Anyone still hesitant to believe in the “Gospel of Local” may have finally seen the light last week. In Kantar Media’s just-released report on 2010 advertiser spending, local radio is reported to have gone up 4.9% over 2009.
Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey also revealed that “local is outpacing national in the first quarter,” and the prognosis for Q2 is bright enough to wear shades.
While location-based apps were a top trend of 2010, we’re proud to say that we’ve understood for quite some time that local precisely reflects a vibe and spirit that resonates and engages people.
One of the ways in which we’ve leveraged this power has been integrating customized content. Working with Allstate, we created the “Good Hands” traffic reports, giving listeners the best traffic-free routes, and tagged with an Allstate sponsorship message (see www.cbsaltitudegroup.com/cases/allstate-disaster-prevention/ for more).
This was a great example of a sponsored content integration. We were able to offer useful and contextually relevant content to the audience and intimately connect the sponsor and brand. It’s the best way for us to add unique value to our service, and it is a goal for which the power of local was especially well-suited.
We will continue to work with brands this way – finding local opportunities to bring their messaging to audiences through organic, pragmatic, innovative content. When we amplify their activities, we justify our position that our efforts net exceptional results.