Radio and the Internet: Powerful Complements for Advertisers

The following information comes from the Radio Ad Effectiveness Lab study published February 2007. The Radio Ad Effectiveness Lab (RAEL) is an organization made up of broadcasters, major advertisers and major advertising agencies. Their mission is to use research to get a better understanding of how Radio works, and to come up with better measurers of its actual effectiveness. 

This study includes a new Internet-based experiment conducted by Harris Interactive for the Radio Ad Effectiveness Lab. This online test showed that recall of advertising is dramatically enhanced when a mix of Radio and Internet ads are used compared to website ads alone.

Here are some of the conclusions from the study:

• Radio and the Internet connect with consumers differently, and in potentially complementary ways.
• Both reach light users of other media
• Radio can drive traffic to websites
• Radio and the Internet have unique Reach patterns, and that can make them work powerfully in combination.
• Radio is often used simultaneously with the Internet, with up to a third of internet usage being accompanied by Radio listening.
• Unaided recall for the mix of one internet and one Radio exposure was four and a half times as high as the unaided recall for two internet ads.
• A mix of Radio and Internet exposures also demonstrated clear potential to elevate other kinds of consumer impact, ranging from website visitation to emotional bonds.

Overall, the picture seems clear: Radio and the Internet can be powerful advertising complements. Whether the goal is to reach more people, or to reach them with greater impact, this particular combination of media seems to be a recipe that’s worthy of more consideration. 

You can learn more about this and other studies conducted by the Radio Ad Effectiveness Lab at www.radioadlab.org.