RBR exclusive Part 2:
Details from Interep's roundtable with radio and agency execs
Last Friday (2/25 RBR #40), we outlined the findings of the dialogue between radio and ad agency execs with our RBR observation: If radio doesn't brand itself as a local medium - - community involvement - - as teenagers grow up, they are going to find other avenues to depend on when something local happens in their community. The answer for now is to get local. More local ad reads from the air staff. Local DJs. Local flavor. Local bands. Local content. Local interest. Local partnerships. Local identity. Local events. Locally programmed. Back to basics.
Findings on - Commercial Clutter:
Many agency representatives expressed concern that during long commercial pod breaks, listeners tune out, which does not serve the needs of their advertisers. One participant said that with clients' growing concern over accountability, much more research on the impact of pod positioning will be required.
[As Stu Naar, EVP/Interep Research, points out, the best research regarding the impact of pod length on listening will be the adoption of the PPM. The PPM will show listening on a real-time basis, including the tune out before and after commercials. If, or more likely when, the PPM is rolled out, we are likely to see a much more integrated programming approach to commercial placement.]
It was also pointed out that good creative, and particularly good creative that corresponds to the lifestyle of a format's listeners, can greatly impact the negative or positive perceptions of commercials, and hence, what is defined as clutter. One man's annoyance is another man's entertainment. [It was suggested that radio should enhance its award program for creatives to encourage better radio copywriting.]
On the topic of "Less is More," agency representatives said it is too early to determine its effects on either listeners (i.e. ratings) or advertisers' perceptions of radio. Many of the agency representatives present said that the backlash against "Less is More" had to do with the questionable way that Clear Channel rolled it out to agencies, particularly as it related to pricing policies.
Tomorrow: Opportunities with Digital Radio
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