You turn that dial and it starts with that familiar jingle – the one that instantly makes you smile. The station ident rings through the car speakers: ‘We’re playing your song’. And just like that, the world outside fades away. The first few chords of your favourite track begin to play and before you know it, you are singing along, your voice blending with the melody like an old friend. Then, his voice cuts in – warm, familiar – your friendly neighbourhood RJ is greeting you with a cheerful, “Good evening, buckle up, turn the volume up, and stay tuned for the next hour.”

He is not just a voice on the radio; he is your companion, your co-pilot, your connection to the world outside your car. He promises to take you on a journey, not only through the city streets but also through the latest tracks from around the globe. And you believe him because he has been there for you before – on your morning drive to school, on all those times you have been stuck in traffic and on those late-night drives.

This is precisely why brands keep going back to radio – because of the unique ability radio has to seamlessly integrate content with the personal connections it fosters. Radio ads have a distinctive quality, often becoming memorable earworms that resonate with listeners. There is really no substitute for the impact of radio advertising.

Radio is not just about the music. It is about how it weaves itself into the fabric of your life. It’s the traffic update that saves you from a gridlock, the weather forecast that fuels those drawing-room conversations and the breaking news that keeps you informed. It’s the heartfelt conversations between people in your community – stories you never knew existed and never got to hear before. The single mom who called in to share her struggles, the local hero who went on to win lots of medals at the Special Olympics, the teen heartthrob musician who talks so passionately about the first time he produced his first single that went viral. These are the moments that make you feel connected, like you are part of something bigger.

Radio is intimate in a way no other medium can be. It’s mass and personal all at once – reaching millions, yet speaking directly to you. And yet people, these days, keep saying, “Digital killed the radio star.”

Brand managers and media planners who understand the potential of radio advertising and how to harness it know that it yields remarkable results. Campaigns like those for AGS batteries and Servis shoes have demonstrated the medium’s power to engage and creatively persuade audiences by becoming earworms on the radio. Yet, over the past two years, radio revenue has declined by 28%, continuing a steady downward trend since 2020. This decline is driven by several factors: the rise of social media, podcasts and music streaming platforms – all offering on-demand content, precise metrics and targeting capabilities that traditional local radio struggles to match. Media planners, increasingly in favour of digital as the go to medium, are moving their budgets away from radio. There is also a cultural shift underway, with younger audiences opting for personalised playlists on streaming platforms rather than listening to community-driven radio content. These challenges highlight the urgent need for radio to adapt and innovate in an evolving media landscape.

1. Standardised Audience Measurement System

As advertising becomes increasingly data-driven, brands are opting out of radio advertising, making it critical that radio develops robust measurement metrics that act as a standardised, industry wide system for audience measurement. The UK’s Radio Joint Audience Research serves as a model, providing a unified currency for planning, buying and selling radio advertising. Pakistan needs a similar, comprehensive metering service to measure radio audiences and revive the industry’s competitiveness.

2. Multiplatform Approach

As an extremely customisable and versatile medium, brands can seamlessly integrate radio with other platforms. In fact, using radio, brands can develop innovative, multi-touchpoint campaigns that amplify reach, engagement and impact. One example – in 2011, Coca-Cola launched the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign in the UK, combining radio with social media and outdoor advertising. Coca-Cola partnered with UK radio stations to create personalised radio ads, addressing listeners by name and encouraging them to share a Coke with friends. Those personalised radio messages were then used across social media (encouraging young people to re-share) and across billboards and bus shelters. The result? 1.8 million personalised radio ads were created and aired, with 79% of the audience reporting feeling more connected to the brand. Sales increased by seven percent among the target audience and 1.5 million social media interactions were generated. The personalised power of radio was used as a tool to drive interaction and build on the feeling of community. People love hearing their name mentioned on the radio – all they did was take that feeling and amplify it cross-medium.

3. A New Creative Formula

Trends also indicate that the future of audio consumption lies in digital radio – streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, and podcasting. Here it is important to recognise that these so-called ‘new’ mediums are in many ways evolutions of traditional radio. Podcasting, for instance, builds on the foundational elements of radio (storytelling, audience engagement and audio content) and then adapts them to an on-demand, digital-first audience. The shift to digital is not a departure from radio; it’s a natural progression. The issue is that although social media, online videos and podcasts have caught the attention of advertisers, they need to find a formula that is able to replicate the effectiveness of traditional radio ads – like the ones that are integrated seamlessly with the content.

4. Return to the Community

To reclaim its vitality, Pakistani radio networks need to return to the community-focused, personalised content that once made them thrive. Here, a cutting-edge measurement system that also provides audience analytics based on data-driven insights will be invaluable in helping brands connect with specific audiences

5. Earworm Effect

Radio needs to position itself as a platform that reaches audiences by being essentially an earworm that subconsciously lodges a catchy melody or phrase in the audience’s mind. Radio marketers need to bring home the fact that by leveraging radio’s earworm effect, brands have a unique opportunity to create an emotional connection and a lasting impression with their audiences.

As the dial turns to a new era, radio needs to reboot its vibrancy and reclaim its rightful place in the advertising landscape. Stay tuned for its evolution!

Elhaam Shaikh is General Manager, Programming & Production, CityFM89. elhaam.shaikh@cityfm89.com