Cars have had a long-standing opportunity for captivating consumers within a confined environment. The length of time spent in a car is depended upon traffic and number of miles to get to a desired destination.
Radio has been a unique channel for reaching consumers while on-the-go. Today, radio (or audio) has expanded to include terrestrial (over the air), streaming, digital files of music, or CDs. All of them are accessible via the car and its in-dash entertainment features now offered on late models.
Many consumers spend over an hour of listening to audio in the car. It was assumed that once streaming adoption increased, radio would be dead. Today, audio has given marketers even more possibilities. Plus, traffic in major metropolitan areas has assisted in driving higher listenership times. Consumers do listen to commercials while enjoying their favorite radio station (AM/FM) or streaming on Pandora or Spotify. With streaming services, consumers are obliged to listen to the commercial in order to listen to free music on many platforms. Of course, streaming services do offer users the option to pay for the premium services that are commercial-free.
The beauty of audio is it is very affordable. Even for the budget-constrained entrepreneur, audio can be an option to reach a desired consumer target. Best of all, audio captures both young and mature audiences. Commercial loads have been fairly consistent year-over-year. Many major advertisers are using thirty-second advertising units, but fifteen-second units are available as well. Audio is also a channel that works very well on mobile devices. So, have no fear even if your target takes public transportation; audio has them covered. There are other services such as Triton Digital, which allows users to hear their favorite AM/FM station via the internet.
As with any bright marketing idea, it is best to develop a plan that strategically places your product/service within the right environment. If you’re considering streaming, ensure to align the music genre/artist with your product or service. Also, consider the listening preferences of consumers who purchase your product/service. Research is available via the audio partners. Plus, many audio partners can include a third-party research study as part of your investment, assuming the investment level meets their minimum thresholds. This allows you a vehicle to ask the questions that may help best optimize future channel investments.
Adele Lassere is a marketing/advertising consultant, freelance writer and author of “Elements of Buying” (a self-help advertising guide), available at Amazon.com. Adele was listed as Black Enterprise’s 2016 Women of Power in Advertising & Marketing and 2013 Top Women Executives in Advertising & Marketing. Contact: [email protected]
