Radio & The Evolution Of Communication
On 3rd December 1952, a radio show debuted on air that was destined to go down in the annals of history of radio as well as communication campaigns. Binaca Geetmala, hosted by the prolific Ameen Sayani, opened to a response of just 200 letters – apparently low by then standards. This number, however, rapidly grew to 9,000 and then 60,000 within just a week. Not only did the show herald the arrival of the radio legend himself, but also gave us one of the most successful case studies of radio advertising history. Its journey from Binaca Geetmala to Cibaca Geetmala to Colgate-Cibaca Geetmala, in fact, shines light on the evolution of the brand itself. And in this, for the first time, the country woke up to the power of audio in shaping perceptions!
Today, the legacy of audio is such that leading radio networks are adopting the platform-agnostic route to reach out to new audiences. As listeners across the country are becoming more digital-savvy, radio is riding the tide, transforming itself into a multi-platform entity. Not only has this helped it to stay ahead of the game, but also to reach out to listeners in an engaging and immersive manner through these newly-curated touch-points.
This digital evolution has impacted marketers' lives in multiple ways. In the cluttered space that brands are operating currently, the challenge of building a strong personality for itself is something that most brands are constantly grappling with. The cacophony of communication messages in the marketplace has forced brands to draw on every trick in the book, and then some more, to create their own niche. While the market has allowed us ease of business, it has also ensured that there is a steep rise in competition with newer brands entering every category. This does lead to, at times, a space that is ‘noisy’ that makes it difficult for the brands to be heard.
With such fast-paced innovation and change of content consumption, the media fragmentation makes it difficult to reach a large base at an effective cost. At such times, staying ‘relevant’ and on ‘top-of-mind’ has become a salient trait to mark your presence. The good news is that the radio is perfectly built to deliver both! Being able to present a confluence of these two significant aspects has led to the medium attaining a level of credibility and forging innate intimate connections with its listeners, which sets it apart.
With the advent of digital media, formats have rapidly evolved to include audio on multiple platforms. Podcasts, which allows on-the-go consumption minus the complexity of appointment listening, have witnessed a rapid boom in the last few years. The advancement of voice interface through smart speaker solutions is further going to drive technological innovations. The smart speaker is only going to get smarter, being more resourceful and appealing to your preferences. The newest entrant - Social audio is the latest to join the bandwagon from an exclusive voice medium point of view. Voice commerce is another application that has taken the core element of audio to build a convenient, round-the-clock, time-saving and bespoke transaction that elevates the customer experience.
Radio is leveraging each of these mediums as it is leaning on its strengths of deep consumer understanding, expansive regional presence and cognizance of storytelling and audio formats that are effective. In India, there has been an exponential growth in tier 2 and tier 3 markets and brands are looking at regional + national players with an ability to narrowcast messaging to their target audience. Radio is customizing as per the requirements as there is a huge opportunity to cross-pollinate on concepts and expertise to develop winning innovations for media and brands alike.
Coupled with audio, radio brings dynamism in communication as the flexibility offers brands to effectively adapt to the environment. It allows not just in incorporating moment marketing but celebrating and riding the trend; be it India’s Olympic win, Ronaldo moving a cola bottle, the spotlight on Binod, Mumbai monsoons, and many such other moments that capture the collective imagination of the audience. Being able to weave in such moments, that probably lasts for a shorter time, into the campaign with notice of a few hours is something that only radio can offer brands.
Advertisers today are reaping the benefits of the synergy between radio and digital. This has helped radio networks foster their relationship with partners, both existing as well as potential, who share the same vision and look forward to maximizing their reach. As a majority of brands prefer a 360-degree campaign to leverage their presence across multiple touch-points, this is where radio comes to the fore using its amplified reach across urban and rural pockets to promote the brand’s message.
Eisenhower’s Christmas wishes from space in 1958 marked a moment of technological prowess for humankind – the power of voice! How we continue to harness this power through ongoing innovations is what will define the dynamics of media in times to come.
The author is Sunil Kumaran, Country Head, Product, Marketing and THWINK BIG, BIG FM
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