Radio still the big winner in today’s data-led media game

This past March, the ‘A Million & Change’ campaign, executed across Jacaranda FM and East Coast Radio, was the biggest and most instructive demonstration of how radio works, moreover why it is important, and how it has evolved to keep pace with modern lifestyle and media trends.

In the dynamic world of media and marketing, there's often a misconception that traditional platforms are simply "reach" vehicles. Those of us who know better have had to wrestle with the challenge of finding ways to demonstrate not only the enduring, but the growing, ways that our content and our platforms connect meaningfully with individuals and communities.

That was the challenge that motivated us to launch the biggest cash giveaway ever undertaken by the stations, but with a twist – to simultaneously design it to be a live, living, breathing case study on the modern power of radio as a real-time activation medium, a robust insight generator, and a powerful driver of holistic, multi-platform engagement.

For three weeks, ‘A Million & Change’ captivated audiences by offering a life-changing R1 million to one lucky winner, plus an additional R125,000 for a registered charity of their choice. Entries flowed through the digital channels of Jacaranda FM and East Coast Radio, propelled by strategic on-air promotion. Entrants earned opportunities to win by simply answering questions about their likes, habits, and lifestyle. There was no “right” answer, so listeners gave their insights freely and uninfluenced by the overall prize incentive.

What we witnessed was beyond even our expectations, affirming why working in this medium is a purposeful pursuit, and also providing a host of new insights and learnings.

The power of real-time engagement: A digital avalanche

Post launch the response was immediate and phenomenal . The campaign saw over 190,000 unique individuals enter, collectively submitting an astonishing five million entries. Each participant answered an average of 25 questions, creating a colossal database of unique responses. This isn't just "big", it's a testament to radio's unparalleled ability to drive immediate, measurable action.

The real-time campaign tracker provided constant validation. Through a sophisticated system that matches spot logs to web traffic, Kagiso Media Radio observed massive, sustained spikes in digital platform visits. Listeners weren't just hearing; they were actively responding. We learnt that the journey from “ear” to click” mostly happened within seven minutes of an on-air advertisement. This rapid attribution, tracked through advanced software, confirms that radio isn't just a background brand-builder; it's a powerful call to action.

The digital boom was evident across the board:

• Jacaranda FM and East Coast Radio's websites saw incredible week-on-week growth in visits.
  
• The campaign tracked 40,952 direct web visitors from Jacaranda FM and 22,282 from East Coast Radio attributed specifically to the campaign, but entry was via a central microsite, and this site generated 107,159 new visitors directly, based on the clear call to action.
  
• Overall, an average increase of 150% in total views was observed when examining Google Analytics across the campaign period. This dramatic surge in page views underscores radio's effectiveness in generating attention and driving visibility.

This "audience reach boom" directly benefited every advertiser on the stations during that period. It proved that when radio is well-timed, emotionally intelligent, and action-oriented, it works – and works powerfully.

Radio: The unshakeable daily habit

One of the standout findings? Radio remains deeply embedded in daily routines. Entrants told us that 80% tune into radio every day, with 83% listening on weekends. Radio , like all of our important relationships, fosters habitual engagements forged through trust and consistency.

This insight aligns perfectly with another key finding: 7 out of 10 respondents own a car, and nearly all of them use that vehicle to commute to work, school, or business. This paints a clear picture of a daily behavioural loop: wake up, get in the car, and switch on the radio. It’s how South Africans start their day, stay informed, and feel connected not just to the station but to each other and their communities.

Optimising the non-linear listener journey

The campaign taught Kagiso Media Radio that understanding the listener journey, and their non-linear behaviour, is critical for campaign optimisation. While the majority of entries flowed through the competition microsite (changemylife.fm), the campaign's success was amplified by strategically leveraging every touchpoint.

• On-air as the ignition: Radio consistently sparked immediate action. Data showed entries beginning to flow in as quickly as three minutes after a live broadcast. This reinforces radio’s role as a powerful, immediate call-to-action medium.
  
• Social media as the sustainer: ‘A Million & Change’ proved that a campaign doesn't end when the mics go off. Social media added a vital layer of engagement, with static posts and videos driving some of the highest engagement rates to date. Social media attribution often kicked in 20 to 30 minutes after a post, demonstrating its role in carrying campaign energy and reinforcing messaging across different audience segments. This sustained digital presence is key for maintaining top-of-mind awareness.
  
• OOH amplification: Recognising that a high proportion of listening occurs in-car and on the move, the campaign's call to action was further amplified using Out-of-Home (OOH) media. This multi-channel approach ensured messages reached listeners wherever they were, extending reach beyond traditional radio airwaves.
  
• Editorial as a discovery point: Interestingly, while entries primarily came via competition pages, notable traffic was also driven by news and article content on the station websites. This highlights a key strength of radio: trusted editorial environments not only build loyalty but can also act as powerful entry points for campaign discovery and conversion, deepening engagement beyond the initial CTA.

Insights that are gold: Beyond the numbers

Perhaps even more noteworthy than the sheer volume of engagement is the depth of the insights gathered. Imagine a sample size of 190,000 people, significantly larger than what most traditional research firms could achieve, providing honest thoughts on 35 questions across nine different categories. These insights are truly invaluable, offering brands an unprecedented peek into the real lives of South Africans.

During the campaign, Kagiso Media Radio gleaned granular data on:

• Daily driving and radio listening habits
  
• Shopping frequencies
  
• Holiday planning behaviours
  
• Engagement with media across new platforms
  
• Even nuances around health and wellness, such as exercise consistency and supplement use.

For instance, understanding that 97% of respondents don't follow a specific diet plan despite 6 in 10 taking health supplements regularly, offers rich context for brands like Unilever to position products as accessible and supportive of real-life routines.

‘A Million & Change’ wasn't just a competition; it was a meticulously designed experiment that confirmed radio's enduring power in the modern media landscape. It demonstrated that when integrated strategically across digital platforms and the broader media ecosystem, radio delivers not only massive engagement and real-time activation but also a treasure trove of consumer data, cementing its position as an indispensable component of any effective marketing strategy.

As we continue to unpack and learn from our data, we look forward to many more market and client engagements to share as much as may be relevant and necessary in this period of “data deprivation” (from a currency POV) in the radio and media industry as a whole.

For more information on Kagiso Media Radio and to explore the listener journey, visit www.mediamark.co.za or connect with us on LinkedIn: @mediamark, Facebook: @mediamarksa and Instagram: @mediamarksa.