Here We Go Again. Another DIY Radio Ad-buying "Service"

    • 993 posts
    October 24, 2013 6:14 PM PDT

    From Boston Business Journal, this story about a new ad-buying startup.
    AdBloks aims to be 1st startup to help with managing radio ads
    Sara Castellanos
    Boston Business Journal
    Date: Thursday, October 24, 2013, 8:27am EDT

    With Marlborough, Mass.-based startup AdBloks, entrepreneur Mitch Russo aims to revolutionize the advertising industry by allowing small businesses to buy and manage radio ad spots through an easy-to-use website.

    “We plan on reviving radio for small businesses,” Russo said.

    Russo founded billing and time-tracking software firm Timeslips Corp. in the mid-1980s, which was acquired by Sage North America, and was most recently the CEO of business development company Business Breakthroughs International. With AdBloks, Russo says he’s filling a need small business owners have had for years.

    Through AdBloks.com, small businesses will be able to easily shop, buy and manage radio commercials in various lengths from radio stations across the country. The website allows businesses to search for radio stations that target certain demographics. It also displays data that tracks "reach," meaning how many people hear the radio ad, and "frequency," which is how often the average person hears the commercial.

    “If you were doing this manually, you’d have to figure out where you can advertise, contact stations and arrange to get spots,” Russo said.

    The website is live now, but businesses won’t be able to purchase radio ad spots through the website until the end of the year, when Russo has finished adding radio spots for sale.

    The website also allows business owners to keep track of how much money they’ve spent on radio ads, how many radio stations are airing the ads, and budget radio ad spending on a weekly basis. Business owners can also search for professionals who write copy, edit audio files and create ads through the website.

    “It’s a CEO dashboard for small businesses to manage their radio campaigns,” he said. “There’s nothing out there that exists for businesses to monitor and track radio.”

    Russo spent millions of dollars on radio ads when he headed Business Breakthroughs International, helping him make connections in the radio advertising industry and identify the major players. Russo says he and co-founder Lonny Hallsted invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the AdBloks website up and running. Beginning in January, Russo will start soliciting funding from angel inventors and venture capital companies. That money will be used to promote AdBloks.


    Sigh.

    Does anyone here think this is actually the wave of the future? Remember a few years ago, Google tried it - and got out of the business in short order.

    I find it difficult to imagine the average small business owner doing this successfully, bypassing the guidance of his or her local radio rep. Automate our jobs? I don't think so.

    Full story here: http://m.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/startups/2013/10/startup-combines-radio-and-technology.html?r=full