AM/FM Radio Boosts Reach, Drives Brand Growth

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, May 27, 2025 | 1:59pm CT

Cumulus Media and Westwood One

A new blog post from Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer at Cumulus Media | Westwood One, highlights the powerful role AM/FM radio plays in building brand awareness and driving media effectiveness.

Backed by marketing science, the post emphasizes that the ultimate goal of advertising is to increase mental availability-the likelihood that a consumer will think of a brand when it matters most. Bouvard writes, "AM/FM radio's significant reach helps advertisers grow mental availability and create positive brand memories."

Citing leading marketing thinkers Les Binet and Sarah Carter, the blog underscores that brands with high mental availability tend to gain larger market shares and enjoy better margins. "Go for reach, rather than frequency," they advise. "Reach as many category buyers as possible."

According to Nielsen, AM/FM radio is the top mass reach medium in the U.S. among adults 25-54-and surprisingly, also ranks first among 18-34s, ahead of platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. The blog outlines how adding AM/FM radio to social or video media campaigns delivers sizable reach gains:

• 25% rise in reach to Facebook
• 55% increase to Instagram
• 2x reach to TikTok
• 38% boost when paired with YouTube

Moreover, data from Edison's "Share of Ear" study shows that AM/FM radio dramatically increases overall audio reach, far surpassing digital audio alone.

Even when integrated with TV, AM/FM radio proves its value. In one case, Nielsen Media Impact found that a consumer packaged goods brand's TV reach jumped by 51% overall when AM/FM radio was included. Among 18-24s, the lift was threefold.

A pharmaceutical brand experienced similar benefits. When 10% of its media budget was allocated to AM/FM radio, total campaign reach rose from 38% to 50%-without increasing spend.

Bouvard concludes, "A media plan is not complete without AM/FM radio. Its unmatched reach makes your entire media strategy work harder."