Sometimes, you don’t need a bigger budget to be remembered, just the right channel. Katz Radio Group’s latest brand lift study found that a localized over-the-air radio campaign strengthened three key areas for a regional bank with national competitors.
Katz partnered with the undisclosed East Coast advertiser to conduct custom pre- and post-campaign brand lift research among consumers and small-to-midsized business decision-makers across the growth markets targeted by the campaign, tracking changes in awareness, advertising recall, brand perception, and consideration.
Before the campaign, national banks and large credit unions owned top-of-mind awareness and consideration in both groups, while the regional institution struggled to stand out despite being viewed positively by those who already knew it. Respondents associated the bank with trustworthiness, community commitment, and customer service; the core challenge wasn’t a negative perception, it was that consumers simply weren’t thinking about the brand at all.
Following the campaign, recall of the bank’s radio advertising among consumers rose from 17% to 44%. Business decision-makers showed similar gains in recall, though Katz did not disclose specific figures for that group. The research also showed stronger brand equity among respondents who were familiar with the bank after the campaign, with increased association across attributes including trustworthy, stable, and secure; experienced bankers; personalized service; easy, straightforward banking; long-term customer relationships; and community commitment. Negative perceptions remained minimal throughout.
While most respondents said they intend to stay with their current financial institution in the near term, reflecting the low-switch nature of the banking category, Katz reported the campaign still succeeded in building familiarity and credibility, positioning the regional bank within consumers’ consideration set for future banking decisions. That kind of long-term payoff, Katz noted, is where AM/FM delivers its greatest value of consistent reach and repeated exposure that builds trust over time.
This case study is the latest in a series of Katz Radio Group brand lift research published this year, following similar studies on an auto insurance advertiser in April and an eye care brand in May.
In May 2024, a separate Katz study found that radio ad exposure drove a 20% average increase in listeners considering opening a bank account, with 64% saying the ads spurred them to learn more about a bank or consider opening an account. About 80% of listeners in that study said it makes sense for financial companies to advertise on radio.
