Advertising Information

Direct Response Advertising; Radio vs TV


Radio advertising vs. television advertising

Many new advertisers assume that they should start on radio and "move up" sometime later to TV. I find that the road is usually smoother when it is taken in the other direction. TV can usually produce more immediate calls and instant prospects than radio and that is what the new advertiser needs -- especially the new advertiser with a limited budget. Later, when TV has been producing new business for awhile, radio can be added to reach new prospects.

Radio vs. TV

Hey, I love radio. I started in this business in radio, at the University of Texas campus station, in 1963. I listen to radio for hours every day. I would love for all my clients to be on the radio. In fact, I put one of my dental clients on the radio recently, along with his TV, and he did very well with it. But...

There's a problem. My clients usually want their phones to start ringing the first time their commercial runs, and keep ringing, and ringing and ringing. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to get that kind of immediate and continuing response from radio.

That's probably because most radio listening is car listening. People hear the commercials and resolve to call later but then they forget. Also, radio is expensive. For example, in the Austin market, for what I would pay for a spot on one of the top five radio stations, I can buy three or four decent daytime TV slots. My client's cost per prospect is much lower with TV.

And television has one very important benefit that radio does not have: Every person watching television has immediate access to a phone, paper and pencil. Prospects can call while they still remember the message and the phone number. Or, they can write the number down and call later.

On the other hand radio can work very well -- and, apparently, does work (or seems to work) for many advertisers, or radio rates would not be so high.

If you have been using television for awhile, radio advertising can be a way to reach new prospects who might not know about you. And radio can be valuable for advertisers for whom the television reach is too general. They advertise on specific radio programs to target specific audiences.

But, in general, you will probably have to wait longer for the calls to come in than you would if you were using "immediate response" television to reach your prospects. Radio works well for advertisers who want to become part of the landscape and aren't so concentrated on getting immediate calls. But -- it usually takes more time, money and patience while you wait for results.

Steve Moundzouris
BigWater Media Group
http://www.bigwatermg.com


MORE RESOURCES:

TheMedGuru

Researchers: Ban on Fast Food TV Advertising Would Reverse ...
MarketWatch - 21 hours ago
The study also reports that eliminating the tax deductibility associated with television advertising would result in a reduction of childhood obesity, ...
Fast-food ad ban could cut child obesity: US study Reuters
Study: Banning fast-food TV ads could dent obesity The Associated Press
TV ads for fast food contribute to child obesity Los Angeles Times
TheMedGuru - AdAge.com (subscription)
all 264 news articles


thinkLA Honors Horizon Media's Zachary Rosenberg as Southern ...
MarketWatch - 15 hours ago
Eligibility is open to all advertising executives at agencies, media companies and public or private organizations. Nominations are reviewed by the ...


Big Three automakers curtail advertising dollars
MarketWatch - 19 hours ago
By David B. Wilkerson, MarketWatch CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- The Big Three US car manufacturers have cut their advertising spending this year in another sign ...
Nielsen: Big 3 cutting back on ad spending MarketWatch
all 7 news articles


The Inquisitr

Apptera secures $10.5 million for advertising network expansion
CNET News, CA - 22 hours ago
Apptera, a company that delivers visual and voice advertising, announced Wednesday that it secured $10.5 million in funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners ...
Apptera Secures Additional $10.5M Funding, Appoints Former Yahoo ... MarketWatch
Mobile Ad Network Apptera Earns $10.5 million in Funding Wired News
Apptera gets more funding and a former Yahoo VP on its board VentureBeat
Bizjournals.com - Digital Media Wire
all 18 news articles


McClatchy Reports October 2008 Revenues
MarketWatch - 15 hours ago
today reported that consolidated revenues in October 2008 decreased 17.8% and advertising revenues were down 20.4% compared to revenues in October 2007. ...
McClatchy October revenue falls 17.8 percent Forbes
McClatchy ad revenue drops 20% in October Bizjournals.com
No October Surprise: McClatchy Revenue Down 18% On Continued Ad ... Editor & Publisher
Sacramento Bee - Sacramento Bee
all 32 news articles


A Global Strategic Business Report on the Advertising Industry ...
MarketWatch - 16 hours ago
The global outlook series on the Advertising Industry provides a collection of statistical anecdotes, market briefs, and concise summaries of research ...


ReadWriteWeb

PC Magazine, a Flagship for Ziff Davis, Will Cease Printing a ...
New York Times, United States - 41 minutes ago
It is the latest of several magazine publishers to drop a print edition, as advertising plummets and the cost of printing a paper version rises. ...
Ziff to End a Print Edition Wall Street Journal
paidContent.org - Ziff Davis To Close Print PCMag, Focus On Online ... Washington Post
PC Magazine goes online-only The Associated Press
Marketing Pilgrim - Conde Nast Portfolio
all 131 news articles


Praebius Communications, Inc. Announces the Opening of Its Chicago ...
MarketWatch - 1 hour ago
Praebius currently inserts spotcable advertising to over 200000 households thru our newly opened office in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to the current ...


Telegraph.co.uk

paidContent.org - Life Photo Archive Goes Live On Google ...
Washington Post, United States - Nov 18, 2008
Time Inc. execs aren't commenting on advertising but I've confirmed that the deal with Google includes revenue sharing for advertising. ...
Google adds iconic Life photos to index Bizjournals.com
LIFE Posts Archive On Google; Says Blogger Infringement A Low Priority Photo District News
10 Million Rarely Seen Images from LIFE Archive Now on Google TMCnet
all 223 news articles


The Spokesman Review

Advertising stalls for Big Three automakers
www.rbr.com, Virginia - 11 hours ago
Through July 2008, the Big Three American car manufacturers (GM, Ford, and Chrysler) all showed negative advertising growth over 2007, according to Nielsen ...
Video: Automakers Testify As Hopes for Aid Falter AssociatedPress
Ad Spending By Big Three Carmakers Hits the Skids Multichannel News
google news commentComment by Gary Chaison Prof. of Industrial Relations, Clark University
Television Week
all 1,056 news articles

Advertising - Google News

home | site map
© 2006