IGEM event on the future of radio and audio advertising

Together with the Swiss Private Radio Association (VSP) and IAB Switzerland, the Electronic Media Interest Group (IGEM) organized a focused event on the "Future of Radio Audio Advertising". At the virtual event, speakers from Switzerland and abroad presented the outlook for radio and audio advertising.

For Anja Hänni, Head of Print, Radio and OOH at the agency network Dentsu Switzerland, classic radio campaigns can be reinforced or extended with digital audio spots. But a purely digital audio campaign is no substitute for classic radio advertising, whose broad reach is indispensable. For a successful audio future, Anja Hänni would like to see more targeting options, more information about digital users and clickable audio spots. Anja Hänni welcomes joint initiatives from the radio and audio industry: "Today I'm booking radio stations, tomorrow I won't be interested in which station my spot is broadcast on, but to whom. For that, I need the whole industry and not individual stations."

Iso Rechsteiner, project manager of the Digimig Digital Migration Working Group, presents the latest data from fall 2020 on Swiss radio usage. Digital radio usage is on the rise: 73 percent of radio usage is now done digitally. 41 out of 100 radio minutes listened to happen via DAB+ and 32 minutes via IP - i.e. via computer, tablet or smartphone. Whereas in 2015, 51 out of every 100 minutes of radio listened to were via FM, in the fall of 2020 this figure will only be 27 minutes. In the car, 45 percent of radio usage is still heard via FM. But even in the car, the majority of radio usage (55 percent) is now digital - via DAB+ or IP. As a result, Stephan Küng, President of IGEM and owner of the media agency TWmedia, was cautiously optimistic about the switch to DAB+ in an interview with Radio FM1 presenter Aline Rutishauser.

Florian Wanner, Head of Radio at CH Media, shows that digital distribution via DAB+ or IP is working in Switzerland. For example, the use of national radio stations broadcast exclusively via DAB+ or IP, such as Virgin Rock or Energy Vintage, has increased despite the pandemic. Usage via IP is also on the rise for CH Media's regional radio stations, and especially at news times. "I'm particularly pleased that radio usage via IP is sustainable," says Florian Wanner in this regard. CH Media thus has a larger advertising inventory for audio spots. But Wanner also hints that marketing can still be expanded.

Matthias Kost, Managing Director of Radio Zürisee, then explains what such a marketing strategy might look like in terms of refinancing audio content. Digitalization is making radio advertising international and bringing in competitors from outside the radio industry. For Matthias Kost, journalistic audio content with proximity to the audience therefore forms the backbone in the digital advertising market.

Ralf Brachat, Managing Director of Swiss Radioworld, shows how the radio market in Switzerland has already evolved into an audio market. A broad portfolio of digital radio streams can be booked programmatically and with targeting since one month. In addition, Swiss Radioworld has collected all podcast advertising opportunities in Switzerland and makes it available as a bundled podcast offer.

Thomas Kabke-Sommer, Managing Director of Crossplan Germany, shows how value creation for audio publishers can be increased by bundling audio streams and consistent data management. For Kabke-Sommer, audio advertising must be as good at digital targeting as display or video advertising. With 15 million addressable profiles, Crossplan Germany can provide more than 150 target group segments. And this is being used by the advertising industry: Of the 3,500 regional campaigns Crossplan Germany delivered in 2020, 95 percent had targeting, so they were data-driven.

Overall, the IGEM event shows that the radio market in Switzerland has already evolved into an audio market. It is welcome that various market partners and providers are working together to develop and drive industry solutions. If the advertising market's demand for more targeting options and more information about digital users can be served, the audio market in Switzerland is in for an exciting time.