Tag: covid 19
How audio listening is changing
How have our listening habits changed with our new lifestyles?
The way in which we consume audio media has changed. The below diagram from DAX shows how before coronavirus we would have listened to the radio while we ate breakfast, then perhaps streamed a podcast or music on our commute, before settling into commercial radio at our place of work. On our commute home we may have streamed music or a podcast again, before streaming once more while at the gym, and then finishing perhaps with another podcast or the radio.
However, with our commutes cut down to the living room, and the gyms closed – how has this affected our listening habits?
Commercial Radio
38% of commercial radio listeners are tuning in for an extra hour and 45 minutes each day since lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as they adjust to spending more time at home. These listeners are now tuning in for an average of 26 hours every week, compared the average time spent listening of around 14 hours a week prior to the health crisis.
Radiocentre
The research from Radiocentre shows that the driving audience behind the surge in radio listening are those who would previously have listened during their commute and work day. 45% of this group are listening to more radio now – on average for an additional two hours each day.
Reasons cited for the extra listening include:
- keeping in touch with the outside world (90%)
- keeping them informed (89%)
- keeping them company (84%)
- radio delivers trusted news (68%)
- they trust the radio more than other news sources (51%)
Why add radio into your marketing plans?
Adding radio into your media mix can improve overall effectiveness across a variety of metrics including:
- Ad awareness +48%
- Brand browsing online +52%
- Brand relevance +23%7
Radio also boosts short and longer term effects of your advertising.
Music streaming
Music streaming listening patterns are changing too. There has been an increase in desktop listening as people work from home, with streaming peaking at midday.
A survey by Global Web Index shows that the consumption of music streaming services such as Spotify have increased across every age group.
% of those streaming more music now than before the outbreak
- 28% of those aged 8-23 years old
- 35% of those aged 25-39 years old
- 27% of those aged 40-54 years old
- 12% of those aged 55-75 years old
19% of those aged 25-39 years old are also considering purchasing a Spotify Premium subscription. The New York Time’s also reports that consumer spending on the likes of Apple Music and Spotify Premium rose by just over 20% YoY in the week when compared to the same seven days in 2019.
Unsurprisingly, 68% of those surveyed are seeking out pandemic updates online over any other activity. Those aged 8-23 (Gen Z) however, have other plans, as they are the only generation more likely to be listening to music than searching for news.
However, while music streaming for the younger generation is up, it has declined for other audiences as a large share of music streaming occurs during commutes, and many people are no longer heading into work. There is also a decline in music streaming from the hospitality industry. Many of the restaurants, coffee shops, and stores that would normally stream music all day are shut down.
Interestingly, some music genres have seen more of a decline than others. Perhaps showing that as our lifestyles change, our musical tastes are changing too.
Podcasts
Perhaps for the same reasons as the decline in music streaming in certain audiences, podcast listening has also decreased over the last few weeks.
Research by Podtrac showed that all genres experienced a decrease in listeners, although some more than others.
- News -10%
- True crime -30%
- Sports -13%
- Comedy -15%
- Social and culture -17%
So, what does this mean for audio advertising?
Commercial radio is the clear winner amongst the three platforms we’ve looked at. People are turning to radio for company, comfort and trusted news updates, and listener hours have boomed as a result.
Music streaming does beat radio for the younger audiences though, as they look for curated playlists rather than news stories.
Podcasts about current news stories haven’t experienced as much of a decline as other categories such as true crime (down 30%), and so are still a great way of reaching older audiences that lean towards music streaming.
How can we help?
If you need help or advice on your long or short-term marketing goals, get in touch with our friendly team today via [email protected].
Sources: https://www.radiocentre.org/commercial-radio-listening-enjoys-huge-working-from-home-boost-during-coronavirus-lockdown/ , https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid19-media-consumption-generation-pandemic-entertainment , https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/a-very-positive-sign-music-stream-spending-is-rising-in-the-us-even-amid-coronavirus-lockdown/ , https://qz.com/1834538/these-are-the-musicians-being-listened-to-more-and-less-during-the-pandemic/ , https://wwd.com/business-news/media/coronavirus-media-trends-podcast-listening-declines-1203547264/
Our normal is changing, how can your brand change with it?
Our culture is quickly adapting to this new state of normal, as our economy and businesses slow down, so do we. What we want to get out of businesses and brands we connect with is also changing, and the way you communicate with your customers should change too. In this blog, we look at how to strike the right tone and remain relevant during these difficult times.
What is the ‘new normal’?
As businesses across the country slow down, most of the population are experiencing a cultural shift from busy to ‘paused.’ Brands are also having to adapt to new roles, smaller roles and, for some, unexpected larger roles.
Brewdog, a beer brewing company based in Wales, have begun manufacturing hand sanitiser. While flights companies like Easy Jet and British Airways have totally or partially shut down their routes. On the other hand, brands such as Zoom (a video call programme) and Houseparty (a social app), have experienced huge increases in their usage. In 2020 so far, Zoom has had 2.2 million new users, more than the 1.9 million they accrued in the whole of 2019 (CNBC).
Recently, brands have gotten behind the ‘stay at home’ mantra with efforts to re-focus it to ‘be safe at home.’
How is the ‘new normal’ affecting our needs?
In a survey by ITV, they identified four core human needs:
- Social connection – the need to be together
- Identity – the need to work out who we are in relation to others
- Ability – the need to develop and learn
- Pleasure – the need to feel good and have fun
When these needs are affected, we lose control, and an impulse reaction to losing control is to try and control an aspect of our lives, this behaviour has been shown in stock-piling food.
This new normal has also influenced our ‘rituals’ of familiarity, behaviours we performed without thinking that gave our lives structure.
- Experiences, eating out, going to the gym/cinema
- Traditions – Mother’s Day and Easter
- Rituals – exercising, self-care
- Routines – going to work
We are having to adapt these rituals into something new, and as these change the way in which brands fit into our lives also changes.
What are consumers looking for from your brand during this crisis?
- A direct benefit for them e.g. free delivery.
- Honesty and transparency; is it taking you longer to deliver? Tell your customers this.
- Listen; if you’re experience an influx of communication, prioritise the key, recurring issues.
- Look after your own; a brand says a lot about themselves by the way they treat their staff, brands that are seen to be protecting and reassuring their own win the hearts of the nation at this difficult time.
- Strip it back; get to your point quickly.
- Think about your media; consumer behaviours have changed; your marketing platforms need to also.
How are other brands adapting to this change?
- Power of kindness – #bekind, supporting NHS/key workers, shopping local
- Reassurance – we’re in this together, people are seeking facts (BBC/Sky News)
- Creativity – more time to indulge hobbies, home schooling
- Wellbeing – self-care, gardening, DIY
- Laughs – memes, lifting spirits
No doubt over the past few weeks you will have seen offers from UK businesses to NHS/key workers.
Why should your brand adapt?
Initial instinct may be to pull back on advertising, but there are strong points as to why you shouldn’t.
- Opportunity to grow and maintain cost effective and high share of voice.
- Long periods off air are likely to weaken brand health and market share.
- Customers will remember brands that jumped ship / became invisible.
What should your response look like?
- Clear and concise.
- Is it adding to anxiety? Do your consumers really need an email about what you’re doing about coronavirus?
- Reassure where possible; your brand is a sign of normality.
- Be emotive.
- Make it light-hearted, where appropriate.
- Uplift the nation – be positive!
- Remove new frictions; how can you remove barriers? Some examples include virtual open days/tours, contact free delivery and takeaway services.
- Be generous; how can your brand help others?
- Come together; rivalries have no place here; can you work together with your competitors to pool resources/staff?
- Where possible, reinvent yourself; for example, Dyson are now making ventilators and Brewdog are producing hand sanitisers.
- Inspire self-care and wellbeing.
How can The Media Angel help?
If you need guidance or advice on ways to adapt your marketing plans in the short-term, get in touch with our friendly team today – [email protected].
Further Reading
COVID-19, your marketing and how we can help
Adapting your advertising during the coronavirus
How brands are helping during the coronavirus
Home-schooling resources
Sources
Tags: marketing advice, marketing help, advertising advice, advertising help, coronavirus, COVID-19, business help during coronavirus UK, marketing help during coronavirus, advertising help during coronavirus, Wales marketing coronavirus, Wales advertising coronavirus.