Cumulus Launches Audio Active Group
• Cumulus Media announced the formation of the Audio Active Group (AAG), an audio media and creative advisory group for marketers and agencies, led by Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer of Cumulus & Westwood One. The AAG is described as “the natural evolution from a sponsor-focused research and insights group to a true comprehensive marketing advisory.”
The Audio Active Group partners with clients to measure the impact of the entire audio campaign (not just the Cumulus | Westwood One investment), specializing in the following areas:
• Audio creative best practices: Advising on the development and testing of sonic logos and advertising creative; offering recommendations on how to optimize and enhance current creative; advising on how to deploy new creative strategies to meet campaign objectives;
• Media planning: Providing recommendations on daypart mix, flighting, weight levels, podcast genres, and AM/FM radio programming formats to meet campaign objectives, based on audience analytics;
• Strategic allocation within audio: Advising on the right mix of ad-supported audio platforms;
• Measurement of the entire audio investment: Advising on the right approach for brands to measure campaign effectiveness, including brand lift, sales effect, and search and site attribution.
“One-third of brands in audio today are new to the medium,” Suzanne Grimes, EVP, Marketing for Cumulus Media & President, Westwood One. “As major brands discover audio, they have lots of questions about audio creative strategy, media planning, and campaign measurement, and we have a deep understanding of what audio campaigns can accomplish. Under Pierre’s deft leadership, we are the only company that measures the impact of the entire audio investment and uses our trove of creative-testing and campaign-effectiveness data to help guide clients’ media investments and creative strategy.” The Audio Active Group also publishes weekly audio insights, advertiser case studies, and sales videos.