Radio Matters
Despite countless evolutions in digital marketing, radio continues to be one of the most valuable promotion methods– reaching 93% of adults each week. This is the highest reach of any current available advertising medium.
A key component that emerged from the history of radio revealed that businesses still primarily rely on radio advertising. You might be surprised to learn that radio advertising originated almost a century ago when businesses of various kinds and backgrounds started using radio to reach their target audiences.
Where did this excellent marketing strategy begin, then?
Let’s investigate.
The Birth of Radio Advertising
For a long time, newspapers and word-of-mouth marketing were the two most popular forms of advertising. However, everything changed when advertising gave businesses a nearly real-time method of reaching their target audience. As they inquired about new ways to connect with their target audience, radio advertising was born.
The first official radio ad in America was designed by the WEAF group in New York for AT&T in 1922. It was the first paid radio commercial for the Hawthorne Court Apartments in Jackson Heights. During this time, they offered businesses the opportunity to appear on air for a
$50 fee. The Queensboro Corporation of New York took advantage of this promotional method to sell real estate to home buyers. Following this, AT&T announced a plan to start developing stations that would sell their airtime to interested parties.
When radio advertising began it was a fresh way for companies to reach more customers. Then at the beginning of the 20th century, advertising began to increase considerably, which brings us to the golden age of radio.
During the “golden age” of radio, roughly the late 1920s until the late 1940s, advertising agencies were undoubtedly the most significant sources of radio entertainment. During this time, countless advertisers sponsored programs, produced jingles, and paid for live ad reads on popular shows. Then with the help of technological advances, radio advertising began to transform and, by the 1940s, was ingrained into American culture.
Radio Advertising in Today’s World
Radio advertising has greatly impacted the marketing industry and how we advertise. However, many believe that radio advertising has aged and stopped being relevant. After all, there are so many different ways that you can market a company today- from social media posts to online videos. However, even if radio may not be the most creative or exciting marketing strategy available, it is undeniably one of the most significant.
New technological advances have opened the door to many more ways to listen to and interact with the radio. As radio changed over time, it became the soundtrack of daily life for many. Numerous consumers still turn to the radio as their primary news and entertainment source. We use the radio on our commutes to work and even listen to podcasts at night to settle off to sleep. Radio advertisements now feel natural to us since we’re used to hearing various voices and messages through our radio sets.
Radio still dominates various key parts of the marketing environment, even in the age of streaming content and social media. The history of radio advertising may have started several decades ago, but it’s a long way from over. Radio will continue to impact on how we communicate and advertise for years to come.
Consider Media Venue Your Radio Advertising Partner
Are you ready to reach your target audience anywhere, quickly, and more frequently?
Using radio advertising is cost-effective and an intimate way to reach your customers. Consider Media Venue your trusted partner for Radio Advertising. We’d love to discuss your business goals and identify solutions to deliver results within your budget. Contact VP Cassie Rogers to book a consultation today.
