Many believe that the purpose of advertising is to sell products or services to the general public. While a purchase is usually the ultimate desire, the real purpose of advertising is to raise awareness about a brand in order to generate traffic. It's all about being known before you are needed, so that your brand will come to mind when a need arises.
People buy things that can solve their problems. A consumer cannot support a brand if they don't know it exists. For example, until a triggering event such as a pipe break happens, a shopper may have no reason to think about plumbing and water restoration services. Should an unfortunate event trigger that need, advertising will help them know where to turn.
Knowing what the actual goal of advertising is, let's talk about how public media sponsorship can help achieve it.
Public Media Reaches a Primed Audience
The public media audience is looking for information not provided by other media outlets. 89% of listeners agree that NPR is the place to satisfy that need.
For listeners, public radio is more than just a part of their day, it's a part of their lives. 80% consider public media personally important to them, and 73% hold a positive opinion of companies that share that sentiment through sponsorship.
The public media audience is primed to hear your message because it is found in a place they trust.
The Public Media Audience is Well-Defined
Public media’s reach encompasses a vast portion of the population, but that audience is well-defined. In terms of demographics, the average listener falls somewhere between the ages of 25 and 54 years old with a nearly 50/50 breakdown between male and female. 30% of listeners are over age 55 and approximately 20% are 18 to 24 years old. Historically a majority white audience, the NPR listenership is now made up of more Black and Latinx listeners.
With a median income of $130,000, this audience is affluent and influential in their communities. They are 104% more likely to work in top management, 69% more likely to be C-suite employees, and 113% more likely to be self-employed professionals than their commercial radio counterparts.
Public Media is a Clutter-Free Environment
Public radio listeners tune in because they prefer an environment that is free of all the hype and clutter of traditional radio programming. Guidelines for public media messages limit airtime to 15 seconds of factual content that is not overly promotional. Content is produced in such a manner that it incorporates seamlessly into spoken word or other programming. Explicit calls-to-action are not allowed.
Sponsorship Shows Your Brand has a Sense of Purpose
Audiences connect with brands that sponsor public media because it shows they care about the community. A shared sense of purpose helps listeners feel like you are all on the same team. The Halo Effect sets aside doubts listeners may have about the intentions of a sponsorship message. This borrowed influence lends credibility to your brand.
The public media audience is a conscientious one that is 159% more likely than commercial radio listeners to make financial contributions to cultural, arts, or environmental causes. They are 303% more likely to participate in some way with environmental activist groups.
Sponsorship of public radio shows that your brand has shared values.
Public Media Drives Engagement
The public media audience is highly engaged. Very attentive to programming, they pay attention to sponsor messages as well. After hearing or seeing a message on a public media platform, 82% of listeners are likely to take action. 70% of listeners say they prefer to do business with companies that sponsor their favorite programs on public radio.
Public Media Sponsorship Fits into the Goal of Advertising
When your company sponsors public media, it helps generate awareness of your brand. Listeners are more likely to think of your products or services when they have a need because with sponsorship, you have shown that you care about the same things that they do.
More likely to do business with brands they hear advertised on public radio, the highly engaged public media audience is more likely to hear your messages as they are unlikely to change the station when ads come on.
Contact your media partner to learn how public media sponsorship can help you attain the true purpose of advertising.
