The Earworm Effect

You turn that dial and itstarts with that familiarjingle – the one thatinstantly makes yousmile. The station ident ringsthrough the car speakers: ‘We’replaying your song’. And just likethat, the world outside fadesaway. The first few chords ofyour favourite track begin toplay and before you know it, youare singing along, your voiceblending with the melody likean old friend. Then, his voicecuts in – warm, familiar – yourfriendly neighbourhood RJ isgreeting you with a cheerful,“Good evening, buckle up, turnthe volume up, and stay tunedfor the next hour.”

He is not just a voice on theradio; he is your companion,your co-pilot, your connectionto the world outside your car.He promises to take you on ajourney, not only through thecity streets but also throughthe latest tracks from aroundthe globe. And you believehim because he has beenthere for you before – on yourmorning drive to school, onall those times you have beenstuck in traffic and on thoselate-night drives.

This is precisely why brandskeep going back to radio –because of the unique abilityradio has to seamlessly integratecontent with the personalconnections it fosters. Radio adshave a distinctive quality, oftenbecoming memorable earwormsthat resonate with listeners.There is really no substitute forthe impact of radio advertising.

Radio is not just about themusic. It is about how it weavesitself into the fabric of yourlife. It’s the traffic update thatsaves you from a gridlock, theweather forecast that fuels thosedrawing-room conversations andthe breaking news that keepsyou informed. It’s the heartfeltconversations between peoplein your community – stories younever knew existed and nevergot to hear before. The singlemom who called in to share herstruggles, the local hero whowent on to win lots of medals atthe Special Olympics, the teenheartthrob musician who talksso passionately about the firsttime he produced his first singlethat went viral. These are themoments that make you feelconnected, like you are part ofsomething bigger.

Radio is intimate in a wayno other medium can be. It’smass and personal all at once –reaching millions, yet speakingdirectly to you. And yet people,these days, keep saying, “Digitalkilled the radio star.”

Brand managers and mediaplanners who understand thepotential of radio advertisingand how to harness it knowthat it yields remarkableresults. Campaigns like thosefor AGS batteries and Servisshoes have demonstrated themedium’s power to engage andcreatively persuade audiences bybecoming earworms on the radio.Yet, over the past two years,radio revenue has declinedby 28%, continuing a steadydownward trend since 2020.This decline is driven by several factors: the rise ofsocial media, podcasts andmusic streaming platforms – alloffering on-demand content,precise metrics and targetingcapabilities that traditionallocal radio struggles to match.Media planners, increasinglyin favour of digital as the goto medium, are moving theirbudgets away from radio. Thereis also a cultural shift underway,with younger audiences optingfor personalised playlists onstreaming platforms rather thanlistening to community-drivenradio content. These challengeshighlight the urgent need forradio to adapt and innovate in anevolving media landscape.

1. Standardised Audience Measurement System

As advertising becomesincreasingly data-driven,brands are opting out of radioadvertising, making it criticalthat radio develops robustmeasurement metrics that actas a standardised, industrywide system for audiencemeasurement. The UK’s RadioJoint Audience Research servesas a model, providing a unifiedcurrency for planning, buyingand selling radio advertising.Pakistan needs a similar,comprehensive metering serviceto measure radio audiencesand revive the industry’scompetitiveness.

2. Multiplatform Approach

As an extremely customisableand versatile medium, brandscan seamlessly integrate radiowith other platforms. In fact,using radio, brands can developinnovative, multi-touchpoint campaigns that amplify reach,engagement and impact. Oneexample – in 2011, Coca-Colalaunched the ‘Share a Coke’campaign in the UK, combiningradio with social media andoutdoor advertising. Coca-Colapartnered with UK radio stationsto create personalised radioads, addressing listeners byname and encouraging them toshare a Coke with friends. Thosepersonalised radio messageswere then used across socialmedia (encouraging youngpeople to re-share) and acrossbillboards and bus shelters. Theresult? 1.8 million personalisedradio ads were created andaired, with 79% of the audiencereporting feeling more connectedto the brand. Sales increasedby seven percent among thetarget audience and 1.5 millionsocial media interactions weregenerated. The personalisedpower of radio was used as atool to drive interaction and buildon the feeling of community.People love hearing their namementioned on the radio – all theydid was take that feeling andamplify it cross-medium.

3. A New Creative Formula

Trends also indicate that thefuture of audio consumptionlies in digital radio – streamingplatforms like Spotify and AppleMusic, and podcasting. Hereit is important to recognisethat these so-called ‘new’mediums are in many waysevolutions of traditional radio.Podcasting, for instance, buildson the foundational elementsof radio (storytelling, audienceengagement and audiocontent) and then adapts them to an on-demand, digital-firstaudience. The shift to digital isnot a departure from radio; it’s anatural progression. The issue isthat although social media, onlinevideos and podcasts have caughtthe attention of advertisers, theyneed to find a formula that isable to replicate the effectivenessof traditional radio ads – likethe ones that are integratedseamlessly with the content.

4. Return to the Community

To reclaim its vitality, Pakistaniradio networks need to returnto the community-focused,personalised content thatonce made them thrive. Here,a cutting-edge measurementsystem that also providesaudience analytics based ondata-driven insights will beinvaluable in helping brandsconnect with specific audiences

5. Earworm Effect

Radio needs to position itselfas a platform that reachesaudiences by being essentiallyan earworm that subconsciouslylodges a catchy melody orphrase in the audience’s mind.Radio marketers need to bringhome the fact that by leveragingradio’s earworm effect, brandshave a unique opportunity tocreate an emotional connectionand a lasting impression withtheir audiences.

As the dial turns to a new era,radio needs to reboot its vibrancyand reclaim its rightful place inthe advertising landscape. Staytuned for its evolution!

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