Posts Tagged ‘radio sponsored programming’

Today’s Impact of Radio Consolidation

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

By the RadioActive Media Team

From an ad agency president: “With consolidation, the music has become much more ‘generic.’ Less local bands, less local flavor, much more corporate.”  This agency had a promotional idea for one of their clients & the attorney for one of the larger station group owners said NO. In this top 20 market, out of the 30 or so commercial stations approximately 22 stations are owned across 5 station groups.  If you have an idea and it is rejected, consolidation doesn’t leave you a lot of places to go, or does it?

Interestingly enough, customer service and pricing has not been an issue; most likely due to the economy.  Even with aggressive sales technique to try and get on every buy, limitations are an everyday challenge when your client wants something different or unique.  Another issue is with the ‘generic’ music and the new ratings system (Arbitron PPM) the ratings are so similar (compressed) that it makes it difficult to stand out from the crowd.

The beauty of radio has always been its innovation and ability to do something unique. It is still possible, you just have to know what to ask for and where to look.

Have you heard about Original Sponsored Programming? What about using some of the top radio personalities to promote your client or product?  Listen to Howard Stern promote us!

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He can do the same for your client.  Howard not your cup of tea?  We can match you with any of the hundreds radio personalities to stand out from the crowd and be unique.

Original Sponsored Programming allows you to showcase your product to a well-defined target audience.  Original Sponsored Programming can be crafted in such a way as to lend total creditability to the sponsor’s message.

Want something even more innovative?  Radio Text Messaging is about as new as it gets. We have had excellent success in combining radio advertising with radio text messaging in a campaign that thoroughly engages the audience to action.  Best yet, measurable and tangible results to maximize ROI.

Let us put the fun and innovation back into your media campaigns. Radio is everywhere and so can your message.

@radioactivemed

The 5 Benefits of Long-Form Original Radio Sponsored Programming

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

By The RadioActive Media Team

Imagine listening to an expert whose topic intrigues you and during an hour on the radio. They earn your respect for their knowledge and opinions. They answer questions from callers in thoughtful, educational ways. You follow this expert week after week, learning new tips and enjoying the experience. Mightn’t the glow of your feelings pass on to sponsors of this program?

Bob Brinker is a perfect example. It is easy to fall into a pattern to listen at the same time each week to his advice and his interaction as he talks with his listeners. He gains loyalty as the audience learns more. He offers a value that creates a desire to return time and again.

What power this relationship can have! What can this loyalty mean to the sponsors?

The 5 Benefits of Long-Form Original Radio Sponsored Programming:

1)       Long creative format (30 minutes or 1 hour)
2)       Long-term relationship with an audience (13 weeks)
3)       Controlled testing and rollout
4)       Convergence with other media
5)       Measurable response

Marketing executives looking for a unique new idea to reach the mobile consumer should consider original sponsored radio programs. These programs may be 30 minutes or an hour and, over a 13-week commitment, roll out a topic at length before their audience. The sponsors provide announcers so as to not detract from the expert’s position.

Like all direct response advertising, the process starts with a test. Two such advertisers willing to use radio programming started with 1 or 2 stations. A mortgage show broadened their campaign of radio shows out to 80 stations over 4 years as they enjoyed increased success. Expedia took a travel show out to 90 stations in just 2 years.

This is not a format for those set in their ways. It offers a terrific opportunity to explore a topic creatively with great depth. It also offers the critical analytical element of response measurement. Unlike other methods of sponsorship, this one can be tied to milestones that can include audience, reactions to a call to action, and incorporation of other converging media, such as text messaging.

What more could a sponsor ask for?

RadioActive Media’s strong suit is in developing meaningful, accountable radio programming that engages, not bores the audience, for advertisers. Content drives loyalty. Loyalty builds brands. Brands measure results.

No Matter How it is Delivered, Radio is All About Content

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

By The RadioActive Media Team

The term “Internet Radio” has most likely been shortened from “streaming radio content over the Internet”.  Certainly, there are some Internet-only radio “stations”, in fact at one site they list 242.  That may sound like a lot, however there are almost 14,000 true radio stations in the U.S.  (more…)