“Native advertising”, advertising that doesn’t look like advertising, is all the rage with the online folks in their attempt to capture the attention of consumers in an increasingly fragmented and cluttered world.
Native advertising is the integration of marketing content in any media in such a way that it is not distinctly different from the rest of the media’s content in terms of format, style or placement.
Native advertising is not new and was proven to be effective long before the arrival of the internet. Newspapers and magazines, for example, called it “advertorials”, and attempted to make the format, feel, design and content of a paid ad fit the editorial style and content of the publication.
Radio has a long list of under-utilized native marketing opportunities, and it’s time we stood up and told the world so….and charged for it accordingly.
When a marketer samples her product or service via giveaways in radio contests, for example, that’s native advertising. The announcer generally elaborates on the merits of the product being given away on-air as part of the station’s content or format.
In many instances the product is included in numerous station promos and live on-air contests that dovetail naturally with what the station’s audience tuned in for – fun, contests and entertainment – rather than interrupting the station’s programming.
When a station is giving away Coke instead of Pepsi for example, the listener’s perception is that Coke is the preferred beverage of their favorite station. That’s the equivalent to a “like” in the online world.
Even simple on-air sponsorships, where the advertiser takes credit for presenting valued station content like weather or traffic, is native advertising. It does not interrupt the content; the advertiser presents the content seamlessly as a service to the audience.
When an announcer ad-libs or in some cases delivers a clever live read, that too can be native content in the minds of radio listeners.
Of course, when we air slick produced spots, with music that does not fit our format, that’s NOT native advertising.
It’s time for radio to show advertisers how to go native on radio, and charge a premium for it because it does fit the format and the listener experience.
So come on guys and gals, let’s jump on the native advertising band wagon and show our clients the value of going native on radio!