Valentine's Day radio spots target the heart
A discussion of the most-played radio commercials in the past seven days, as heard on top-rated radio stations in the United States and Canada as charted by Media Monitors.
CUPID'S CASH REGISTER was ringing up Valentine's Day radio spots last week as Jared the Galleria of Jewelry (#6 National) was the dominant coast-to-coast advertiser promoting holiday gifts, running more than 10,600 radio spots across many major markets. Just below the Spot Ten National chart were jewelers Shane Company (#12 National) and Kay Jewelers (#16 National). Also Hallmark card stores (#15 National), Vermont Teddy Bear (#40 National), and Walgreens drug stores (#42 National), with their own gentle gift reminders. In a number of markets, one or more jewelry stores used radio heavily as a holiday gift tie-in. For example, on the Spot Ten Detroit, for example, JB Robinson Jewelers (#5 Detroit) ran just over 500 radio spots on multiple stations in the past 7 days.
ONLINE FLORISTS blanketed radio far more than local or traditional flower shops. On this week's special Spot Ten Flowers chart, the most prolific users of radio spots to promote Valentine's Day gifting were 1-800-Flowers.com (#1 Flowers), airing just over 3,200 radio spots in multiple major markets, while rival ProFlowers.com (#2 Flowers) ran about 2,400 spots nationally, each with very different business models. 1-800-Flowers utilizes the FTD florist nearest your significant other to make their delivery, while ProFlowers ships direct from their partner growers in Ecuador and Columbia (roses), Central America (sweetheart roses), Peruvian lilies (Peru), plus "regular" lilies and sunflowers, tulips, daisies (Northern California). However, there is a wide opening for other national floral advertisers, because positions #3 through #10 on the Spot Ten Flowers chart are retailers advertising in single markets only, specifically Detroit (#3 and #5) as well as Baltimore, Rochester and Buffalo (NY), Phoenix, Columbus, and Chicago, respectively. To give a perspective into how much other radio spot advertising occurred last week, 1-800-Flowers.com ranked #56 and ProFlowers.com ranked #86 among all national advertisers.
I WANT CANDY: In the candy and mints category, See's Candies online (www.sees.com) aired over 1,100 radio commercials in multiple markets promoting their Valentine's Day gift ideas, five times more spots than Russell Stover chocolates during the same period last week.
OLYMPICS VS...EVERYTHING ELSE ON TV: Last week's Spot Ten National chart also shows the NBC TV Network (#2) and ABC TV Network (#4) running almost neck and neck (about 15,000 versus 14,000 spots respectively) last week in major cities. While NBC is using every one of their radio spots to promote their 2-week long coverage of the Winter Olympics, ABC is the only network heavily counter-promoting their own programming, notably Desperate Housewives, Lost, Gray's Anatomy, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and the NBA Sunday basketball game of the week. Further down the national list are Fox TV (#34), UPN (#55), and the CBS TV Network (#67), all far behind NBC and ABC but still each airing more than 2,000 spots nationally on local radio stations last week.
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