While this season NFL’s story has yet to write its glorious conclusion, marketers and agencies must look ahead to consider how their brand will achieve reach, resonance, and receptivity to secure sales goals. One has to look no further than the explosive cultural phenomenon that is NCAA March Madness.

Casual fan and diehards alike are about to get swept into the euphoria of collegiate basketball. Westwood One is the home of the NCAA and March Madness. We carry 67 games in 14 cities, resulting in more than 100 hours of coverage. Fans can listen on AM/FM radio, SiriusXM, and digital audio streams.

For marketers, March Madness on Westwood One is a dream come true:

1. A reach machine. On AM/FM radio alone, nearly 22 million Americans are reached across the NCAA season on Westwood One. That’s half of the total audience of men consuming NCAA coverage on all platforms (TV, social, digital, etc.).

2. Audio fans are more upscale. Versus those who watch on TV, Westwood’s NCAA audience has a much higher income profile and are much more likely to be employed. It’s no surprise since AM/FM radio is the soundtrack of the American worker, reaching busy, working families while they are in the car or at work. When you don’t have access to TV, audio is the “best available screen.”

3. Audio branding ads work. Nielsen advertising effectiveness tests of more 50 NCAA March Madness audio ads reveal branding ads perform just as well as call-to-action ads.

In the chart below, ad testing scores of branding ads are in blue; call-to-action ads are shaded grey. Build your brand with Westwood One NCAA coverage.

4. NCAA audio improves the media mix and makes your TV better. Nielsen cross media studies reveal NCAA audio extends the number of games consumed overall (on any platform). Adding Westwood NCAA audio increases the number of games consumed by 50%. Among light NCAA TV viewers, adding Westwood One’s audio coverage increases the number of games consumed by 122%! Westwood One NCAA amplifies campaign frequency and generates incremental reach.

Wrap your brand around one of America’s largest cultural events and consider Westwood One’s NCAA audio platform, delivering:

• A massive, passionate audience
• Desirable “on-the-go” consumers
• Incremental reach
• Frequency amplification
• Creative that resonates and engages