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Regional appeal stations. Now, according to the World Cindy Diamond, Sales Director for Radio Association of Community Broadcasters at Johannesburg-based advertising sales and the United Nations, there are more and promotions company Mediamark, than 300 radio stations in Mali alone, says the deregulation of radio in South a country that despite being perceived Africa 20 years ago had a lot to do with as relatively undeveloped has one of the growth in regional stations. She notes: the most diverse radio systems on the “At that time, we saw new life injected continent. The only country that has not into radio as former SABC regional seen a rise in community radio stations is stations were privatised and sold off to Zimbabwe, which has no independent or commercial players. It was the birth of a regional stations. more dynamic media industry, thanks to The advent of the regional radio the investments commercial players made station is giving many people in poorer in radio brands and talent at the time.” or more rural communities across the But this is not just a South African continent access to information, news, The advent of regional radio has been a key factor in maintaining the phenomenon. In 1985, the entire African entertainment and music. Many broadcast relevance of the medium continent had only 10 independent in local languages, making them RESEARCH INDICATES THAT DIGITAL ISN’T KILLING THE RADIO STAR Despite the growing impetus of end of the market – although all social media as a viable advertising provided positive return.” medium, the international Nielsen On average, radio drove research organisation has published 5,8% of total sales across the a glowing report on the continuing 10 brands, although the actual effectiveness of radio advertising. percentages differed by product Entitled ‘For Advertisers, Radio category: retailers were at the Is Worth Listening To’, the April high end and soft drinks were at 2014 study notes that “today, radio the low end. Among the brands, is a powerful way for companies a mass retailer experienced the and brands to engage with highest contribution to total consumers”, and goes on to say brand sales at 15,1%. that the researchers: “found a direct Unsurprisingly, the researchers link between radio advertising found that radio advertisements and brick-and-mortar retail sales – were more effective when they evidence that money spent on radio had been heard recently, but that is money well spent”. their effectiveness diminished The research was conducted in with time. “In addition to proving late 2013 and monitored 14 000 US to be strong sales generators, households that had both exposure radio ads deliver the goods to radio and purchased selected quickly. In fact, the study found supermarket products. Researchers that radio had an immediate then looked at the impact of specific study found that advertisers gained impact in delivering a powerful ad campaigns across 10 brands – an average US$6 return for every sales lift when the audience eight consumer packaged goods US$1 spent, it identified significantly heard the ad within a few days (CPG) brands and two retail brands. different returns across categories,” of purchase,” Nielsen noted. According to Nielsen, the the study says. “Notably, the two “A consumer exposed to an ad research found that each dollar of retailers generated more than 10 within one day of purchasing ad spend on radio generated an and 23 times the return at the higher increased the brand share by 9%, average sales return of US$6 from end of the market, while a soft drink while messages delivered 28 days the listeners in the 28 days after brand and breakfast bar pulled in prior to purchase only increased they heard the ads. “While the less than twice the return at the low share by 3,4%.” Third quarter 2014 strategicmarketingafrica 17 14-19 Radio v4.indd 41 2014/06/26 12:00 PM