Two weeks ago, two of our newer team members, Martha White and Reuben Johnson, went on a radio training course at Radio Aire Leeds, The course was presented by Heather Colman, Head of Commercial Performance, and Simon White, Creative Services Director at Bauer Media. The aim was to give the pair some confidence and insight needed to understand and share creative ideas about how traditional radio marketing can help raise awareness of businesses and reach specific audiences.



As part of the course, they learned a lot about the radio industry (including how the doors are filled with sand for soundproofing!), how specific the ad targeting can be, and even produced and voiced their own script.
At PAB Studios, Wakefield we want to share with you what radio advertising is, what it involves and the benefits of choosing this as part of your marketing strategy.

What is Radio Advertising?

Radio advertising is the process of buying ad slots on local and or popular radio stations with the intent to promote your products and services. You – the advertiser – pay the radio station for predefined airtime, wherein the station will broadcast your message to its listeners. Radio advertising is a great way to reach a specific target audience, especially with an intended regional audience.

What are the different types of radio advertising?

There are three main types of radio advertising: live read, produced spot and sponsorship. Let’s go into these in more depth!


Live Read radio advertising

Live reads are ads that are read live on-air by a radio host or DJ. They usually have a big impact as they’re read by a familiar voice and persona, who a regular listener associates as someone whom they can trust. Research shows that an individual is more likely to buy a product/service recommended by a friend than a stranger. You get host exclusivity with this type of ad, meaning the radio host cannot read ads for a competitor.

Sponsorship radio advertising

A sponsorship ad is where a brand sponsors a radio program or segment, and the brand name and/or products are mentioned during the program. This type of advertising is best for increasing brand awareness and affinity and getting your brand in front of an audience. Sponsorship ads are very subtle in the way they mention and promote your brand to the listener.

Produced Spot radio advertising

Produced spot ads are 30-second, pre-produced adverts that are aired at set times during classic radio commercial breaks. Brands can choose when and where the ad is shown, depending on the target audience and advertising budget.


What are the benefits of radio advertising?

  • Advertising through radio channels allows you to reach specific demographics and regional markets. Broadcasters can provide data on their audiences to help inform your decision on if they’re the right radio station for your needs.
  • By broadcasting your ads at selected times of day, you can get through to listeners who align with your target segments.
  • Radio advertisements have a huge reach, ensuring that your brand is heard by large numbers of listeners while keeping costs down in comparison to TV ads; both production costs and advertising fees are considerably lower with radio ads than TV.
  • The daily repetition and high overall frequency of radio ads ensure that they’re memorable, keeping your brand at the top of consumers’ minds. Just think of ‘Auto Glass Repair, Auto Glass Replace’: it’s a jingle that ingrained itself in many people’s heads as it was short and catchy.
  • We see our favourite radio stations as trustworthy companions that we listen to every day whilst driving, working, and relaxing – tapping into this environment offers real value to brands, with the ability to influence consumer purchase behaviour on a subliminal level.


    • Are you struggling to raise your brand awareness in your local area? Radio advertising could be the marketing strategy you need to get your business out there, even with a small budget. Based on your preferred target audience, our expert creative team can craft a radio-friendly ad, sketching out your USPs using sound and planting a few future earworms in the process.

    We’ve built up a strong network of industry contacts over the years, so there are plenty of options available depending on your objectives. You can go local, regional or national and target every demographic imaginable. You can be as broad or as narrow as you like. If you’re not quite sure who to target, we can point you in the right direction.

    If you’re looking to know more about how radio can amplify your business messages, please contact 01924 201711 or fill out a contact form!