Advertising has been part of the human experience for centuries. In the modern landscape, audiences view these messages all day in multiple channels. It can be overwhelming to a sea of buyers, which means advertising must connect deliberately to have resonance. You can help advertisers accomplish this by infusing radio ads with emotion.
A recent study highlighted this tactic and explained why it worked. In this post, we’ll review the research and propose ideas to layer emotion into radio spots.
New Study Shows Emotional Radio Ads Can Overcome Misconceptions
Research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign highlighted the effectiveness of emotion in radio ads. You may already know this intrinsically. Now, data validates it. The specific study focused on ad campaigns regarding organ donation, a complex topic with many emotions associated with it.
The researchers looked at the impact of happy versus sad tones, finding that the former had a 75% effectiveness rate versus 50% for the latter. The data also revealed that people with higher levels of mistrust in medicine were more susceptible to positive messages that changed their minds.
The context of this campaign has significant emotional complexities, but it’s not a stretch to consider how this can work for similar or less serious topics.
How might emotion help the everyday radio advertiser?
Tips for Fostering Emotion in Radio Ads
One thing radio has in its favor regarding connection is that it’s purely audio. Our brains receive and process this information differently. As a result, we take the words and form images in our brain, which can lock the message in, contributing to higher recall.
If you layer emotion into the radio spots, your customers can create greater ties that drive action. Radio is a full-funnel advertising tactic, so it has immense value in persuading customers to respond to ads.
Life’s Big Moments Are Full of Emotion
The big moments in life stir up all kinds of emotions and are often linked to a consumer’s specific needs. The list includes weddings, graduations, births and other milestones. There’s a lot to celebrate in these events, and many are seasonal.
Advertisers connected to these moments can emotionally connect with radio listeners. Recommend that they tell stories about what makes these times so special. Doing so can foster better brand recall and prompt people to take specific actions like visiting a website or physical location.
For example, a radio spot for a wedding dress boutique can convey the excitement of shopping for that special gown, weaving in highlights of the experience, not the dresses themselves. Using quotes from actual customers could be emotionally compelling.
Emotion-Focused Health Care Advertising Can Strike a Chord
Health care is part of any person’s circle of well-being. However, many people don’t take the time to prioritize preventive care and screening. Raising awareness about this is often a core message for health care providers.
Radio ads can focus on the prevention aspect of catching cancer or other diseases early to ensure the best chance of survival. Using actual patient stories can be engaging. Another avenue is to calm fears about medical procedures and build trust. These ads can drive more patients to get scans and tests while also being a great way to spread awareness about chronic diseases.
Finance Advertising Can Be More About Emotions Than Numbers
Another industry to consider is anything related to finance. Money is personal, and many people struggle with debt and saving for big purchases like homes and cars. Local financial institutions and professionals can help people get into a better position, and radio offers an excellent channel to engage them.
Messaging can include deals for debt consolidation, first-time homebuyers and refinancing. Talking about this in an emotional tone rather than just the numbers can build trust, which is essential in how people make financial decisions. Stories that convey real results, like someone paying off their debt or buying their first home, would be impactful.
Emotion in Radio Ads: The Connection Is Clear
Radio has earned its status as the most trusted media format for consumers. When there’s trust, there is an opportunity to connect. By using emotion in radio ads, your customers can yield results regarding recall, awareness and actions.
Chat with advertisers about the power of this type of messaging. It can also carry over to any digital ad buys they make, from display to streaming to social media. Businesses can develop strong connections and loyal customers by creating this kind of campaign.
