by Pierre Bouvard

On July 15, Amazon.com launched its first-ever Prime Day sales event, offering 24 hours of discounts. The online retailer announced that it was a sweeping sales success — breaking Black Friday records with 398 orders per second.

Cumulus Media and Westwood One teamed up with the research firm Ipsos to understand how advertising helped Amazon drive sales and reach its key demographic.

Here are the key survey findings, as illustrated in the below infographic:

• 74% of Americans were aware of Amazon Prime Day.
• One out of 5 Americans reported making a purchase during Amazon Prime Day because of advertising.
• Three out of five Amazon Prime subscribers (18-49) exposed to advertising said they purchased something during Amazon Prime Day.
• 81% of Americans aware of Amazon Prime said they were exposed to some form of advertising for the event.

How Radio Drove Sales Conversion

Radio advertising was the most effective at converting awareness into Prime Day purchases when compared to TV and online. Of those exposed to radio ads, 52% made a purchase versus TV (39%) and online (48%).

Why did radio help drive sales? The engine for Amazon Prime Day were 18- to 34-year-olds, which make up 45% of Amazon Prime subscribers. This is also a key demographic for radio, which reaches 93% of 18- to 34-year-olds weekly.

More than half (53%) of those who purchased due to advertising on Amazon Prime Day were 18 to 34. The Amazon Prime Day purchasers tended to have children and be full-time employed. This mirror’s radio’s power users, who are younger, have children, and employed.

Advertising put Amazon Prime Day on the map, and radio was the most effective at converting awareness into purchases.

Pierre Bouvard is Chief Marketing Officer of Cumulus Media | Westwood One