Want to Sell Cars? Buy Country Radio.
We’ve long heard feedback from focus groups and we now see it in PPM data: Country P1s are passionate about their favorite radio station and are exceptionally loyal to their favorite station’s advertisers. It’s astounding that major purchasing decisions (like that of a new vehicle) can be so greatly influenced by a chance meeting of a favorite personality at a remote, or patronizing a dealership because they’re a steady advertiser. But these days, any advantage one dealership can have over the competition is significant.
It sounds astonishing, but I’ve personally witnessed even luxury brands like Volvo, BMW, Cadillac, and Audi profit from buying country radio. We must get past our perception of the country P1 listener; she’s not a toothless, bra-less hick; he’s not the shirtless star of COPS reruns; they’re simply salt-of-the earth, conservative families looking to do the right thing. They’ve lived good lives and have money to spend.
The power to purchase
Stop by any remote broadcast at a car dealership hosted by a country station and witness they types of vehicles being purchased: conversion vans, SUVs, mid-life crisis mobiles like the Corvette, pre-owned SUVs, pre-owned sedans, and new and pre-owned trucks. Essentially, this audience is routinely buying the vehicles with the greatest profit margins! Sure, according to Arbitron, many country stations have the numbers to warrant being on a buy, but it’s the intangibles of understanding the country life group that can make the real difference for the dealership—and the relationship with the radio station.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
As always, I welcome your thoughts. Please e-mail me: bknight@harrison-edwardspr.com or follow me on Twitter @BobKnightAdMan
Next week: “Remote” control: Tips on how your station can perform better for the client at remotes.
Bob Knight is Vice President, Advertising and Digital Media with Harrison Edwards PR & Marketing in New York and oversees the company’s advertising and HEdigital divisions, which include podcasting, webcasting, blogging; and print, electronic, and broadcast advertising and media buying. Prior to joining Harrison Edwards in 2005, Bob worked for some of the nation’s largest broadcasting companies, successfully developing programming in some of the most competitive markets including Chicago and San Francisco; his stations and shows were consistently top-rated. In addition to Bob’s work as program director and on-air personality at AMFM, Inc., Clear Channel Communications, Citadel Broadcasting, Entercom, and NextMedia Group, he served as a consultant to Internet radio stations during the dot com boom. Bob’s national and regional radio commercials have won a Gold Clarion Award (AWC) and Gold “Big W” Awards (Ad Club) for commercials he produced. In 2008, Bob was named a “Rising Star Forty Under Forty” by the Business Council of Westchester and is a graduate of Leadership Westchester (Class of 2009).
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