Don’t you just hate when a cheesy 80’s song pops into your head and stays there all day long? I apologize in advance if this is about to happen to you, but this one just works so well for what I’m about to tell you.  So all you closet “Loverboy” fans and advertisers, who think your spot is only heard Monday through Friday, please take note—weekend radio listenership is powerful!

Makes sense doesn’t it?  Weekends you are on the go, you have a to-do list whether it’s errands or pleasure. You’re in the car, heading out to the mall, supermarket, Home Depot or a family outing. You have a purpose and a destination, but you are relaxed—not thinking about a deadline or a meeting—and you’re engaged with your surroundings. And the radio is along for the ride.

Research Director, Inc. has crunched Arbitron ratings data for over 1,700 stations in the 45 non-embedded PPM radio markets. R D I’s Charlie Sislen, has alerted radio programmers and sellers that they are discounting an important advantage by not putting a focus on weekend listeners.

“Most formats and most stations have half their cume (the number of unique listeners tuning in to a station for at least one minute within the reported time period) coming in on the weekend.” Sislen says. For example, the CHR format has its biggest AQH (The average number of people listening for at least five minutes in any quarter hour during a particular time period)audience on weekends. All-news has 49% of its weekly cume tuning in on weekends. 

Friday listening has the edge on the other six days, kicking off the weekend.  Keep in mind that retailers place the bulk of their buys starting Thursday, getting a jump start on weekend shopping plans. Hey, even newspapers, you remember those don’t you, figured it out. The coupon sections arrive on Thursday and Friday.

As I always say, “proper planning prevents poor performance.” As advertisers doesn’t it make sense to run your radio spots when radio listeners are mobile and predisposed to spending their money?

Yes, primetime will always be Monday to Friday 6a-7p. But even the 3p-7p daypart has a higher reach than morning drive. Again, it makes sense. The work day is ending and the pressure is off and the needs of your personal life kick-in.  Where to go for dinner? What movie do we see? How many stores do you need to stop at on the way home?

These are decisions made during PM drive time.

As marketers, be open to the fact that your customers have the same 24 hours/7 days in a week that you do. They are listening. Be sure you are heard.

Monica Caraffa is a Senior Account Manager at The Radio Agency. Please follow The Radio Agency’s Blog “Sounding Board” by subscribing to the email or RSS links above. Visit our website TheRadioAgency.com