Abstract:

This paper is divided into four sections. The first part of the paper looks at advertisers’ real needs from research at a macro level. Taking the old adage that research should be used as a drunkard uses a lamp-post, i.e. for support rather than illumination, this paper looks at the extent to which this is TRUE for advertisers in the UK. What appears to be the case is that the TRUE requirement from research depends very much on the confidence that an advertiser has in the marketplace. Research into the television marketplace is principally for supporting trading arguments, while maintaining an existing confidence that television is a powerful advertising medium. For radio the picture is different, as the principal requirements historically have been for illumination. As the brand of radio advertising matures, so the requirement for research changes and the emphasis is starting to move to support. The second section looks at the support required from audience research, in providing a consistent and trusted trading currency. In the UK, the availability of radio listening data for trading purposes has, historically, been limited. This led to demands for illumination from advertisers and their media planners through greater accessibility. The advent of RAJAR and computerised planning systems has placed the planning of radio campaigns firmly in the hands of the media planner. Subsequently the principal role of RAJAR is now for support in the planning of radio campaigns. The third section looks at the requirement for research to provide illumination into the media effect of radio. Commercial Radio is still regarded as something of a paradox by many advertisers and advertising agencies. This leaves open the question of what is the nature of radio as a communication medium. Qualitative research plays an important role in determining how people listen, why they listen and how this defines the radio relationship. Analysing the radio relationship relative to other media allows strategic and creative implications for radio as an advertising medium to be illuminated for the advertiser and their agencies. The fourth section looks at the role that RAJAR can play in providing insight into radio audiences. While the numbers of people listening and the length of time they listen for is widely used for support in campaign planning, the effect of marketplace changes on radio listening behaviour has been the subject of little analysis. Market confidence in television and press is maintained by in-depth analysis allowing understanding of marketplace changes on consumption patterns. As market confidence in radio grows, so too will the need for detailed insight into how marketplace changes affect consumption. This section illustrates how RAJAR can meet this requirement.