-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Why does radio not cater to 55+?
- Thread starter wellander
- Start date
It's a great question because that demo has tons of disposable income. Problem is the buyers believe that their brand loyalty has long since been set. by the time one reaches about 45 - decided to drink Budweiser, Diet Coke, drive a Chevy, shop at Walmart - they'll never change. As a result, the big money radio spenders don't buy older demos.
Radio has to cater to the money - not the size of the audience. I remember a beautiful music station in North Carolina that in the early 1980 had a 12 share of the audience, but only did about six percent of the business. They changed formats to AC, got a 6 share of the audience, but the billing went to a 10% market share.
If you own the station, which one to you choose?
Honestly, it should change as the baby boom generation retires. They are more active, more contemporary people - as they say, 50 is the new 30. The advertiser and broadcaster who wakes up first will reap the rewards!!!
Radio has to cater to the money - not the size of the audience. I remember a beautiful music station in North Carolina that in the early 1980 had a 12 share of the audience, but only did about six percent of the business. They changed formats to AC, got a 6 share of the audience, but the billing went to a 10% market share.
If you own the station, which one to you choose?
Honestly, it should change as the baby boom generation retires. They are more active, more contemporary people - as they say, 50 is the new 30. The advertiser and broadcaster who wakes up first will reap the rewards!!!
I'm "55+" and listen to a lot of talk radio...you can bet I hear commercials aimed at me, even if advertisers aren't directing them my way.
Problem is the 30 year old media buyer and ad exec truly believes you do not respond to them. All the beers, soft drings, fast food restaurants, and chain clothing stores - the people who spend the largest amounts of money on advertising on radio and TV could care less about you!
Listen, I'm 60 and they don't care about me either! About the only category that cares about the 55+ demo are high-end auto dealers and travel agencies. And travel agencies get so much free advertising by offering trips to stations as promotions they don't pay for advertising.
It is sad, but true.
Listen, I'm 60 and they don't care about me either! About the only category that cares about the 55+ demo are high-end auto dealers and travel agencies. And travel agencies get so much free advertising by offering trips to stations as promotions they don't pay for advertising.
It is sad, but true.
"Problem is the 30 year old media buyer and ad exec truly believes you do not respond to them."
It's the advertiser who determines what demos to reach, not the media buyer.
"I'm "55+" and listen to a lot of talk radio...you can bet I hear commercials aimed at me, even if advertisers aren't directing them my way."
Talk is by far the most listened to format 55+ and especially 65+. And many of those ads are directed at you. There are advertisers who want to reach those demos, and talk is where they advertise.
"there are younger people who like the same music that the 55+ likes."
That's very true... The favorite music format 55+ is adult contemporary, followed by country. Oldies does well among those in their 50s, not as well 65+.
Adult standards has very few listeners 55-64, and even 65+ adult contemporary and country both have twice the share of standards.
It's the advertiser who determines what demos to reach, not the media buyer.
"I'm "55+" and listen to a lot of talk radio...you can bet I hear commercials aimed at me, even if advertisers aren't directing them my way."
Talk is by far the most listened to format 55+ and especially 65+. And many of those ads are directed at you. There are advertisers who want to reach those demos, and talk is where they advertise.
"there are younger people who like the same music that the 55+ likes."
That's very true... The favorite music format 55+ is adult contemporary, followed by country. Oldies does well among those in their 50s, not as well 65+.
Adult standards has very few listeners 55-64, and even 65+ adult contemporary and country both have twice the share of standards.
Truth is the actual advertiser has little input into the target audience. It is left up to the ad execs - whether in house or at the agency. That's why ad agencies hate it when stations go directly to the client. If a 55+ station has a solid sales force (that knows about real selling - not numbers selling) a client can be convinced to buy the station. Agencies will buck it every time! That 30 year old buyer has much more to say about it than you give them credit for!
Whether reality or not, the 55+ formats suffer because the big money does not want the demo.
You are right about the talk format - but listen to the average talk station and you don't find a lot of the mainstream advertisers - particularly at the local level.
By the way, those car dealers that yell at you on talk stations could be much better served by a more conversational commercial. Why don't they understand the yelling might work on younger demo formats, but is much less effective on more adult formats?
Whether reality or not, the 55+ formats suffer because the big money does not want the demo.
You are right about the talk format - but listen to the average talk station and you don't find a lot of the mainstream advertisers - particularly at the local level.
By the way, those car dealers that yell at you on talk stations could be much better served by a more conversational commercial. Why don't they understand the yelling might work on younger demo formats, but is much less effective on more adult formats?
Xtalker said
Truth is the actual advertiser has little input into the target audience. It is left up to the ad execs - whether in house or at the agency. That's why ad agencies hate it when stations go directly to the client. If a 55+ station has a solid sales force (that knows about real selling - not numbers selling) a client can be convinced to buy the station. Agencies will buck it every time! That 30 year old buyer has much more to say about it than you give them credit for!
This is not true. The advertiser generally has considerable input, geneally coming to the agency with complete demos on who the product or sevrvice was desigend for, which will be the buying demos for the campaigh. Clients like Proctor & Gamble will audit ad buys to make sure agencies do not buy stations that do not reach the product demo.
Every product is designed for a specific narrow or broad demo. Many are designed for lifestyle groups, or specific ethnic groups, too. A client goes to an agency with the product already ready, and knowing with the client's own research, who it appeals to... if a new product, who it was tested against.
In most cases (like the first 6 months in LA) there are NO buys for 55+. This means the client mandated other demos in all the agency buys that have come through. The agency can not change the design of the product and the client demo deemands.
Xtalker said
Whether reality or not, the 55+ formats suffer because the big money does not want the demo.
The advertisers, in most cased, did not design th eproduct for 55+, and do not want to spend the amount of money it takes to sell older demos... ther eis a low return on investment as it takes more ads to sell older consumers. And 55+ products advertise in direct mail, specialized magazines and cable, not radio. It's the way it is.
Xtalker said
You are right about the talk format - but listen to the average talk station and you don't find a lot of the mainstream advertisers - particularly at the local level.
What was maikjnstream yesterday is not today. 20 years ago,a mortgage cmpanies did not advertise much, now they are a mainstay of talk formats. It is just a changing economy that is more and more sevrice based.
Xtalker said
By the way, those car dealers that yell at you on talk stations could be much better served by a more conversational commercial. Why don't they understand the yelling might work on younger demo formats, but is much less effective on more adult formats?
They measure how many ups they get each day, and ask each up where they heard about the dealer. The loud ads work, so they keep doing them. The soft ones don't.
[/quote]
Truth is the actual advertiser has little input into the target audience. It is left up to the ad execs - whether in house or at the agency. That's why ad agencies hate it when stations go directly to the client. If a 55+ station has a solid sales force (that knows about real selling - not numbers selling) a client can be convinced to buy the station. Agencies will buck it every time! That 30 year old buyer has much more to say about it than you give them credit for!
This is not true. The advertiser generally has considerable input, geneally coming to the agency with complete demos on who the product or sevrvice was desigend for, which will be the buying demos for the campaigh. Clients like Proctor & Gamble will audit ad buys to make sure agencies do not buy stations that do not reach the product demo.
Every product is designed for a specific narrow or broad demo. Many are designed for lifestyle groups, or specific ethnic groups, too. A client goes to an agency with the product already ready, and knowing with the client's own research, who it appeals to... if a new product, who it was tested against.
In most cases (like the first 6 months in LA) there are NO buys for 55+. This means the client mandated other demos in all the agency buys that have come through. The agency can not change the design of the product and the client demo deemands.
Xtalker said
Whether reality or not, the 55+ formats suffer because the big money does not want the demo.
The advertisers, in most cased, did not design th eproduct for 55+, and do not want to spend the amount of money it takes to sell older demos... ther eis a low return on investment as it takes more ads to sell older consumers. And 55+ products advertise in direct mail, specialized magazines and cable, not radio. It's the way it is.
Xtalker said
You are right about the talk format - but listen to the average talk station and you don't find a lot of the mainstream advertisers - particularly at the local level.
What was maikjnstream yesterday is not today. 20 years ago,a mortgage cmpanies did not advertise much, now they are a mainstay of talk formats. It is just a changing economy that is more and more sevrice based.
Xtalker said
By the way, those car dealers that yell at you on talk stations could be much better served by a more conversational commercial. Why don't they understand the yelling might work on younger demo formats, but is much less effective on more adult formats?
They measure how many ups they get each day, and ask each up where they heard about the dealer. The loud ads work, so they keep doing them. The soft ones don't.
[/quote]
XTalker said:
I have programmed a handful of news talk stations, and the ads that work best are loud or agressive... as confirmed by the clients.
WADO New York, WQBA-Miami, WIND-Chicago, KESS-Dallas, KLAT-Houston, KCOR-El Paso, KTNQ-LA, NotiUno, San Juan, Radio 10- Buenos Aires, Ecos de la Montaña-Ecuadorian Sierra.
"...the ads that work best are loud or agressive... "
Hmm...then let's have the gecko SHOUT at us?!
Hmm...then let's have the gecko SHOUT at us?!
- Status