Generation Y, Generation Me, Millenials…whatever you choose to call them, the 18-34 demographic is probably a part, if not the focus, of your target market. But despite their purchasing power, they can be difficult to reach meaningfully. Why?
One of the reasons is that Millenials are more suspicious of advertising than their baby boomer parents and traditionalist grandparents. They are skeptical of flashy ads with big claims and desire some kind of personal connection to the brands they support. It’s your job as a business to facilitate that connection.
So, what tactics and channels can you use to crack the millennial code? If the first things that come to your mind are those traditionally associated with “youth,” namely Facebook, Twitter and perhaps strategic email marketing, you’re right. Web marketing does meet millennials where they are (in front of screens.) But what about radio?
Yep, you heard me. Good old fashioned radio advertising, albeit with a millenial twist, can be a fantastic way to get the attention and affection of young people. Even in the midst of the myriad media options available to them, 92% of 18-34 year olds still tune into radio for over 12 hours every week, and when they do, they really listen. Why?
Over time, young people form connections with radio personalities who often accompany them on their way to school or work in the morning and on the way home in the afternoon. They grow to trust these radio hosts and look forward to each day’s topic of discussion. What is more, radio stations generally do a great job of cross promotion online and through social media. One local top 40 station has over 60,000 Facebook followers who regularly interact with their page, not including the followers of its radio personalities’ personal Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Simply put, radio fosters community. It also provides businesses with the ability to directly target the age and interest demographics they want to reach with more specificity than most other marketing channels. The key is to add radio into your media mix smartly by following the lead of market research and, ideally, working with marketing experts that know how to practically interpret that research.
If you are trying to get your brand in front of millenials, here are some tips for making the most out of radio:
Make radio personalities your brand advocates
Since radio hosts already share that personal connection with your young audience, capitalize on their vote of confidence for your brand or product. Whether the hosts directly endorse it in the context of regular programming or simply serve as the voice to your ad copy during commercials, a familiar voice will perk up the ears of young listeners and encourage them to give you a chance.
Make radio personalities your brand advocates
Radio stations hold numerous contests and events throughout the year. Get in on the action and sponsor one of them or go a step further and work with the station to build an event around your brand. A nice and easy way to collaborate is to provide the station with branded promotional products for them to hand out to contest finalists and such.
Be distinctive and consistent
When you’re looking to catch the attention of young people (who incidentally have pretty short attention spans), your radio spots must be concise, creative and memorable. They also have to run repetitively but not so often that the audience tires of you or tunes you out.
Easier said than done, right? This is where working with an experienced broadcast media advertising agency like Primm really comes in handy. Our creative team doesn’t just write clever individual spots and call it a day. We develop a number of ads all based on a carefully honed concept derived from your brand message. Primm has a long history of collaboration with local and national AM/FM radio stations and the knowledge you need to place your ads on the right station, in the right time slot; all in a way that fits your budget and gets results.
Would you like to add radio to your media mix? Interested in broadcast advertising in general? Call or contact Primm today. (757) 623-6234.
source: marketingprofs.com