Music in radio advertising: Effects on radio spokesperson credibility and advertising effectiveness

Abstract

The widespread use of music in advertising derives from the belief among advertisers that music confers a significant commercial advantage; music has also aroused interest among researchers trying to determine its potential to add value and enhance advertising effectiveness. So, this article analyses the influence of music and congruency with the radio advertising message on spokesperson’s credibility and advertising effectiveness. We designed radio programs in which an ad hoc radio spot was inserted into a commercial block (no music/music) and tested them on a sample of 987 radio listeners. The results show the potential of music in terms of advertising effectiveness and credibility and show the need for planning to go beyond its function as to avoid silence or attract attention and to ensure its consistency with the ad message.

How the sound frequency of background music influences consumers’ perceptions and decision making

“…Consistent with numerous past studies, this study demonstrated that even though consumers liked music itself, which is not necessarily positive in terms of advertising music. Many studies have suggested that music can improve the effectiveness of advertising if it is congruent with the advertiser's message (e.g., Kellaris et al., ; Martín‐Santana et al., ). Kellaris et al.…”

“…Music is most often applied for in‐store marketing and advertising. Research has indicated that music plays a crucial role in advertising at the cognitive (attracting attention and enhancing recall), affective (improving attitude toward the advertising/brand), and behavioral (changing behavior) levels (Alpert & Alpert, ; Martín‐Santana et al., ; Zander, ). However, most advertising studies exploring the effects of music have lacked an in‐depth understanding of music psychology when choosing their music.…”

“…Prior research in consumer behavior has shown that varying specific background music selections along dimensions of familiarity and liking can affect responses to target products (Alpert & Alpert, ). Furthermore, whether music can improve the effectiveness of advertising depends on the congruency between music and the marketing message (Kellaris, Cox, & Cox, ; Martín‐Santana, Reinares‐Lara, & Muela‐Molina, ).…”

On music’s potential to convey meaning in film: A systematic review of empirical evidence

“…The criterion of using an experimental audio-visual stimulus alone was also not sufficient for inclusion in the present review. The semantic function of music in persuasive communication in advertising (e.g., Hung, 2000, 2001; Martín-Santana, Reinares-Lara, & Muela-Molina, 2015; Zhu & Meyers-Levy, 2005; Ziv, Hoftman, & Geyer, 2011) or in reporting of news (e.g., Kopiez, Platz, & Wolf, 2013) is not easily equated with the function of music in fictional film due to different reception mechanisms in these fundamentally different media formats. Studies on music’s potential to convey meaning in video games (e.g., Lipscomb & Zehnder, 2004) were also excluded.…”

Perceptual and Acoustic Analyses of Good Voice Quality in Male Radio Performers

“…Given the importance of voice to these professional voice users (PVUs), 1 it may be presumed that their occupational effectiveness is increased by the use of a "good" voice, that is, a voice that meets their individual needs in terms of stamina, power, intelligibility, and the ability to convey specific moods and attitudes or be perceived positively by listeners. [2][3][4] Good voice quality can also have personal advantages, such as greater vocal attractiveness, 5,6 credibility, 7 and a positive association with desirable personality attributes. 8,9 Good voice quality thus appears to have both occupational and personal advantages; it is likely to be a useful communicative attribute for PVUs in many aspects of their lives.…”