximizing radio’s multiplatform revenue potential.
During “Radio’s Point of Purchase Proximity Drives Revenue” at NAB Show 2024 led by RAB’s Leah Kamon, Murley emphasized the effectiveness of integrating visual or textual elements with radio advertising. She discussed the use of Quu’s Ad Sync, which places accompanying text and images to audio ads directly on the car dashboard, noting significant anecdotal success, particularly among lawyers who want to be top-of-mind during critical moments, such as car accidents.
She also highlighted a shift towards traditional media as national advertisers notice a decline in brand equity with purely digital strategies. Murley advocated for a unified advertising dashboard that incorporates AM/FM radio to mirror the keyword and SEM capabilities currently utilized in digital marketing, pointing out a 60% brand lift when radio ads are paired with visual cues.
Babin focused on the importance of custom solutions and understanding customer pathways at every step of the sales funnel. Utilizing tools like Xperi, which tracks listener traffic patterns, Cox Media helps advertisers pinpoint effective delivery methods. Babin stressed the importance of radio in providing valuable data that advertisers cannot find elsewhere. He suggested that radio’s ability to build deep brand equity is a significant asset, offering the example from his time in Miami of radio’s extensive reach equating to filling 64 sold-out Hard Rock Stadiums.
Both panelists agreed on the necessity for salespeople to evolve into marketing consultants, understanding not just radio but how it integrates with digital, OTT, and other advertising platforms to create comprehensive campaigns. Babin remarked on the trust radio influencers have garnered, emphasizing that “we’re licensed to do what’s right for the community,” and pointed out the tangible loss in brand recall when clients pull out of radio advertising.
Murley also noted the unique opportunities in local and national markets to enhance client engagement through in-person experiences, such as inviting clients to meet artists or attend radio events, enhancing the personal connection and impact of radio partnerships.
Babin and Murley addressed challenges such as the new generation of media buyers who are initially unfamiliar with buying radio. They stressed the importance of educating these buyers on the unique advantages of radio, including its role in driving purchases and its effectiveness in integrated campaigns.
By leveraging its immediacy and emotional connection, radio continues to offer advertisers unique and powerful ways to reach consumers at critical moments in the purchasing process.
