Sound Answers

On March 23rd, 9 states had enacted stay-at-home orders. By April 20th, that number rose to 45. Americans are well into their 4th week of of COVID-19 related regulations - how does listener sentiment from NuVoodoo look now, compared to when it all began? 

Looking at two sets of Monday data from four weeks apart, we can see that listener sentiment has not changed much. Three in ten are turning to radio as a source of up-to-date local data, and a quarter of listeners report using radio more - both early on, and now, four weeks into the outbreak . 

Chart is interactive; click to enlarge. 

Nielsen's recently released PPM data allayed fears about radio's resilience during the stay-at-home directives that began sweeping the country in March. As we wait for the April PPM data, NuVoodoo's daily trends keep tabs on listener sentiment and show not much is changing in the way of behaviors over the passing weeks.  

For more information on NuVoodoo's tracking study

As consumer purchase behavior migrates to online platforms during current stay-at-home mandates, data from AnalyticOwl makes it easier to discern brands that could benefit from radio advertising during this time, and show what radio has been proven to do for their vertical.

AnalyticOwl already tracks the web traffic data for thousands of broadcast advertisers. Their COVID-19 Weekly Trends aggregates that web traffic to show the verticals or industries that have seen an impact in web activity since the start of pandemic related closures and quarantines.

Using the COVID trend data in combination with AnalyticOwl's radio attribution norms, which show how radio has delivered results for categories the past, Katz has developed materials to help radio sellers retain current advertisers, and prospect new clients that could benefit from radio advertising now, and post-COVID-19.

Procter & Gamble's CFO Jon Moeller:  "This is not a time to go off air."

CPG brands are in an interesting position during this pandemic, with potentially significant impact on their advertising decisions. On the one hand, certain product categories are in such high demand that brands don't feel the  need to advertise. While on the other hand, supply chain issues and product availability (or lack thereof) are causing consumers to reevaluate brand loyalty as they try new brands during this time. How should CPGs proceed? 

P&G's CFO Jon Moeller advises that now is not the time to go dark. P&G is choosing to focus on maintaining an advertising presence, to keep "mental availability" among consumers, even when product availability may be challenged.

This is playing out well for radio, as P&G continues to invest millions into the medium. With over 70,000 spots airing across their brands, P&G was the top radio advertiser by volume for the week of April 6th, according to Media Monitors data published in Inside Radio. Seven of their brands landed in the top 100 radio advertisers - Charmin, Olay, Oral-B, Vicks, Bounty, Tide and Dawn. Though down from pre-COVID levels, P&G still believes in the power of radio to keep their brands top of mind with consumers. 

For more information about P&G's plans, from The Drum

For more information about Inside Radio's perspective

In the best of days, it’s easy for media and advertising decision makers to forget that media consumers do not necessarily behave the way they do. Now, after several weeks of work-from-home mandates, with advertising decisions being made from the comfort of a home office, it can be hard to even remember what it’s like to have a daily commute. That means it’s more important than ever to remind media planners and buyers that even in the middle of a pandemic, radio still reaches people out-of-home.

According to research from Cumulus Media / Westwood One, 47% of workers who worked outside the home before COVID-19 regulations are still commuting to their jobs. That number jumps up to 60% for heavy radio listeners, those tuning in to 11+ hours of radio each week.

For advertisers reassessing their radio investment during this crisis: the biggest radio consumers, those who are most likely to hear your ad on-air in the first place, are 28% more likely to still be commuting to work than the average American.

Chart is interactive; click to enlarge.

For more information about the Cumulus Media study

Nielsen's newly released Total Audience Report serves as a quarterly media report card and a good reminder of business as usual in these unusual times. 

Radio once again reigns as America's favorite medium, used by 92% of adults each week - ahead of every other measured medium. Radio's reach is even more impressive among Hispanic adults, a virtually universal 99%. 

The Total Audience Report is powerful evidence of radio's strength. Even considering any COVID-19 related declines, radio is still coming from the strongest of positions. 

Chart is interactive; click to enlarge.

The landscape continues to evolve as some states begin taking steps to ease stay-at-home and non-essential business restrictions. The majority of Americans are still under orders to stay home, but can start to cautiously look towards the future. Marketers need to carry on reassessing and taking actions in response to local regulations. Keep updated with the links below. 

For more information on regulations by state, from the New York Times

For more information on state-by-state re-entry planning and timelines, from the Hill

For more information on updated marketer actions, from AdAge

For more information on updated grocer actions, from Grocery Dive

For more information on tracking Network TV ad counts by category, from Kantar

April 27th - Borrell - Crisis Marketing, Part III: Preparing for a 'Grand Reopening.' With a number of states' stay-at-home restrictions set to expire or be lifted, this webinar will examine survey results on what advertisers have been thinking, as well as the components of a "reopening" package that might appeal most to businesses eager to get back in the game. Register here. 

April 30th - NuVoodoo - Covering and Recovering from COVID-19. Review the latest NuVoodoo listener research on the pandemic and map out the best strategies and tactics for stations to meet the challenges ahead. Register here.

April 30th - NPR & Edison Research - Presenting their annual Smart Audio Report, this time including a look at how consumers are using their voice-enabled devices amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine measures. Register here. 

May 7th - Nielsen - Adapting Advertising to a New Normal: Insights, Trends & The Path Forward During COVID-19. Webinar will cover shifts in media consumption, learnings from previous disruptions, using measurement to prove that marketing is not discretionary, and key marketing strategy action items to ensure marketplace success
today and tomorrow. Register here.

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