Though the Internet is gaining as a dominant form of media, TV and radio advertising still reign for reaching a wide base of paying customers. Primary differences between TV and radio advertising include the scope and type of audience, how commercials are created, and how advertising is displayed. Audiences behave differently when consuming TV and radio advertising. Also, the cost and effort involved in creating a commercial for television is usually much greater than creating a commercial for radio play.
TV and radio advertising differ in the size and type of audience they serve, and in how the audience behaves when using each medium. Television reaches a lot of people, but one audience can be vast, containing many demographics. Companies who wish to do television advertising often have different options to reach larger or smaller audiences. Local television advertising can offer access to a select audience for a relatively low price. Another important point is that television audiences change seasonally, while radio audiences tend to remain constant all year long.
One of the primary differences between TV and radio advertising is how advertising is received by the consumer. Television media can be better for explaining concepts that are complicated or unfamiliar to the consumer because it allows for the use of visual aids. Usually, television programs are exciting in order to engage a general audience, so this can affect how an advertiser should format commercials for TV. Less exciting commercials are likely to lose out if they are buried in a slew of high-energy commercials during an exciting show. One downside of TV as compared to radio advertising is that many TV watchers are more likely to get up for a snack and miss the commercial.
In general, radio audiences are greatly affected by time of day; the later it gets in the day, the fewer listeners are using the radio. Radio audiences tend to be more reliable customers, who change their habits more slowly than television audiences. This can mean that although radio advertising takes longer to pay off, advertisers will have a chance at gaining a more loyal sort of customer. Radio stations tend to offer access to a focused demographic and may lean noticeably one way or another in political or cultural points of view expressed.
Creating commercials for radio advertising spots can be considerably less expensive than making a television commercial. Recording a radio commercial is as easy as having access to some recording equipment, while a reputable television commercial often requires access to a camera crew and full range of audio visual equipment. The more difficult part of radio advertising is that many radio listeners are passively listening to the content. Peak listening tends to happen during meal times and driving. Radio advertising also offers no visuals, so the commercial must be focused on engaging the listener's imagination.
