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Google Radio Ads Experiencing Early Troubles

Posted by Zonk on from the try-to-avoid-the-random-porn-ads-during-drive-time dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Google's tech-heavy solution to advertising has worked wonders on the internet, and made it a friend to bloggers everywhere. The low-tech nature of traditional radio, though, has caused some conflicts with Google's radio ad service. The impersonal nature of online ads are very different than the one-on-one personalized service that radio advertising normally uses. While Google ads are running on some 700 radio stations, that's a very small part of the market. They are committed to improving, but onlookers think it will take a change in pitch. 'Whether Google can succeed in radio "is questionable, because you do need relationships with radio stations to give you something of value. If you don't have radio-focused personnel...you'll get the low-hanging fruit but may not be able to grow the market," said Maribeth Papuga, senior vice president and director of radio buying for Media Vest, a part of ad firm Publicis Groupe. "Their challenge is going to be having a broad enough list of markets and stations to make it a viable enough player on a national scale."'"

5 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. i think... by User+956 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The impersonal nature of online ads are very different than the one-on-one personalized service that radio advertising normally uses.

    Don't you have that backwards?

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    1. Re:i think... by nmb3000 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "The impersonal nature of online ads are very different than the one-on-one personalized service that radio advertising normally uses."

      Don't you have that backwards?

      IANAP, but I don't think so.

      With online ads, you see static text that says something. You read it silently and interpret it's logical meaning. 5 seconds and you're done.

      With radio ads, you are listening to a person's voice for 30 seconds to a minute. You hear the inflections and emotional state of the voice. Years of conversing with people have taught you to pick up subtle hints of honesty, deceit, confidence, etc. In addition to hearing what is verbally said and deducing it's practical meaning, you are consciously and subconsciously analyzing the voice and it's message.

      Yeah, that might be over the top a bit, but I think it has merit. Online vs radio ads are like 1-D compared to 2-D. Going from radio to television is like going to 3-D. Now you not only have voice, but images as well. Think about how things changed with the Nixon/Kennedy debates that were televised for the first time after being on the radio for years.

      --
      "What do you despise? By this are you truly known." --Princess Irulan, Manual of Muad'Dib
      /)
    2. Re:i think... by BoberFett · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Read the whole quote: "one on one personalized service"

      Perhaps you're looking for the word "personable" not "personal". Hearing a voice on the radio could be considered personable, but there's definitely nothing "one on one" or "personal" about it.

  2. Probable solution by Bob54321 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If you don't have radio-focused personnel...you'll get the low-hanging fruit but may not be able to grow the market

    So, given what we know about Google, they will just buy/hire some radio-focused personnel. Its not as if they don't have the resources!
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    :(){ :|:& };:
  3. Re:who gives a shit about radio anyway by Teresita · · Score: 2, Insightful

    There must be three or four dozen radio stations in town, but they all are worthless. Radio wave broadcasting is a dead industry.

    Agreed, the radio industry is dead, the music industry is dying, but one of the most beloved and influential radio stations in Seattle is KNHC, or "C89.5", a non-profit high school 24/7 voc ed program with listeners worldwide. And some people (/me clears throat) have to use classic radio at work because their workplace rules prohibit streaming audio.