Centre Radio Case Studies
Mall Radio Network Identified as a Powerful Broadcast Medium that Delivers Targeted Reach and Measurable Advertising Retention
The findings of a study conducted by Edison Media Research for Mall Radio Network, solicited the opinions of shoppers toward new forms of in-mall advertising and entertainment, as well as their purchasing decisions within malls. The study found:
- Near universal awareness among shoppers of digitally-enhanced, custom programmed music being played in the common areas of the mall, with 88 percent of those surveyed indicating that they noticed music in the mall.
- Ad recall was nearly 60 percent in some locations that participated in the research.
- By more than a 4-to-1 ratio, respondents said that the music made their visit to the mall more enjoyable.
- A majority of shoppers indicated an interest in advertising delivered via Mall Radio Network, especially sales, specials, and new products available at stores within the mall.
- Advertising awareness increased with the length of time spent in the mall.
As consumers are increasingly overwhelmed by the barrage of media messages delivered via traditional broadcast and print media, advertisers are searching for ways to more effectively reach and influence their prospective customers. The goals of the Edison Media Research study were to determine what level of recognition, retention, and response shoppers had to targeted advertising via this new delivery channel, and to examine the impact digitally-enhanced, custom programmed music had on the shoppers' in-mall experience. The study results revealed that mall shoppers are not only aware of messages delivered through Mall Radio Network, but in fact demonstrate a high recall rate of those messages.
"Our research demonstrated that within mall properties, and over a demographically diverse sample, shoppers' recall rates of ads played over Mall Radio Network were more than 50 percent, depending on the number of times they visited the mall," said Joe Lenski, Executive Vice President of Edison Media Research." In advertising, repetition and frequency often drives results, but compared to other forms of advertising, specific promotions delivered via Mall Radio Network had a greater recognition rate among consumers."
Edison Media Research interviewed mall shoppers about their habits related to visiting malls, including frequency, spending patterns, cognizance of music and other entertainment within the mall, and awareness to targeted advertising. The demographically diverse survey sample represented a cross-section of America, spanning multiple ethnicities, age groups, and income levels. Fifty-three percent of the respondents were women, while 47 percent were men.
Shopping behaviour: Netting Butterfly Shoppers.
"As far as getting shopper attention is concerned, we must consider first of all the psyche behind PA/Tannoy messages. Typically our mentality and thoughts regarding this media turn our attention to football stadiums and public locations like airports, where messages are of significant importance - most consumers' initial reaction is to tune in, just in case the message is security or evacuation related... therefore your shoppers are already predisposed to listen to those messages and are tuned in, yet the experience itself doesn't detract them from shopping itself. You don't have to stop or read a poster or look at a screen, but instead we humans absorb this content as we go along - consider how we can eavesdrop on conversations so readily and tune in to different conversations at our own will...the same applies in the shopping centre, where consumers exact an active listen... ears prick up and focus in on keyword or triggers that we consider suitable or relevant to us (e.g. a "buy one get one free" promotion)...As a media, audio is very powerful. It is all encompassing, reaches everyone in the centre, but doesn't stop us in our tracks. We know that retailers have enjoyed significant returns on using the audio media to drive consumers into their stores. Butterfly shoppers who haven't predetermined where they'll visit are certainly influenced by this type of media".
Tactics Europe Edition Feature, Issue 111 2007
Arbitron Retail Media Study 2005
On hearing a retail audio commercial or promotional announcement...
- 41% made a purchase they weren't planning to make
- 36% purchased a different brand from the one they originally intended
- 46% recall hearing retail audio
- 57% think ad supported retail audio is acceptable
- 18% recall hearing retail audio when asked afterwards
- 25% think retail audio advertising would influence purchasing decisions