Report: Millennials Pay Little Attention To Commercials

What we already know about Millennials (those approxiatelty 18-034 years-of-age) is: they want information when they want it, they display limited attention spans, they are technology-savvy like no generation before them, they are expert multi-taskers, and are very demanding.

A new White Paper from CRN Internationals also notes They also have significant buying influence on their parents and thus on an entire older generation.

What we don’t know about Millennials is which type of marketing method is the most effective to capture their attention and prompt them to buy products -- particularly when listening to the radio, which we know they do.

In fact, 92 percent of Millennials listen to radio every week, according to Scarborough USA+. That’s the same percentage that says it spendstime on the Internet every week; 78 percent say they watch TV every week.

CRN conducted the survey in order to examine the different forms that radio marketing can take and understand how Millennials engage, respond, and act based on those tactics.

CRN looked at radio commercials, but we also looked at sponsored custom content, DJ endorsements, real-people testimonials, live station appearances, and contests and sweepstakes. CRN’s survey was answered by close to 150 Millennials. Of those, close to 88 percent said
they listen to radio.

The study gave careful scrutiny to traditional radio advertisements—how intently Millennials listen to them and the impact they have on buying decisions. While the results indicated that radio commercials still get some traction, the broader conclusion is that they are not a highly effective strategy and, as currently delivered by most broadcasters, are at a listening disadvantage regardless of how informative, clever and witty they may be.

Traditional Radio Advertisements

• Some 89 percent of respondents agreed with the statement, “I pay little attention to radio spot commercials.”
• About one-quarter of the respondents said they typically listen to most of a commercial, with about three-quartersindicating they do not. About 24 percent of the base of respondents (who all listen to radio)said they do not listen to radio commercials at all,
• Regarding commercial stop sets, 71 percent of the respondents said they don’t make it past the second spot before they tune away

Other Radio Marketing Tactics

• Regarding endorsements from their favorite radio DJ personalities, 25 percent said that tactic would have a positive impact on their chances of considering or buying the sponsor’s product.
• Regarding endorsements from everyday people like themselves, 38 percent said that tactic would increase their chances of considering or buying the sponsor’s product.
• Thirty percent of the respondentssaid meeting radio personalities at a live local radio station appearance would be of interest to them.
• Fifty-two percent said they would be interested in participating in a contest or sweepstakes heard on the radio.
• About 60 percent said they would be very or somewhat receptive to considering or buying the product of a contest or sweepstakes sponsor.

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