Henkle's Ace Shows Power of Long-Term Radio Ads

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, May 26, 2026 | 11:13am CT

Cumulus Media and Westwood

A new study commissioned by Cumulus Media and Westwood One highlights how long-term AM/FM radio advertising helped Henkle's Ace Hardware build strong brand awareness and customer loyalty in Joplin, Missouri.

The research, conducted by Quantilope in January 2026 among 150 consumers in Joplin, found Henkle's Ace Hardware ranked third in unaided brand awareness behind national chains Home Depot and Lowe's. Respondents were asked to name hardware and home improvement stores without being prompted.

Owners Cris and John Henkle opened the business in 2006 after previously operating a hardware store in Oklahoma. The company began building its presence through a Saturday morning DIY call-in radio show around 2013 before expanding its marketing strategy in 2018 with a greater focus on long-term brand advertising through local radio partner Zimmer Marketing.

According to the study, 53% of consumers who had lived in the Joplin area for more than 10 years were aware of Henkle's Ace Hardware, compared to 39% among newer residents. The report argues this demonstrates why local retailers must continuously advertise as new consumers move into a market and advertising memories fade over time.

The blog post also emphasized the distinction between "creating future demand" and "converting existing demand," noting that only a small percentage of consumers are actively shopping in a category at any given time. It cited marketing effectiveness expert James Hurman, who advocates broad-reach emotional advertising to build long-term brand familiarity and positive associations.

The study found Henkle's Ace Hardware posted strong results across several brand metrics, including 47% unaided awareness, 19% ad recall, and 25% brand favorability. Among AM/FM radio listeners, aided awareness for the retailer was six percentage points higher than the overall market average.

The report concludes that Henkle's Ace Hardware demonstrates how consistent, long-term radio advertising can help local businesses remain "easy to think of and easy to buy" by building familiarity before consumers are ready to make a purchase.

Read the entire blog post here.