RAEL STUDY: RADIO-INTERNET MIX CAN IMPROVE WEBSITE TRAFFIC, EMOTIONAL BONDS

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According to just-released research from the Radio Ad Effectiveness Lab (RAEL), recall of advertising is dramatically enhanced when a mix of radio and Internet ads is used together compared to website ads alone. Conducted by Harris Interactive, the new study was released at RAB'07 in Dallas.

"Radio and the Internet: Powerful Complements for Advertisers" demonstrated that unaided recall was 4 1/2 times higher and aided recall was more than twice as high with consumer exposure to one radio and one Internet ad compared to two Internet ads alone. Furthermore, a mix of radio and Internet exposures revealed a clear potential to elevate other kinds of consumer impact, ranging from website visitation to emotional bonds.

"Radio and the Internet" closely examined two test cells: one with two exposures to an Internet ad and one with exposure to one Internet ad and one corresponding radio ad. The ads used in the test came from eight actual campaigns in a wide variety of product categories.

Before delving into the test, the study examined existing data about radio and Internet advertising to determine how the two media are likely to intersect. Several key points on how radio and the Internet might work well together in a media mix emerged:

• Both radio and the Internet reach light users of other media.
• Radio and the Internet connect with consumers differently and in potentially complementary ways.
• Radio can drive traffic to websites.
• Radio and the Internet have unique reach patterns, and that can make them work powerfully in combination. On a daily basis, radio and the Internet together reach 83% of the 18-54-year-old population.
• Consumers often use radio and the Internet simultaneously, with up to a third of Internet usage being accompanied by radio listening during some times of the day.

"Media consumption continues to proliferate, and advertisers are challenged to impact consumers in this new landscape," said Universal McCann VP & Dir./Research and RAEL Research Committee member Michael Orgera. "With so many media choices and so many ad messages, it is increasingly more difficult to have an effect on the consumer, even when you do reach him. Understanding how radio and the Internet together can significantly boost advertising attention levels is a tremendous advantage when creating a multi-platform campaign."

"Radio and the Internet: Powerful Complements for Advertisers" is part of the larger RAEL project, "Radio and the Consumer’s Mind: How Radio Works." The full report is available here.

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