As a broadcast medium, radio can be accessed anywhere, anytime by anybody. It's up to the minute, up to date and up to you. Without research, the industry would have little idea as to the extent of radio consumption.

Radio uses research primarily to: provide relevant information to advertisers and their agencies so that they, like all product or service users, are able to ascertain exactly what they get for their money; determine the extent, time and place of radio listening by all target audiences and; assess the patterns of listening so station's can improve the product for their listeners.

Strengths of Radio:

• Radio reaches virtually everyone in many environments – at home, in the office, car or even while surfing the Internet.  No matter where people are, radio is there.
• Radio cuts through – it is the medium that people spend most time with through out the day, providing ample opportunity for a message to reach its audience.  People carry out a wide range of activities while simultaneously listening to the radio.
• An anywhere, anytime medium – given radio’s portability, advertisers have the opportunity to reach people on the go, giving them an edge over competitors.  The accessibility of radio enables listening to occur in places that other media may have difficulty reaching, for example you shouldn’t read a newspaper or magazine whilst driving, or watch the television in the shower!
• Targeting – radio allows messages to be tailored and localised to each audience.  Advertisers can target their message to specific demographics and communities, geographic areas, and around events and genres in a market; therefore reducing wasted advertising messages.
• Pulse of the community – people listen to the radio to find out what is happening in their community such as special events, news, traffic updates, weather reports, sport, entertainment etc.  It’s more local than global….the traffic is jammed or the bridge is closed.
• Consistent all year round – radio does not have a noticeable summer audience decline.
• Influential – influences consumers closest to the time of purchase.  Radio is the medium to build top-of-mind awareness.
• Cost Effective – radio offers reach, frequency, impact and economical advertising solutions for advertisers in media value and production solutions.
• Flexibility – urgent, immediate and flexible – radio commercials can be created quickly without the production and delays of other media.  Copy can be produced and revised at short notice.
• Strong call-to-action – radio commercials can be selectively scheduled by day-part and weekday, enabling messages to be delivered close to purchase.  Listeners can act on an advertisers message and participate in station competitions.
• A competitive medium – the growth of national talk and music station networks and growth in off-air promotions has made radio more attractive to national advertisers, and more competitive with national media.  Radio can localise a national or even global issue.

The Creativity of Radio

Radio is the medium of the spoken word. It is the quickest and most comprehensive form of communication that allows advertisers to speak on a one-to-one level with their target audience.

Segmentation of Creative

• Radio commercials can be created in a variety of styles.  Creative can be changed on virtually a day-to-day basis to match consumer response.  News messages can be changed from minute to minute – telling listeners what is happening as it happens!
• Different creative can be prepared for various times of the day, reflecting the consumer’s mood and frame of mind.
• Radio commercials can evoke visual images in the minds of listeners
• Radio commercials can be tailored with a base ad and local content inserted – cost effectively
• High quality creative – low production cost allows more money to be spent on advertising impact, locally if relevant.

Click on the following links to find out more about using radio creatively.

Eardrum Tips on Effective Creative - PDF  [78KB]
Eardrum Tips on Effective Creative - Writing for Radio; Cast Creatively; and Use a Radio Director

Live Reads - PDF [24KB]
When to use them, when not to use them and how best to use them

The following is a list of useful books related to radio advertising:

Effective Radio Advertising - A Guide to Winning Customers with Targeted Campaigns and Creative Commercials
by Marc G. Weinberger, Leland Campbell and Beth Brody.
Published by Lexington Books (Maxwell Macmillan Canada in Toronto).
This book, which includes a CD, looks at case studies and also divides products in the following categories: high-risk tools, high-risk toys, low-risk tools and low-risk treats.

The Wizard of Ads and Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads
by Roy Williams.
These are very good creative books that focus on radio. They can be ordererd at www.WizardofAds.com

Radio Advertising 101.5
by Bill West and Jim Conlan.
Published by Streamline Press.
The authors, from a radio creative house called Raio Works in Texas, have written this step-by-step guide to creating better radio advertising. It also includes a CD.

Radio's Missing Ingredient: The Optimum Effective Scheduling System
by Steve Marx and Pierre Bouvard.
Published through the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in Washington.
This book helps advertisers help a radio campaign.

There is no doubt that radio is a very effective advertising medium. Like other media, an advertiser should consider the ways in which the medium is consumed  in relation to the campaign objectives.

People spend more time listening to radio than consuming any other media. Listeners are extremely loyal to their particular radio station. About one third of of an individual station's audience never listen to any other station and most people listen to one or two stations.

This creates a strong relationship between a listener and a radio station. An advertiser has an opportunity, here, to piggy-back on that existing relationship with their own brand. It's important that an advertiser doesn't abuse this relationship by playing the same advertising message repeatedly.

The relationship with a listener gives advertisers an opportunity to 'have a chat' rather than 'preach'. Advertisers should treat a listener with respect and change the messages to suit the time of day, the day of the week, the lifestyle of the target audience and other factors that come into marketing and advertising strategies. It is easy to do this with radio as production costs are very economical.

Radio is a lifestyle thing. Advertisers should think of the target audience, what they are doing, where they are and how best they can communicate.

Building Your Business with Radio - PDF [323KB]
Step by step guide to creating your advertising campaign. Find out: Why you should advertise on radio; Why you need radio; How to plan your radio campaign; and How to assess your campaign results.

To advertise on BayFM, contact our Sales Team on 03 5229 2939 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Nationally, BayFM is represented be The Radio Sales Network. When it comes to a national campaign on radio, nobody works harder for you than TRSN. Contact them today via:

TRSN Melbourne - Michael Brennan
General Manager
Suite 6, Lvl 2, 450 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004