On Friday, December 27, 2024, I awoke to Fred Jacobs re-issuing his article When Did Radio Stop Advertising?. It was originally published in April of 2024, and is just as important a read now as it was then.
We agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment of this article: marketing is the lifeblood of a brand’s success. Whether it’s P.T. Barnum’s legendary stunts or today’s high-tech campaigns, consistent and creative marketing efforts are crucial for keeping a brand relevant and top-of-mind. However, it is important to note that the radio industry hasn’t entirely stepped away from marketing. Many radio stations are leveraging innovative tools such as Point-To-Point Marketing’s SocialBounce campaign alongside traditional strategies to stay competitive and impactful.
SocialBounce exemplifies how modern radio marketing blends tradition with innovation. Using targeted paid social media campaigns, this tool allows stations to deliver precise messaging to their most important audiences—listeners and advertisers alike. By harnessing data-driven targeting, SocialBounce helps stations zero in on audience segments based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. This ensures that every dollar spent maximizes reach and relevance, strengthening connections between stations and their communities.
In 2024 alone, Point-To-Point Marketing’s clients executed over 300 million impressions promoting shows, talent, contests, content, and events. These were almost entirely posts using video to engage the audience with talent and content.
Examples include the usual suspects of promoting a local or national contest. But more often, we see clients using the opportunity to highlight their relative advantages. These include features, talent, and events that separate their brand from others in the market. As creative changes every week in our paid posts, we can execute a robust campaign focused on a singular message.
One standout example of leveraging marketing opportunities comes from the winner of our $20,000 Marketing Campaign. We solicited entries from radio, podcasting, streaming, and events to win a paid marketing campaign to be run in Q4. Our winner was a large market sports station that had not actively marketed in some time.
The energy and commitment that the station’s team showed to take full advantage of this free marketing campaign was exciting. Over the period of ten weeks, they produced 15 pieces of content that we promoted into their most important zip codes, to the most important households, to those who had an affinity for sports across Facebook, Reels, Instagram, Stories, and TikTok.
This helped to produce a 31% year-over-year lift with Men 25-54 in Prime and saw their streaming numbers increase to their highest levels in the station’s history.
In addition to paid social, targeted mailing campaigns remain a cornerstone of radio marketing. These campaigns, now more sophisticated and personalized than ever , enable stations to communicate directly with their key advertisers and loyal listeners. Combining these efforts with tools like SocialBounce creates a multifaceted approach that fosters both brand awareness and engagement.
The article’s reflection on radio’s marketing heyday—highlighting the bold campaigns of the ’70s and ’80s—reminds us of the power of a compelling narrative. Back then, radio stations thrived on big, attention-grabbing promotions that resonated with listeners and advertisers. Today, while the medium and methods have evolved, the goal remains the same: to captivate and connect.
No longer are there six (or seven????) figure budgets per station to run TV spots and billboards. We would argue that the four and five figure campaigns are actually more compelling and more robust in the content they can deliver.
Radio, like SeaWorld in the article, has faced challenges, from shifting listener habits to emerging competition. Yet, just as SeaWorld has reframed its narrative around family experiences, radio has the opportunity to reinvent its story. Campaigns can create fresh, engaging narratives that highlight their unique value in a crowded media landscape.
The takeaway? Marketing remains indispensable. As P.T. Barnum famously said, “Without promotion, something terrible happens… Nothing!” Tools like a SocialBounce marketing campaign ensure radio stays vibrant and relevant, proving that while the medium might have its roots in the past, its future is undeniably bright.
Fred, thank you for shining the light on this subject.
Contact info: Tim Bronsil: tim@ptpmarketing.com, 513.702.5072