DMR/Interactive Says Radio Set to Accelerate Momentum

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, April 28, 2022

DMR Interactive

Following a successful NAB Show, radio looks to continue the momentum heading into summer, especially with Nielsen rolling out PPM Wearables starting April 28 with the May PPM monthly. Additionally, radio's core audience of employed consumers with money to spend are preparing to enjoy the unrestricted return of concerts, festivals, live events and travel.

"How much can Americans fit into 100 days of summer? We're about to find out," said DMR/Interactive President and COO Andrew Curran. "Radio stations are well positioned to help listeners and advertisers make the most of it."

With a strategic focus on first-party audience data across markets and formats, DMR/Interactive has identified several important trends that radio stations can leverage heading into summer.

P1s Telling Friends and Co-Workers about their Favorite Station
Across demos and formats, audience acquisition and engagement are essential components to radio's success. "When it comes to generating awareness that converts to daily cume, Word of Mouth marketing by your station's Super-Fans and Amplifiers beats a computer algorithm every time. Not only do these efforts increase listening, but each time a listener invites someone new to your station, it deepens their own connection to your brand," said DMR/Interactive VP of Marketing Strategy Tony Bannon.

Heavy Listeners Are Ready to Win the Day
According to contest entry data from both group and local contests, morning appointment listening times as early as 7am are consistently the most popular choice and regularly generate the most entries. "It's hard to have a bad day at work, when you start the day winning money with your favorite station," added Bannon. Despite the challenges that can accompany leaving the house on-time, especially on school mornings, this insight reflects the ongoing importance of both the commute and employed listening.

Households With Kids Are Underrepresented in PPM Samples
With the ongoing challenges faced by parents in general and moms in particular since the pandemic, getting a 6-year-old boy or a 13-year-old girl to wear a meter to school, not to mention turning their homework in on-time is more than many moms and dads want to deal with. As a result, households with kids are weighted up across markets. With the move to PPM Wearables, it should help with the recruitment and retention of households with kids.

Discipline is Critical to Executing OTT and Digital Ad Campaigns
Just like a baseball player waiting for his pitch, getting results with OTT and digital ad campaigns requires a disciplined approach. According to Andrew Curran, "Anybody can look good in batting practice, but when it comes to placing OTT and digital campaigns, the impressions, clicks and video views you don't bid on are as important as the ones that you win."

There are any number of ways to inadvertently water down your targeting and misallocate campaign budgets, especially in pursuit of a mythical magic bullet. Curran continued, "Don't confuse reaching any audience with engaging the right audience." OTT and digital campaigns are powerful cume building platforms that DMR/Interactive utilizes to generate meaningful brand awareness and help stations own a strategic image in the minds of heavy listeners.

TikTok is Helping Connect a New Generation to Radio
Air talent are becoming TikTok influencers and they are sharing the power of radio with Gen Z and beyond. Reimagine your request line with key words, take people behind the scenes at your station to showcase the magic of radio and most importantly have fun. Not sure where to begin with TikTok? Email TikTok@dmrinteractive.com and we'll share specific insights according to the familiarity and comfort level of your team, whether they are beginners, influencers or somewhere in between.