Radio Direct Response: Direct Response Radio Advertising Agency | Blog Zone

Last week, California was on fire. Public servants and communities worked together to help thousands of families displaced by the wild fires that raged through Southern California

These events prompted an RDR advertiser to place an emergency radio buy to deliver timely information to the people affected by the fires, from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

With a little clever planning, we identified a cluster of Los Angeles radio stations that deliver a sizeable listener base in the surrounding areas to make the buy more efficient. 

Then, reality hit. A call to one of our core stations revealed that they’d more than tripled their spot rates during this crisis! Advertiser demand was through the roof, so the station let the law of supply and demand weed out the wannabes while tripling their revenue from every commercial.

Now some would call this tactic outrageous and demand that the guilty stations be dragged through the court of public humiliation for rate gouging during a natural disaster. Others would shrug say that fair market conditions were simply letting the spoils go to the highest bidder.

We simply tabled the debate and moved on to other stations.

According to the Spring 2007 Arbitron ratings, there are 44 commercial radio stations that deliver audience and make advertising time available for sale in Los Angeles. A resourceful media team can buy around any one of those stations. You just need the right mindset.

In life, you sometimes need to walk away from your dream car or dream house to get a great deal on a great car or a great house. In radio, it’s just as important not to be “married” to any one radio station.

So while we were shocked to hear of spot rates of $3,500 for a single radio commercial in L.A., staying focused on the big picture allowed us to explore Plans B, C and D to eventually place the campaign and achieve the client’s goals, under budget.

Our media team did an excellent job with a harrowing 48-hour turnaround. And this exercise was a valuable reminder to stay focused on the overall objective and consider all options to deliver the best results.

Mark Lipsky, President & CEO
Radio Direct Response

Now that the swelling in my feet has gone down, and I can dress without wondering which earrings won’t clash with my exhibitor’s badge, I’ve gathered some observations on the DMA’07 in Chicago (October 14-16).

For those of you who don’t know, the DMA is the Direct Marketing Association and once a year its members gather in a major city’s convention center. There you are awash in a sea of list brokers, call centers, sales premiums and every kind of blinking, flashing buzzing piece of tchotchke you can fit in your carry-on luggage. Radio Direct Response has a unique perspective on the event, being the only “radio” exhibitor at the show. We’re pretty sure of our “only” status because of the double takes and quizzical expressions on the passersby when they read our display. This was my third annual show and by now I have enough convention floor frequent walker miles to spot some trends, good and bad.  

The biggest trend this year was DISTRACTIONS.

For a group focused on direct marketing a large percentage of exhibitors took the indirect route to get their message across. Everything from costumed characters and Nintendo Wii games to martini bars and deep-dish pizza created aisles of gridlock. But how much of this traffic was qualified booth traffic? How many of the people lined up for those booths actually had a legitimate business reason for being there? I’m just as guilty. My neighboring booth was serving cappuccino all day. I went back two or three times and I could not tell you what service or product they sold. I just wanted the coffee.

This puts a lot of pressure on exhibitors who rely on wit, charm and case studies to attract attendees on the convention floor. Not saying that these kinds of diversions are all bad. But if the exhibit floor is like this in Chicago what’ll it be like next year in Vegas, the Mecca of distraction?

Here are few tips for making the most of walking a trade show:

• Go in with specific goals. This will help you overcome the distraction factor. What kind of vendors do you absolutely have to meet with? Meet with them! This way you don’t feel guilty when completing your expense report.
• Check out the exhibitor’s list in advance and map out the most effective route. The DMA’s website is updated weekly.
• If you don’t have time to talk, leave your card. Any exhibitor will be happy to do a follow-up mailing of their materials.
• Travel light. Leave the brief case in the hotel room. You know you are going to load up on samples and brochures, etc. so don’t bog yourself down.
• If you absolutely want the tchotchke for your kids, make that your last walk on your way out of the building.

That’s all for now. See you next month. I’m off to grab another cappuccino.

Monica Caraffa, Senior Account Manager
Radio Direct Response

Right now, most direct response advertisers are planning their January 2008 campaigns. Broadcast media rates will hit rock bottom and the world will be filled with consumers who’ve resolved to lose weight, quit smoking and make their lives better in the New Year.

But the really smart DR advertisers are on the air now - in Fourth Quarter - airing test campaigns in small-to-midsize local markets. They’re testing new creative copy and specific phrasing of their offers. These industry leaders will spend the next eight weeks determining which of their commercials deliver the lowest cost-per-lead. And when the January “Fire Sale” hits, they’ll be ready to shovel large sums of money at the medium, rather than waste winter weeks testing creative.

It’s no secret that national networks deliver a bigger bang for the buck by selling listeners “in bulk.” Still, there are plenty of local markets where time is affordable, right now, during Fourth Quarter. A smart marketer, extrapolating results from their local tests to project their national ROI, will sprint from the starting gate on January 2^nd, rather than crawl, walk and run into a shortage of inventory during February TV Sweeps and Valentine’s Day/Presidents’ Day retail events.

Plan wisely. Radio’s best buys of the year come during First Quarter, especially in January. Join the savvy DR marketers who are testing their creative copy NOW, under the radar, to take full advantage of January’s discounted ad rates.

Mark Lipsky, President & CEO

Radio Direct Response

I love music radio. But the shallow state of talent in the radio and music industries has me befuddled. Both are in the creative doldrums. I know what’s wrong. Just about every performer you hear on the radio is younger, sexier, more beautiful, or more handsome than they are talented. Some are even talented and beautiful, but most are merely beautiful. Beauty rules! 

Where are the average-looking singers who have phenomenal vocal and instrumental prowess? To get a song on the radio, boy bands, rockers, divas, and rappers must possess the whole package…looks, moves, and attitude. Musical ability is almost an afterthought.

Where are the ugly rockers who kick out the jams? The Allman Brothers were so scruffy and homely you’d swear that the soap bars in their hotel rooms never left their protective wrappers. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band looked like ruffians who hung out on the corner in your neighborhood 24/7. But once you heard the incredible music they made, looks didn’t matter. They delivered the goods.

Where are the big mamas who sing their hearts out? I want to hear Aretha, Mama Cass and Janis Joplin. Can they even exist in today’s beautifully shallow world of Britney, Jessica and Christina? How about the dowdy suburban mom, Carol King? What about the short and stubby baldy, Paul Simon? The list goes on and on. Once they had the perfect faces and bodies for radio…not anymore.

What about great songs? Simon Cowell had the audacity to say that Bob Dylan would never cut it on “American Idol” because he was…unattractive and he couldn’t sing! I’m betting that one hundred years from now, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Hicks will long be forgotten and Bob Dylan songs will still be sung. 

There are so many undiscovered and unsigned incredible musicians and singers in the world hoping for a chance. Visit MySpace Music or any local club or coffeehouse, and you will literally be overwhelmed by the talent. These folks may not possess the looks, but they sure can deliver the goods. To my brothers and sisters in the radio and music business, close your eyes and listen to music. Talent Rules!

Vince Raimondo, Vice President of Marketing

Radio Direct Response

610-892-7300 x105

My first blog. Not as much fun as my first kiss, but then again, there are more people watching this time.

GREETINGS from the RDR Blog Zone. I’m Mark Lipsky and I am pleased, proud and privileged to lead one of America’s few ad agencies 100% focused on radio.

In the coming weeks and months, virtually everyone from our agency will be writing blogs to keep this site fresh and timely. Some of these people actually volunteered for the task. Most entries will contain valuable information to keep you atop new trends and better able to make intelligent radio marketing decisions. Some will just be entertaining rants. Over time, at least one morsel of wisdom will likely save or make you a fortune.

Your comments and feedback will help us refine the mix and earn us a regular stop on your weekly web surfing calendar.

Until then, you can pass the time by throwing out any radio salesperson who tries to sell you air time by telling you “We’re Number One.” Everyone’s number one when you squint down to the fine print. Volley back by asking him or her how their station is going to be accountable for delivering results. You’ll either get a great answer or you’ll enjoy the sales rep’s flop sweat and stammer.

Yours up and down the dial,

Mark Lipsky
President & CEO