I have always heard clients say none of their customers mentioned hearing the radio ad. They question if radio works.
I like to counter with how often this business owner tells business owners of businesses they buy from that the radio commercial got them there.
Then I like to use my Dad's real life example. Managing a secular bookstore that also carried religious books and church supplies, my Dad used radio exclusively. After nobody ever mentioned radio he figured the ads weren't working. He stopped advertising and saw sales tank by 11%. When the home office phoned to see what the problem was, he resumed the advertising on his chosen stations and within a month sales were back. He never could attribute one customer or one single purchase to the radio ads.
Too often we get caught up in the symptom versus the cure. It's not if people mention the ad, it's the cash register receipts that matter.
So, why does radio lose the battle print and other media seem to win? The answer is simple. Other media options require all the senses. It's pretty tough to browse the internet, watch TV or read a newspaper while driving the car or working your job but you do that every day with radio. In fact radio goes where no other media option does. Radio not only works alone but it bolsters all the other media option results by reinforcing the message. And it does this all for less money.
