Cumulus/AAG Blog Details Using Audio for Advertising

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Cumulus Media and Westwood One

This week's Cumulus Media | Audio Active Group blog is written by John Fix, formerly of P&G. Incorporating audio in a media plan, especially a new product with a budget that does not include traditional mass reach media like linear TV, can be game changing. In the blog, he elaborates on key points on how awareness can work. These points include branding, benefits, packaging and distribution/shelf.

• Branding: Say the brand early, often, and spell out the name. The brand name would ideally be spelled as it sounds so that saying the brand easily translates to recognition of the brand as it would appear on the label

• Benefit: Lead with a recognizable benefit for the consumer. Brands should utilize their consumer research to find the clearest, simple description of the product benefit and use it in the audio

• Packaging: Tell the consumer what to look for on the shelf. If the new product is in a form unlike the category or if the product uses assets unlike those familiar to the brand, then the audio should describe what the consumer should look for: "found in the bright yellow bottle," "the toothpaste not in a tube," "dishwasher detergent in a pod."

• Distribution/Shelf: Be descriptive on where to find the product in its category. If a product delivers a tangible benefit, then finding the product shouldn't be hard. Market structure determines that retailers place substitutable products near each other: cleaning products, auto, household goods. New products should be in outlets where the category is sold.