Jingles and sponsorship: A brief history of radio advertising
The history of radio goes much deeper than you’d think.
Throughout #RadioHistory, we’ve seen technical innovation, the transformation of popular culture, the rise of new social groups, and even pirates!
One particularly crucial component of radio’s history that businesses still rely on today is radio advertising. You may be surprised to learn that radio advertising began nearly a century ago when groups of all backgrounds and sizes turned to radio to communicate with their audience.
Today, despite the constant development of new promotional channels, radio continues to be one of the most valuable advertising opportunities available.
The average radio station reaches 93% of adults each week!
So, where did this fantastic marketing strategy begin?
Let’s find out.
The history of radio marketing: Where did it begin?
Companies have always looked for ways to connect with their target audience.
For a long time, all we had was word of mouth and newspapers, thanks to the invention of the printing press. However, it was radio advertising that gave businesses their first real-time way to interact with customers.
Officially, the first #RadioAd to appear on the airwaves in America was designed by the WEAF group and AT&T. During 1922, the company offered businesses a chance to appear on their station in exchange for a fee of $50. The Queensboro Corporation of New York took advantage of the promotional method to sell real estate to home buyers.
When radio advertising began, it was a popular alternative to newspaper messages. Companies found that they could reach more customers through radio than standard newspaper ads, and the commercial radio network in the United States grew at a break-neck speed. After President Roosevelt appeared on the radio discussing the events of Pearl Harbor, companies realised just how easily they could connect with consumers through the airwaves.
During the golden age of radio, countless advertisers sponsored programs, produced jingles, and paid for live ad reads on popular shows. By the early 1940s, radio advertising was deeply ingrained into American culture.
Elsewhere in the world, certain countries weren’t so progressive. The UK’s airwaves were owned by the BBC for many years, which meant the first British #SponsoredRadio ad didn’t appear until 1973. The advertisement aired for Birdseye Frozen Food, and it came from the LBC (London Broadcasting Company) — the first UK commercial station.
What was the first radio advertisement?
Though it’s easy to pinpoint the first official radio ad in the UK, it’s not quite as simple for the US. There are a lot of different arguments to consider, besides the widely accepted story about AT&T in 1922. For instance, in 1912, the San Jose station in California broadcast “sponsored” messages for the Wiley B Allen brand. The company gave Charles Herrold music to play on his station, and he mentioned the company in return. In 1916, the De Forest Radio station also experimented with sponsorship, announcing the name of the Columbia Gramophone company that supplied its music after each song.
Despite a few early experiments with different types of #RadioAdvertising, most people still suggest that 1922 was the year when radio ads first officially appeared in the US. Over in Seattle, the KFC radio station sold sponsored spots to the Remick Music store and played records supplied by the company on air. In Massachusetts, a car dealership owned by a man named Alvin Fuller purchased various time slots on the WGI radio station. Unfortunately, Fuller was ordered to desist with his advertising strategy after the US Department of Commerce found him in violation of advertising standards.
Outside of the US, the history of advertising on radio goes back even further still. According to some reports, a Hungary telephone broadcasting station sold a range of 12-second advertising slots to companies throughout 1893. The slots gave companies a chance to share their messages in between periods of music and news reporting. Every spot was sold for about 50 cents — making the ads quite cheap at the time.
What happened to radio advertising today?
What happened to radio advertising today?
It’s safe to say that radio advertising has had a massive impact on the marketing world.
However, a lot of people assume that radio has died out or lost its relevance over the years. After all, there are so many different ways that you can market a company today — from social media posts to online video. However, while radio might not be the most innovative or exciting #MarketingStrategy out there — it’s certainly still one of the most important.
In an era of information overwhelm, radio is still the medium that countless consumers rely on for news and entertainment. We use radio to wake ourselves up in the morning, and we even listen to broadcasts at night so that we can settle off to sleep. When advertisements appear on your favorite radio channel, there’s a good chance that you barely notice the disruption. We’re so used to hearing so many different voices, and messages through our radio sets that ads feel entirely natural.
Even in the age of streaming content and social media, it seems that radio still dominates various key parts of the marketing environment. Almost 100 years after radio promotion first began, we’re still discovering the benefits of promotional broadcasting.
According to the Pew Research Centre, spot advertising on terrestrial radio still makes up about 75% of the revenue for the average station. Additionally, Americans are happily paying more attention to their radio stations today than ever before.
The history of radio advertisement is far from over.
To learn more about commercial broadcasting, check out our full article on radio advertising here. To discover the incredible world of radio, and read countless guides to broadcasting, disc jockeys, and even radio brands — visit Radio Fidelity today.
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