Eye care is a lucrative business. According to the January 2019 VisionWatch Market Research Report, $41.3 billion was generated in eye care retail revenues over a 12-month period in 2018. To continue the upward revenue climb, eye care advertisers can harness the power of AM/FM radio to generate sales and increase brand awareness.

An eyewear retailer that only used television decided to test AM/FM radio. To quantify AM/FM radio’s effectiveness in the category, CUMULUS MEDIA | Westwood One commissioned a brand effect study with MARU/Matchbox. The study was fielded prior to and following the retailer’s 9-week AM/FM radio campaign. Those who had purchased prescription eyeglasses in the last 2 years were asked about their awareness, ad recall, and purchase from various eyeglass retailers.

Nielsen was retained to conduct a commercial audience reach analysis of the eyeglass retailer’s TV and AM/FM radio campaigns. The goal: quantify the incremental impact AM/FM radio brings the TV campaign.

Here are the key findings:

AM/FM radio is an ideal medium for eyewear retailers: Heavy AM/FM radio listeners shop at +59% more eyewear stores

The more consumers listen to AM/FM radio, the more they shop for eyewear. Versus light and medium AM/FM radio listeners, heavy AM/FM radio listeners purchased from 1.27 retailers on average, representing a +59% increase.

AM/FM radio exposure boosts ad recall and purchase

The campaign saw positive results across key brand equity metrics particularly among heavy AM/FM radio listeners. Ad recall for the retailer grew +15%.

Purchasing at the retailer grew +36%. Among heavy AM/FM radio listeners, those who “purchased the most” at the retailer was up +75% post-AM/FM radio campaign.

Branding opportunity: Most eyewear consumers cannot connect a specific attribute to any eyewear retailer

Many eyewear retailers devote much of their ad copy to sales and special promotions rather than brand building. No wonder consumers are hard-pressed to associate key attributes with eyewear retailers.

While eyewear consumers are frequently able to recognize major retailers, they are often unable to associate retailers with specific brand images like reliability, quality, or having a fashionable selection. Among the respondents, 45% could not name an eyewear retailer that came to mind when thinking of a brand attribute despite having purchased eyewear in the last two years.

The lesson for eyewear retailers? To build brand equity, consistently utilize a mass reach medium like AM/FM radio and TV for brand building campaigns. Compared to the “sugar fix” of short-term sales activation campaigns, brand building campaigns serve as the “protein of advertising” and drive long-term sales growth and profit.

Nielsen: AM/FM radio’s incremental reach growth was especially powerful among younger demos

Among Millennials 18-34, Nielsen’s cross media analysis found AM/FM radio added +41% incremental reach to the TV campaign. Among persons 35-54, there was a +30% lift in incremental reach. The younger the consumer, the greater the unique audience AM/FM radio generates not reached on television.

At only 27% of the budget, AM/FM radio generated a +37% lift in incremental reach among persons 18-49.

For eyewear retailers, AM/FM radio is the solution for boosting sales and ad recall, growing essential brand equity, and generating incremental reach to TV campaigns.

Key takeaways:

• Heavy AM/FM radio listeners shop at +59% more eyewear stores
• AM/FM radio exposure boosts ad recall and purchase
• Most eyewear consumers cannot connect a specific attribute to any eyewear retailer
• To build brand equity, eyewear retailers should consistently utilize a mass reach medium like AM/FM radio for brand building campaigns
• AM/FM radio makes your TV better: AM/FM radio’s incremental reach growth was especially powerful among younger demos

Lauren Vetrano is Director of Content Marketing at CUMULUS MEDIA | Westwood One.

Contact the Insights team at CorpMarketing@westwoodone.com.