Friday Poll: On Which Stations Would You Run "Senior Discount Da

    • 1373 posts
    January 28, 2016 11:57 PM PST

    Happy Friday, everyone!

    Here is the context for this week's poll question:  your client, a daily advertiser on all your stations, is starting a "Senior Discount Day" on which each week, senior citizens will receive a special discount.

    He asks you to shuffle his schedule around so that special "Senior Discount" spots are run heavily on that day, but only on the station(s) that actually target seniors.

    Would you agree with this strategy, or would you suggest running the ad on your other stations also -- and why?

    Looking forward to reading your answers!

    • 12 posts
    January 29, 2016 2:42 AM PST

    First impression of that:

    As a senior/Social Security recipient, I'd think Wednesday is the best day for that, since that's when payments are made.

    Second:

    As someone who might write a check for the advertising, I think the client has an extremely valid point.  Why would one advertise a product/service designed for people like me, on a station that that the desired customer would not usually listen to?  Isn't the unique selling point of radio advertising, its connection with an audience?  If the message is not focused to that audience, then it is ultimately not useful to the client. 


    Just my .02

    • 59 posts
    January 29, 2016 6:13 AM PST

    iF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE STATION, PARTICULARLY IN A SMALLER MARKET, I THINK IT IS VERY WISE TO PUT SOME OF THOSE "SENIOR DAY" ADS ON EACH STATION.  IN OUR SMALL MARKET OUR 2 STATIONS ARE, FM  25-54 AND AM IS 55+, BUT EACH STATION SKEWS A LITTLE BIT WIDER THAN THAT.  PLUS, IF IT'S ALSO ON THE FM, A LISTENER CAN HEAR AN AD THAT MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS, UNCLES, NEIGHBORS, ETC.  

  • January 29, 2016 6:35 AM PST

    Targeting "Seniors".  I qualify as a senior in a lot of places.  How do you reach someone my age?  Classic Rock station, classic hits station and CHR station.  Don't be thinking that SENIORS are hanging out on the 50's station or classic country.  We are everywhere (ever been to a Jimmy Buffet Concert)?  

    Best day to reach me?  EVERY DAMN DAY.  PS:  I dont eat dinner at 4PM

    • 180 posts
    January 29, 2016 9:41 AM PST

    OK. This is easy.

    1. Talk radio

    2. Easy listening, MOR Lounge or Rat Pack music formats

    3. Any stations that carry weekend radio dramas or nostalgia programs.

    • 993 posts
    January 29, 2016 1:12 PM PST

    Good points, all. Since the question stems from a real situation, let me share my response:

    "...this is a bit tricky. Sometimes answering a question as asked provides a different answer from the one that's really wanted.  Let me explain.  Addressing your instructions as stated, I would schedule Senior Tuesday ads only on NewsTalk, which reaches an older demographic. But if I do so, I exclude from the equation all of the adult children of these seniors who would reasonably be expected to tell their folks, 'Hey, ___________________ now gives discounts to seniors on Tuesdays.' This is, of course, a common scenario: people tell other people about something they've heard.*

    So, my conscientious response to you is this: for my money, I would not exclude the folks who are in a position to inform and influence your senior citizen target, even though they're listening to the hits of the 80s/90s or modern country.  (And you know that I don't have a pony in this race apart from wanting you to be as successful with this as possible.)

    [I also included the following from Roy "The Wizard of Ads³" Williams:]

              Decisions are rarely made in a vacuum. Each of us is guided by co-workers and family members, neighbors and friends.  If you are normal and healthy, you maintain about 250 people in your “realm of association.” Some of these are permanent members of that realm while others will pass through your life and be replaced. But the number hovers at about 250. And guess what? Beyond their connection to you, these 250 people have little, if anything, in common. They are your personal world: the male and female, young and old, rich and poor, white-collar and blue-collar “masses” that give your life purpose and meaning.

    You are someone’s target customer. If I fail to reach you with my ads but my company is beloved by half the people in your realm of association, what’s the likelihood that you’ll hear about me?

     

    Full article here - definitely worth reading