We recently noted here that radio was beginning to attract attention again. Writers were doing more positive stories about radio, positive research on the medium was finally being acknowledged, and we were seeing fewer radio is dead stories.
Now Advertising Age has rediscovered the live-read. There’s nothing new in the article, but it is further proof that writers, editors, and the media community are starting to notice radio again.
Here’s how the AdAge article begins:
Radio ads delivered by on-air talent, one the oldest forms of sponsored entertainment, are back. Called live reads, the ads are often worth 1.5 times the average 60-second spot, say insiders.
Live reads work best as part of an integrated marketing campaign or part of the personality's ongoing relationship with a brand, says Greg Kahn, senior VP at Optimedia, which has inked multiple deals with radio talent this year.
Clear Channel, for instance, is working company-wide to connect local talent with advertisers, and has lured Las Vegas Tourism and Purina onto the air. At Clear Channel, DJs fill out personality profiles listing the products and services they're most interested in, to be used as a lead-generation tool for the sales teams.
Be sure to scroll down to the article's comment section and read the views of Gary Farmer of Louisville, Kentucky. He writes:
I'm surprised radio is even a topic of discussion these days. As a fifteen year industry vet, eight of which was spent in radio but now on the agency side, I believe radio has lost almost all relevance and is most often times an after-thought by "smart" agencies.
Gary apparently feels that a medium that reaches over 90% of Louisville’s adults is irrelevant. He’s probably putting his client’s money into Internet search, where fraud is rampant and 95% of his client’s money is wasted, or social networking, where the average business has 100 fans. Great call, Gary.
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