AM/FM Radio Builds Local Brand Awareness in Lake Charles

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, January 26, 2026 | 1:54pm CT

Cumulus Media and Westwood One

A new study examining advertising effectiveness in Lake Charles, LA, finds that consistent AM/FM radio campaigns are helping local service businesses achieve strong brand awareness well before consumers need their services.

The research, conducted by Quantilope and commissioned by the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group, measured unaided brand awareness across several local advertiser categories, including plumbing, HVAC, and automotive repair. One hundred Lake Charles consumers were surveyed between August and October, 2025.

Lake Charles, an unrated market with a population of approximately 175,000, provided a clear snapshot of how audio advertising can shape consumer memory. The study focused on unaided awareness-asking respondents to name brands that come to mind without being prompted by a list.

Among the findings, Able Plumbing led all plumbing services with 14% unaided awareness, outperforming national brands such as Roto-Rooter, Lowe's, Ace, and Home Depot. However, nearly three in ten respondents were unable to name a single plumbing brand, underscoring the competitive advantage of simply being remembered.

In HVAC, Burnworth's AC emerged as a leading local brand, cited unaided by 6% of respondents. At the same time, 25% of consumers could not name any heating or air conditioning service, highlighting what the study described as a significant opportunity for brand-building in the category.

Meads Automotive topped the auto repair segment, with 10% unaided awareness. Still, 23% of those surveyed were unable to name any auto repair brand at all, reinforcing the idea that advertising often competes most directly with consumer unfamiliarity rather than rival businesses.

The study emphasizes that unaided awareness is a critical indicator of brand strength. Advertising, it notes, works by creating memories that can later influence purchasing decisions when a need arises. Businesses with stronger brand memories tend to convert awareness into sales more effectively and sustain demand even as prices increase.

As a comparative benchmark, the report also points to Steve's Pest Control in Columbia, MO, which has achieved 34% unaided awareness through long-term radio advertising, illustrating the potential scale of brand impact from sustained audio campaigns.

According to the findings, successful advertisers in Lake Charles share four common practices: broad market reach, frequent exposure, year-round consistency, and the use of memorable, emotion-based creative. Together, these elements help brands become familiar to consumers who may not currently be in the market but will be in the future.

The report concludes that AM/FM radio remains a powerful medium for building "known before needed" brands, particularly in local service categories where consumer demand is intermittent but highly influenced by memory and familiarity.

Read the entire blog post here.