Thursday, October 8, 2009

Major Changes in Radio (PPM) + A New "rule of Thumb" for Advertisers by The Wizzard of Ads


The PPM system signifies a major change in measuring radio (and TV). For decades, we've used a diary based system which asked panelists "what do you THINK you listen to". We believe the new electronic PPM system is a far superior measuring tool because it more accurately measures "what people REALLY listen ". It's important to note that the listening audience for each station in Calgary has not changed. What has changed is the way we measure each audience. One of my colleagues noted that this change is similar to when Canada converted from Imperial measurement to Metric. 10 degrees celcius is still as cold as 50 degrees farenheight.

The major changes are as follows

1. Reach

  • it (PPM) accounts for persons that are exposed for even 1 minute or more

  • it (PPM) will measure loyal, occasional and infrequent listeners as well as those exposed by coincidence. It will capture data from personal listeningexperience in your office, car and home, to incidental listening at a coffee shop, mall, a colleague’s office or at the dentist.
    Diary respondents report listening to stations that are part of their daily routine and seldom record second hand exposure while PPM accounts for actual exposure to a radio station

2. Daytime Performance

  • Diary data typically reports that morning and afternoon drive had the highest reach potential; however, PPM indicates that day time tuning isjust as strong.

3. Frequency

  • the average frequency for any radio station campaign will be lower when occasional and incidental listeners are part of the equation

you may find yourself asking....
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME?

For the answer, I'd like to refer to the Wizzard of Ads, Roy Williams...http://www.entrepreneur.com/advertising/adcolumnistroyhwilliams/article170166.html

  • It’s no secret that advertising isn’t working as well as it once did
  • In truth, only 11.7 percent of U.S. households are equipped with a DVR, but response to TV ads is off by far more than 11.7 percent. Broadcast radio has only lost about 4 percent of its audience over the past three years...But response to radio ads is off by far more than that. Newspaper readership peaked in 1984, and today’s number is only about 16 percent below that banner year. But the response to newspaper ads isn’t nearly what it was back then.
  • SO WHAT'S GOING ON? In a nutshell, we’ve developed mental filters to guard against hypercommunication
  • Bottom line: Meaningful messages are working better than ever, especially when the fundamental premise of your ad is clearly stated in the opening line.
  • You and I spend about a minute a day sorting the mail, right? Up until a few years ago, these six minutes each week were our only exercise in high-speed content evaluation. Now we’re spending at least six hours a week scanning search engine results, web pages and e-mail for relevant, meaningful information. These hours of practice are teaching us--and our customers--to more quickly recognize and disregard empty words.
  • If your ad delivers a meaningful message that rings true from the moment of contact, you’ll find that it works regardless of which media you choose to deliver it
  • The new rule is to say what you've got to say, and say it clean. The opening line of your ad is its most important element, so open big
  • Message relevance has become more important than repetition. (Keep in mind that I did not say repetition no longer matters.)
  • Here’s an example of an ad that closes the loopholes instead of sounding like hype:

Green Fees + Condo = $20


It’s a Myrtle Beach Miracle. No strings attached.

We want you to get to know us at Condotels, and we’re willing to lose a few bucks to make it happen.

Put yourself in our shoes. Nothing is more frustrating or more expensive than advertising that doesn’t work. So we did the math. Financially, it makes a lot more sense for us to help pay for your next golf outing than it does to pump out ads that don’t work.

So here’s the deal:4 days of golf at 3.5 and 4-star courses: Tradition Golf Club, International Club, Wachesaw Plantation East and Indigo CreekGolf from December 8 to January 25You and three friends stay three nights in a two-bedroom (four beds) two-bath condo at Golf Colony.Green fees + Condo = $20 per golfer/per dayThe total four-day/three night package price is $80 per golfer x 4 golfers: $320 total.

Want to golf between now and December 7?

This same package is only $39.50 per golfer/per day.

Here’s what we get out of it: Four people telling all their friends back home how much better it is to stay in a condo than in a hotel.

This whole thing sounds too good to be true, right?

Let us tell you what we’re up against: Four short years ago, Myrtle Beach had 73,000 rooms for rent. Today it has 92,000 rooms. Our job at Condotels is to rent out our clients’ condos when they’re not using them. And we’ve got a lot of condos to rent.

The Condotels check-in desk in open 24/7, just like a hotel, and we’re not hard to find. Just pick up your keys, and go to your condo. Do it once, and you’ll never stay in a hotel again.

Not interested in golf? Want to take the family to a luxury, oceanfront condo with a balcony overlooking the beach? Talk to us. We’re knee-deep in condos like that.

Condotels has decided to spend its ad budget serving you instead of annoying you.
Book a golf outing or beach vacation with us. Let us know it’s working.

Sincerely,
Chipper Chip Olin

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