Well it is definitely that time of year again. Everywhere you look there are Black Friday ads and Christmas ads. They can sometimes get very annoying, but they do a good job of driving home their point! The problem is holiday shopping ads come earlier and earlier every year. Shoppers are making their purchases earlier than ever for the holiday season. Industry forecasts predict a 3.5% to 4.5% increase in retail sales this season. According to Insider Radio, station managers keep close watch on holiday shopping trends, as retail is one of radio’s biggest categories. Radio stations are hoping for a robust ad market because retail ads typically drive advertisement spending in the fourth quarter.
Generally people think television does the best job of informing potential customers about amazing deals they can receive by shopping at a specific store. Radio, however, definitely influences higher retail sales during the holiday season as well. Pierre Bouvard, chief marketing officer for Cumulus Media and Westwood One, says radio offers advertisers unparalleled access, reaching 180 million Americans on Black Friday and 63% of adults age 25 to 54, according to Nielsen.
The important aspect of radio advertisement is it connects with the consumer at work and on the go. Bouvard also said radio ads are effective for both traditional stores and online retailers. Radio is the most used media from 6am to 7pm which provides the best time to hit the consumer with retail ads. This is due to the fact that most retail stores are open during their work time and often open after the consumer leaves work. The same exposure helps online retailers as well because a consumer may hear an ad while at work and then go online during the workday or later that evening. Radio stations also frequently offer the last word a shopper hears before going into a store. According to Insider Radio, last summer when Amazon staged its one-day Prime event, radio was credited with the highest conversion of advertising awareness to purchase, surpassing online and TV ads. This definitely illustrates the fact that radio is still a premier marketing media.
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!
tim barbalace 