If local radio could offer an over-the-air zoned advertising product like local TV stations can, would ad buyers care? Absolutely yes, according to a recent survey by BIA and Advertiser Perceptions.
In fact, not only do advertisers like OTA geotargeting, if it was available it might encourage them to buy more local radio advertising if stations could offer a zoned ad product. (Hear more of what Radio advertisers think about geotargeting during a free webinar March 24.)
These findings come from two recently fielded, independently funded surveys from BIA Advisory Services and Advertiser Perceptions. The goal was to quantify the demand for geotargeted advertising from “Main Street” local radio buyers, as well as “Madison Avenue” national agencies and brands, as well as assess whether local Radio buyers want this capability for radio.
Local radio stations are the last major medium that cannot offer a geotargeted ad service. Local TV stations are allowed to do this by the FCC but FCC rules prohibit local radio stations from broadcasting zoned content including geofenced advertising.
But if radio rules changed at the FCC, this could provide a welcome tailwind for the industry. In BIA’s survey of local radio buyers, we found that over half (54.6 percent) of local advertisers are “very interested” in having access to over-the-air zoned radio advertising capabilities.
Join BIA and Advertiser Perceptions on March 24th at 2pm EDT for a discussion of this research with agency executives. You’ll get more details from this research and hear the perspective from leading agency executives.
The webinar will feature BIA’s Rick Ducey and Advertiser Perceptions’ Justin Fromm who will highlight the Main Street and Madison Avenue research. They are joined by Kathy Doyle, EVP Local Investment from MAGNA Global and George Leon, Chief Strategy Officer, Hawthorne Advertising who will explain why they think zoned radio ads would be valuable to their clients.
