CMOs and Brand Managers Now Have One-Stop-Shop to Tap Power, Flexibility of Multi-Platform Radio Marketing

Katz Advantage Expands Marketing Group to Deliver the Depth, Breadth and Rich Variety of Modern Radio Platform – and the Highly Engaged Users It Is Creating

CMOs and brand managers seeking more effective branding vehicles have a valuable new resource. Katz Media Group today announced the expansion of its Clear Channel Katz Advantage marketing group aimed at helping CMOs, brand managers and media buyers realize the full benefit of modern, multi-platform radio. The expanded group, which works on behalf of hundreds of radio broadcasters, will both promote the benefits of a multi-platform radio buy as well as implement national buys on behalf of specific brands. The expansion formalizes success the group has already had on behalf of clients such as Carmax, Pizza Hut, Seat Exchange and Turner Broadcasting.

Over the past three years, radio has moved aggressively to expand into online, on-demand, mobile text and real-time data and digital broadcasts, resulting in both a significant expansion of the medium’s audience. And in addition to growing its raw numbers, the radio audience is also becoming more engaged, consuming content produced by radio broadcasters from analog AM/FM stations, digital multicasts, Internet streams, on-demand audio and video, mobile devices, and even through personal navigation systems.

Today, more adults in the U.S., aged 25-54, listen to AM/FM radio broadcasts than consume any other medium – Arbitron puts the number at 95.5%. Also today, radio is actively building on that dominant position with new audiences via online and mobile devices. JP Morgan pegs the number of unique, monthly visitors to Internet radio sites at 62.3 million. A radio broadcaster (Clear Channel Radio) is currently the #1 provider of online music and radio content during the crucial workday day part (Monday through Friday, 6am to 7pm) with more than 11 million unique visitors each month, beating Yahoo!, AOL and all others according to comScore/MediaMetrix.

*An expert guide to the power and flexibility of the modern radio platform

Aggressive CMOs and brand managers have already seen significant success in using multi-platform radio as a national branding medium as well as a way to drive local consumer action. These brand marketers are currently using the full range of marketing and advertising options, from “take-over” sponsorships to pre-roll online video to ultra-short on-air ads known as blinks. Despite the clear benefits of using new platforms, one of the trade-offs for CMOs and brand managers can be wrestling with putting together a buy.

“It’s been understandably difficult for marketers and advertisers to keep up with the dramatic advances that radio has made in the past 36 months,” said Bonnie Press, president of Katz Advantage, who leads the expanded unit. “We’ll work to ensure understanding of the power of radio and allow CMOs and brand managers to access both strategic thinking and customized solutions. Radio is now the most effective option for CMOs and brand managers who need to demonstrate return on investment and accountability.”

“As radio masters new platforms and new forms of content, it’s crucial that additional knowledgeable and trusted voices spread the word about radio’s true and enormous value,” said Peter Smyth, president and CEO of Greater Media and 2008 Chairman of the Radio Advertising Bureau. “Katz brings two crucial strengths to the table: deep expertise advising national brands on how to get the most out of all of radio’s platforms, and a proven track record in creating results for advertisers. We’re thrilled to count the outstanding properties of Greater Media within this important portfolio.”

“So much of brand experience is local, and as an industry, we are much smarter today about how to market radio’s unique value to chief marketing officers and brand managers,” said Rick Cummings, president of Emmis Communications’ Radio Division. “Including the Emmis properties in this outstanding collection of stations helps create the national reach that underscores radio’s unparalleled strength.”

“Radio is the most engaging, most effective, most efficient advertising medium today,” summed John Hogan, president and CEO of Clear Channel Radio. “And with entirely new forms of content like real-time traffic, exclusive new features like iTunes tagging, and innovative AM/FM approaches like take-overs, sponsorships and ultra-short spot lengths, radio provides opportunities that are unmatched by any other medium. This expansion will elevate the understanding of radio’s value enormously.”

“With radio’s unparalleled reach and the ability to provide unmatched frequency, this medium provides marketers a superior return on investment, especially compared to other media such as newspapers and cable,” said Stu Olds, CEO of Katz Media Group. “We’ll be investing significantly in this expanded unit to accelerate the shift of marketing and branding dollars into radio.”

Since 1997, Katz Advantage has driven a 290.6% increase in revenues coming into radio and has developed more than 150 unique campaigns for the medium in the past five years. To support the expanded unit, CCKA will open new offices and expand its professional staff by nearly 50%. In addition to new staff for Atlanta and San Francisco, the company will add business-development professionals to each of its existing offices.