Billion-Dollar Businesses That Know the Power of Radio.
The only thing Quentin Tarantino - director of Pulp Fiction, the Kill Bills, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and many others - loves more than making movies is probably watching them, as he’s a well-known fiend for his craft.
Know what all that watching leads to? Much more than motivation. Try stealing. No, really, theft - it’s even his words!
Excellence and dominance don’t have to be entirely original. And “original” doesn’t have to be entirely free of exterior basis or inspiration (anyone who knows movies will almost assuredly admit Tarantino has a style, a voice unlike anyone else - even if they personally dislike his films).
In the business world, this same wisdom applies. Now, because of the much more confined nature of the advertising realm, unabashed “stealing” is a much-bigger “no-no.” However, using what both your competitors, and businesses much larger than your operation use, is an exceptional idea.
Think about the phrase “beat them at their own game”. Why that can be advantageous is that you get to study it as an outsider. Fresher perspective, greener eyes (think about how common it is for musical acts to cover songs - it’s because, well, sorry for the blunt speak, but it’s easier than creating).
In this piece, we’re looking big, diving into why enormous companies rely so heavily on one particular medium to advertise - radio. On top of that, we’re going to lay out the best takeaways to benefit you and your business, regardless of its size.
Radio’s dead? No one listens any more? Tell that to these three massive operations.
Procter & Gamble (Parent Company)
Based on the number of radio spots aired, the $330-billion consumer goods company stood above all competition for 2021. Its 9,097, 535 advertisements would spread the word for Luvs and Pampers, Downy and Tide, Gillette and Herbal Essences, and dozens of other household brands.
They are a business titan, fully aware of the dangers brought on by skimping on radio and its incredible ability to reach people.
Procter & Gamble sells billions of products a year to families or aspiring families, and this radio spot is a masterfully comedic way to compel the latter to buy their product. Enjoy.
Stork - Procter & Gamble
What to Learn
Lightly satirizing what the masses are into is a golden ticket to comedic success. One has to presume that, of the hundreds of millions of Procter & Gamble customers, a huge chunk also enjoy those nature programs that populate television stations and streaming platforms galore.
This pre-established popularity guarantees that P&Gs ad won’t confuse people as it gets going - because if you confuse, you lose, and that adage is especially perilous when attempting comedy, satire, or old fashioned wit.
Indeed
The job listing website’s 2,532,634 radio advertisements may appear to pale in comparison to Procter & Gamble’s 9+ million. However, when accounting for P&G being a parent company with dozens of subsidiaries (companies it owns), and Indeed being its own account, the latter probably takes the cake in terms of radio commitment.
What to Learn
Some may (wrongly) dismiss radio as ineffective because it’s simple. The reality is that it’s effective because it’s simple. Think about the format of what you just heard. How jumbled would it be if the same exact ad was played out but on a television screen?
Radio lets you be creative in a truly unique way, and because the end result is strictly audio, it makes it something every other medium wishes it could be - intrusive.
While discussing simplicity, it would be foolish not to highlight the greatest form of it in radio - the production. Why does it matter that the only requirements are a good script, good voice talent, and a recording studio? Because it saves boatloads of cash while still achieving superior reach to the consumers who want and need what you’re offering.
Progressive Insurance
Helping insure homes and automobiles for over a century, the $81 billion behemoth has kept radio advertising in its toolbelt almost as long as it’s been around.
If not accounting for the U.S. government, Progressive Insurance slides in right behind Indeed for most radio instances. This following ad is exemplary, as evidenced by its 110,000 views despite being just two years old (so how many hundreds of thousands of listened do you think it netted?!)
What to Learn
A brief preface; the insurance industry has long been heavily reliant on radio for one key reason. See, stakes, risk, and danger are hallmark calling cards of advertising. Fortunately for radio, they can be conveyed really efficiently, with little being required to present a scenario or character to which most listeners can relate.
Now, Progressive almost always accomplishes that, on top of something unique. They utilize humor, and they stand out. Their ads often grab you, stop you in your tracks, even if you don’t know what the heck is happening. That quality is arguably the most important one in all advertising. Can you be intrusive and engaging enough to alter a consumer’s attention, in an age where it is unprecedentedly difficult?
The Best Radio Advertising in Boise
We do believe in studying the greats, and we thrive in channeling what’s worked so well for them into our local businesses.
And it’s paid dividends, with Iliad Media Group becoming #1 in ratings for the Treasure Valley 7 years running. Our smart, fun and caring team will ensure the message you want heard gets widely received. Then, voila! Upped business sales, as you down the competition. Let’s talk, and make your presence felt on the best radio stations in Boise.
