Mark Ramsey Asks: 'What Happens When The Spots Go Off?'

Mark Ramsey

MARK RAMSEY MEDIA Pres. MARK RAMSEY discusses the recent COLEMAN study of the impact of spots on listeners and the stations they listen to, in his latest blog.

"Personally, I find these regular studies of the effects of advertising on listenership to be tiresome," writes RAMSEY. "Why are we studying what spots do to listeners instead of what spots do for listeners? Why are we trying to convince advertisers that spots still reach audiences rather than convincing them that spots compel audiences to action?"

"Basically, the study indicates that the number of folks listening through the spots is almost equal to the number listening before the spots -- 93% of the original audience, to be specific," notes RAMSEY. "However COLEMAN and ARBITRON are quick to point out that this is not the SAME audience. That is, folks are tuning out and tuning in mid-spot. Thus the average number of listeners is very nearly the same, but what about the amount of listening by those who tune in? What about the rate of tune-out among those where were listening until the break but not during it? What about the impact on a brand over the long term when listeners tune in and hear one commercial after another? What does all of this have to do with ratings, after all, if anything? And isn’t that what matters most when spots come on?"

Check out the full posting here.

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