Radio listening is a matter of trust
Download the 2021 Norway Annual Radio Audio Measurement Report here
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected where Norwegians listen to radio content, especially when consumers were spending more time at home, it remains a valuable platform for brands to reach audiences. Like we’ve seen elsewhere, broadcasters in Norway have pivoted with changing consumer behavior by adapting their engagement strategies to make their content available on different platforms and devices while maintaining a high level of trust as an advertising platform among listeners.
From an engagement perspective, radio reached an average of 85% of Norwegians per week throughout 2021, with 2.9 million people aged 10+ tuning in on a daily basis. With the pandemic at the forefront of many consumers’ lives, 58% of listening time took place at home, 19% took place in personal cars and 23% took place elsewhere. The audio market involves more than just traditional radio, however, and listening engagement remains consistent despite pandemic-related behavior changes, and we are seeing small engagement increases among younger listeners given the rise in available podcasts, digital radio and other streaming services.
For brands evaluating their media mix for 2022, understanding Norwegian listening behaviors presents an opportunity to efficiently navigate channel spending, particularly as consumers are often listening to radio content right before they make a purchase, such as when driving to a grocery store. In parallel, the pandemic has affected our shopping habits, with consumers shifting much of their purchasing to online channels. Today, as consumers are making more purchases from home, they frequently have radio as a media companion, as the bulk of radio content is now enjoyed at home. Despite the pandemic, radio engagement in the car remained consistently high throughout 2021; in fact, engagement even increased during the summer weeks when many Norwegians again opted for an inbound holiday.
Knowing that trust is linked to how likely we are to take action after having seen or heard an advertisement, building trust with consumers is a critical part of any brand’s advertising strategy. According to Nielsen’s recent Trust in Advertising study, 59% of Norwegians have “trust completely” or “trust somewhat” in radio advertising compared with other advertising channels.
In Norway, brands increased their gross radio ad spend with +14,5% in 2021 compared with 2020.
Top 10 Radio ad spenders in Norway in 2021:
- COOP EXTRA
- REMA 1000
- VIAPLAY AB (PART OF NENT)
- KIWI (NORGESGRUPPEN)
- BILTEMA
- MENY (NORGESGRUPPEN)
- COOP PRIX
- JOKER (NORGESGRUPPEN)
- SPAR (NORGESGRUPPEN)
- RIIS BILGLASS
Source: Nielsen Ad Intel
Among the top three business categories with the largest increase in radio spendings year on year between 2020 and 2021 is consumer electronics with a 51% increase tapping into the increased demand for home office equipment during the pandemic. Car sales increased their radio advertising spendings with 23% and retail increased their radio ad spending with 16%. During the pandemic people have also consumed more at home.
For more information on radio listening behaviors in Norway, download the 2021 Annual Radio Audio Measurement Report here.
