This is the era of social media, smart phones and live streaming. So, when it comes to marketing your brand or rolling out a public relation (PR) campaign, where does the radio stand? It is a relevant question, because there is still a feeling among certain sections that radio is completely archaic while the actual fact is that this medium is loaded with many positives and possibilities compared to other communication channels in terms of generating positive PR
Radio – The Survivor
Media-watchers after witnessing the stunning penetration of television channels, decades ago, had prophesied the imminent death of the humble radio. They felt that radio was no match to the moving pictures. Besides television, the once rising fortunes of radio were also negated since threats came in the forms of personal video recorders and digital compact discs. These developments and the closure of many leading radio-making companies lent credence to the voice of doomsayers. But much to the surprise of everyone the rugged medium which had withstood the unfavorable winds many a time in the past adapted itself to the tastes of a new generation of listeners. It also embraced new technologies to emerge from the shadow. Radio – the ultimate survivor – in fact makes for one of the biggest come-back stories in the modern era.
Radio Today
Figures do not lie but liars do figure, Mark Twain remarked once. If anyone thinks that radio is not in sync with modern times, she or he only needs to look at the EY-FICCI Report: A Billion Screens of Opportunity. According to the report, Broadcast Radio (AM) reaches a staggering 99% of the Indian population while FM Radio has a reach of 65%. In the year 2018 alone, 47 new radio stations were operationalised across 35 Indian cities taking the total number to 386 radio stations in the country. It does not end there. India has over 180 community radio stations which broadcast programmes in languages like Bundelkjhandi, Garhwali, Awadhi and Santhali which find very little or virtually no room in television programmes. That is indeed huge and reason enough why this often-underestimated medium should be explored to the fullest to market your brand and for generating PR-connect with the masses cutting across regions, languages and other factors that in general hinder vertical and horizontal communication.
Radio Connects All
Radio has the potential and power to unite millions of people in different parts of the country. It is highly interactive and hyper-local by nature. What is more, it does not exact a price from its audience. It also encompasses the barrier linked to literacy since even the unlettered persons can listen to the programmes absorbing news and information in the process. Production cost of content is also low compared to producing visuals. Some studies indicate that radio content production costs only one-tenth of the visual content production cost and experts attribute this as the key factor that enables cheap broadcasting in diverse forms. The EY-FICCCI corroborates that coupled with the expansion to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, FM radio with its diverse content catering to varied listener interests is bound to make further inroads and it would be driven by local advertising revenues from SME and retail sectors.
Radio is Credible
Emergence of social media platforms, no doubt, has hyper-localized the content. However, they have also brought in the new menace of fake news. In the rat race to grab eyeballs, even TV channels tend to exaggerate news these days which is a very unhealthy trend which if not discouraged can do more harm to the society. This is where the credibility factor looms large. Radio, luckily and to a great extent, is free from bias and because the information it delivers is crisp and straight-forward and credible. Radio also helps in the retention of audiences’ attention for longer duration unlike the visual media where the headlines and pictures often end up distracting one’s attention. Radio is also competing very well in the digital space and allows listeners to tune into their favorite shows online. It is also fighting bravely in the podcast battleground with its content-centric communication which is an ideal mix of engaging content and subtle and seamless incorporation of advertisements.
Radio in Times of Covid-19
Like any other sector, the fortunes of radio too were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the first half of 2020, its advertisement volumes had declined by a whopping 42% on a year-on-year basis. Like other sectors, radio revenue too is yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels. Still, the good news is that it has recovered and rebounded dramatically compared to other sectors. AdEx data, a division of TAM Media Research, shows growing advertising volumes on radio at 22% on year between January and June this year. According to AdEx data, June 2021 registered a 95% month-on-month in radio ad volumes with Gujarat topping the growth chart at 21% share of ad volumes followed by Maharashtra at 16%. The AdEx data, however, acknowledges that the number of categories, advertisers and brands remained lower in the first half of 2021. In terms of categories, the service sector continues its domination contributing 26% of total ad volumes followed by food and beverages at 14%. Further, properties and real estate were among the categories that saw the highest increase in ad volumes with a growth of 51% in the first half of 2021 compared to 2020. It is estimated that over 3,000 exclusive advertisers over 3,900 exclusive brands advertised during January to June 2021 compared to 2020. Now that the economy is coming back to pre-pandemic levels, it is only time radio regained its lost ground. The recovery process has already started. So, stay tuned to catch the excitement and do not miss the opportunity to make your presence felt through radio, of course!
Catch them Young on Radio
India with its 1.3 billion people makes for the second most populous country in the world. With an average age of 29, the country also has one of the youngest populations globally. India is also home to a fifth of the world’s youth demographic and this population advantage, experts observe, would play a critical role in achieving the nation’s ambitious target of $ 5 trillion economy. Does this have any relevance to the topic being discussed here? Certainly yes! Reading it along with Spotify’s Culture Next Trends for 2021 which says that a majority of millennials (those born in the 1980s to 1996) and Generation Z (those born after 1997 till early 2010s) users in India are relying on audio to beat stress, then you will know the connection. The report further confirms that both age groups find audio content more reliable because about 48% repose their trust on podcasts which is way higher compared to the trust that traditional media sources earn. The study further notes that 87% of millennials and 77% Gen Z use audio to reduce stress levels while 84% of the former sees audio as a mental health resource. Are these numbers not reason enough for you to use radio as a tool for your brand communication?
Change Bandwidth, Switch to Radio
Advertisers are always on the look-out for fresh avenues to engage with their customers. Print and visual media platforms traditionally have been offering great space for advertisement and brand communication. Nowadays, companies are also using social media platforms to connect with customers because they help advertisers with specific metrics to measure impact. Then, the social media platform space is also way cheaper compared to conventional platforms like print or visual media. In this wrangling between print, visual and social media, one often misses the tremendous and exciting communication opportunities that radio throws up. Like social media, advertisement impact can be measured in radio too and the tariff radio offers is much lower than the print or visual media advertisement tariff. So, the bottom-line is clear: It is time to change the bandwidth and switch to radio to deepen your PR-connect. For, PR being public relation, there is no greater medium than radio that connects with the public in an efficient and meaningful manner. Let people feel your brand’s presence in vividh bharati through radio, of course!