Personality Endorsements

NOTE: In 2023, the FTC updated endorsement ad guidelines*

• Definition: an endorsement is an advertising message that consumers are likely to believe reflects the opinions or beliefs of someone other than the sponsoring advertiser.
• Endorsements must contain disclosures in radio/podcast ads.

Brands seek celebrity or radio personality endorsers because they are well-known in their communities and listeners feel a certain bond with radio hosts.
Radio, with its human voice to convince, can be used to persuade and influence listeners.

• 61% of A18+ listen to AM/FM radio because of the DJs/Hosts/Shows.¹
• 64% female¹
• 56% male¹
• A18+ who listen to AM/FM radio because of the DJs/Hosts/Shows by generation:
• 61% Gen Z¹
• 68% Millennials¹
• 65% Gen X¹
• 55% Boomers¹
• 50% Greatest¹

Radio listeners have a strong personal connection with radio station personalities.

• 1 in 2 radio listeners have a favorite radio personality whom they've been listening to for an average of 8 years.²
• 84% of radio listeners would follow their favorite radio personalities to a new station.²
• 87% of radio listeners know any personal detail about their favorite on-air radio personalities/DJs.²
• 83% of radio listeners have visited a radio personality's website in the past month. ⁴
• 75% of radio listeners know about the marital status of their favorite radio personality.²
• 68% of listeners know if their favorite radio personalities have children or not.²
• 53% of listeners know the hobbies & interests of their favorite radio personality.²
• 21% of radio listeners listen to radio for their on-air personality.¹⁰

Listeners have an emotional connection with on-air personalities.

• 81% consider DJ's a friend, family member or an acquaintance.²
• 59% of listeners follow their favorite radio personality on social media.²
• 83% value & trust their favorite personality's opinion.²
• 77% of radio listeners would try a brand recommended by their favorite radio personality.²
• 78% talk to friends about what they hear from their favorite Radio personalities.²
• 64% of A18+ strongly/somewhat agree that if their personality went to another station, they'd probably follow them.³
• 61% of A18+ strongly/somewhat agree that their favorite AM/FM personality makes them think.³
• 14% of radio listeners listen to radio because they are looking for companionship.¹⁰

Listeners trust their favorite on-air personalities.

• 53% of adults 18+ agree that they trust the information that they get from their favorite on-air personalities. ⁵

During times of crisis, on-air personalities are an important connection seen as a relied upon connection.

• 53% of adults 18+ agree that their favorite on-air personalities make them feel more informed about the things they need to know. ⁵
• 46% of listeners agreed that it helped them to know what stores were open and where to shop.⁵
• 46% agreed that their favorite on-air personalities make them feel more connected to their community.⁵
• 44% adults agree that their favorite on-air personalities make them less alone.⁵

Listeners form meaningful connections with AM/FM radio personalities.

• 90% of radio listeners agree that their favorite DJs make them laugh.⁸
• 73% agree that personalities understand what makes their city/town unique.⁸
• 64% agree that personalities make them think.⁸
• 64% would follow their favorite DJs to another station if they moved.⁸
• 53% pay more attention when their favorite DJ reads an ad.⁸
• 46% believe that their favorite personality or show are opinion leaders that they trust.⁸

AM/FM radio personalities drive listener action.

• 51% have visited the DJs web page.⁸
• 48% follow their favorite DJ, personality, or show on social media.⁸
• 34% have called into the AM/FM station while the personality was on air.⁸

Where radio listeners like to listen to their favorite personalities/talk shows.

• At home - 42%¹¹
• In the car - 42%¹¹
• At work - 44%¹¹
• Any other place - 54%¹¹

Since listeners feel connected with radio personalities, their statements about brands and product recommendations are assumed to be based on personal preferences.

• 83% of listeners value and trust their favorite personality's opinions.²
• 77% of listeners would try a brand recommended on-air.²
• 63% of listeners have talked to their friends about what they heard on the show. ⁸
• 30% of listeners have searched for a product or service that the personality had recommended.⁸

As the original social media influences, DJ endorsements work well to build trust, drive business and website traffic for advertisers.

• 79% of marketers consider radio station on-air personalities as celebrity influencers. ⁶
• 85% say trust is the most important quality they look for in an influencer. ⁶
• A regional utility company used radio and included radio personality endorsements. The endorsements outperformed campaign averages by 13%.⁷

Radio and DJ endorsements are great at reaching a large number of consumers and getting them to your location, and can be customized by brand:

• Authentic chatter inside their shows
• Personal experiences conveyed to listeners.
• Via radio personality or specific radio show apps
• Social media engagement
• On-air mentions/billboards/promos
• Podcasts
• Interviews

Visit www.rab.com for additional case studies .

* FTC Endorsement Guides are available here and FTC Endorsement Guides FAQs can be found here.

Sources: 1) Jacobs Media Tech Survey 2024, Radio in the AI Era; 2) Katz Media Group, Inside the Power of Local Radio Personalities, 2019; 3) Vision Critical / MARU Nation Study, November 2017; 4) 2023 MRI-Simmons Fall Doublebase; 5) Custom Nielsen Study conducted March 2020 via an online survey, weighted sample of 1000 adults 18+; 6) RAB Audio Pulse Poll October 2019, June 2020; 7) Katz Radio Group, AnalyticOwl 2020; 8) MARU/Matchbox National Study, Adults 18+ November 2019-January 2020, 1571 respondents; 9) Federal Trade Commission, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising; 10) Provoke Insights, The Latest Trends on Alcohol & Restaurants, August 2023; 11) Edison Research, "Share of Ear", 2023

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