| In a world of satellite television, smart phones and | | | | - Easily obtained spokesheavies. Commercial reads |
| iPads, radio seems as antiquated as print. To | | | | are business as usual for radio |
| embrace radio as a hot medium for direct | | | | personalities–from a city's quirky local radio |
| response advertising looks at first like a Luddite's | | | | DJs, to nationally syndicated powerhouses like |
| step backward. But we shouldn't invest in new | | | | Hannity, Ramsey and Dobbs. |
| mediums just because they're buzzy, nor should | | | | If you're like most drivers, you've programmed |
| we abandon proven media just because they're | | | | your car radio with a line-up of favorites. If you |
| as familiar as well-fitting old sneakers. | | | | only want to hear music, you probably start |
| The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) says that | | | | punching pre-sets once unwanted songs play or |
| 235 million Americans listen weekly, on average | | | | commercial blocks start. On television, consumer |
| three hours a day. While that's exactly what you'd | | | | impatience has some DR advantages: infomercial |
| expect from the RAB, such a large potential | | | | discovery relies on viewers clicking impatiently. But |
| audience offers unique advantages to: | | | | for one- to two-minute spots on both TV and |
| <!--Google Ad Script 1--><!--Google Ad | | | | radio, preventing that switching boosts message |
| Script 1--> | | | | consumption. |
| - Affordability. Any DR client can afford radio. | | | | While direct response has always required agile |
| Revenue-hungry stations discount rates | | | | reactions to fluid media and consumer realities, |
| frequently–and all offer remnants–resulting | | | | overall media strategy may well be morphing |
| in low CPMs. Per-inquiry schedules are available, so | | | | from embracing given mediums (TV, radio, web, |
| advertisers can pay only for what works. | | | | mail) to embracing genres of timely content that |
| - Expanded DR client pool. "Pitchmen" spent last | | | | appear there. Similar to our messages |
| summer on Discovery Channel dismissing | | | | themselves, this content is less entertaining than |
| candidates for DRTV campaigns because the | | | | informational. All mediums deliver "don't touch that |
| products weren't suited to jaw-dropping demos. | | | | dial" entreaties, but they really only work if |
| Since radio can't utilize video at all, killer demo isn't | | | | missing what's next exacts an undesirable penalty: |
| fatal to DR ambitions. | | | | being out of the loop. |
| - Built for multi-tasking. DRTV spots lose power if | | | | The future of DR radio isn't any dramatic change |
| the viewer is only half-watching while ironing, | | | | in creative execution–it's the increasing |
| preparing dinner or reading e-mail. Radio is | | | | utilization of news, weather, sports and talk radio. |
| designed as a companion medium, to be | | | | Did my team win the game? Is it going to rain all |
| consumed simultaneously with other activities. | | | | next week? Listeners needing answers to these |
| Messages crafted for "just listening" obviously lose | | | | questions are simply more likely to stick around. |
| nothing when the audience isn't looking. | | | | Making the ad sticky is our job. |