Katz Study Finds Radio Making A Difference With Undecided Voters In Florida And Pennsylvania

Copyright: Dirk Ercken

Customizing radio messages to local markets in key battleground states is a more impactful way to swing Undecided voters in the upcoming presidential election than celebrity endorsements or attack ads, according to the latest report of “The Local Vote 2016.”  KATZ MEDIA GROUP commissioned SPARK NEURO for the sixth and final wave of The Local Vote research to study brain and nervous system responses of Undecided voters when exposed to a variety of political radio ads running in the final days of the election.

The study analyzed the neuro-responses of Undecided voters using SPARK NEURO combination of EEG, Galvanic Skin Response and Facial Coding methods to measure engagement with political radio advertisements in two battleground states, Florida and Pennsylvania.  

The study unearths critical insight about which radio commercials are working and why, along with how localism and message targeting factor into political advertising success.

Key Findings Include:

• Local is Critical. Localized radio advertising (ads that feature citizen testimonials from the unique market in which the spots air) have a significant benefit in engaging Undecideds, by increasing attention levels (+13% lift versus no spike in attention from those outside the geography) and retaining attention for longer periods throughout the localized ads. In general, ads that told stories of real, local people rendered stronger emotions and higher attention than celebrity endorsements, attack ads, or any other strategy.   
• Targeted Messaging Pays Dividends. Targeted political radio ads, such as those intended for Seniors, Moms and African Americans, leave a much greater impression than those geared for the general market.  Specifically, in Clinton's Amanda Strine ad, which focuses on her struggle to support her sick child, the radio spot earned top scores among Parents (87% emotional engagement, 54% attentiveness) versus Non-Parents (36% and 37%, respectively.) 

“The Local Vote 2016 continues to find critical insights important to helping candidates and political strategists effectively use media to engage the local electorates,” said KATZ MEDIA GROUP EVP/Strategy, Analytics and Research STACEY LYNN SCHULMAN. “This final wave of the Local Vote research focuses on a crucial voting segment  — Undecideds, and highlights just how important localism and local broadcast is in national elections.”

“As we head into the last few days of the election season, polls indicate that the presidential candidates are in a dead heat in key battleground states, leaving paid media to do the heavy lifting in helping candidates get their final message points to likely voters,” said SPARK NEURO CEO/Founder SPENCER GERROL.  “This study has unearthed some critical pieces of insight about the relative value of radio as a campaign tool and which radio commercials are working for a campaign and why.”

About The Methodology 

KATZ commissioned SPARK NEURO to measure the effectiveness of radio advertising airing during this current election cycle. Testing took place in TAMPA, FL (OCTOBER 23rd-25th) and ALLENTOWN, PA (OCTOBER 26th-28th). Undecided voters were recruited in each state to participate in the study (18 at each testing site). While participants were exposed to political ads, SPARK NEURO measured their brain and nervous system activity using multiple methods simultaneously including EEG, galvanic skin response and facial coding.  The data measures positive or negative emotions to the radio ads, as well as the participants’ intensity of attention to them.

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