During the COVID-19 lockdown, a common concern we heard from agencies was that they were worried their radio reach would be compromised with audiences waking up later, missing the typical morning commute. What many didn’t realise was the powerhouse reach of workday listening.

The most recent radio survey results, sampled even before the pandemic, showed that actually the workday 9am-4pm has a higher percentage of the population listening (58%) than at breakfast 6am-9am (57%).

During the April lockdown, we also saw that 23% of 9am-12pm radio listeners were tuning in more than pre lockdown, with 28% of 12pm-4pm listeners also tuning in more.

As well as reach, audiences generally listen for a considerable duration of time across the day, which is why stations like The Rock implement the ‘No Repeat Work Day’ feature.

While the workday can often be overlooked for its commuter counterparts, this combination of high reach and time spent listening is a prime advertising opportunity.

There are certain categories that can benefit strongly from advertising contextually relevant messages during this period. While the most studious employees will stay away from social media and digital distractions, the site or office radio will often be the last touch point influencing their lunch time buy. A timely advertisement for a food deal can be enough to sway a low cost purchasing decision. The same can be said for consumers looking to fuel their vehicles on the journey home.

A well-rounded radio advertising plan will comprise of multiple day parts, so speak to The Radio Bureau about the right mix for your next campaign.

Sources: (1) GfK New Zealand Commercial Total New Zealand Survey 1 2020, Mon-Fri, People 10+, Cumulative Audience%. (2) GfK NZ COVID-19 Study, April 27-28 2020, Nationally representative online study, People 18+, (unless otherwise specified), n=500.