Home Depot praises radio for Awareness

Home Depot Calls Radio Big Part Of 99% Awareness. Home Depot has an ongoing “Let’s Do This” attitude about radio. As one of the medium’s most consistent advertisers, the retailer and its ad agency reps discussed their ongoing affair with the airwaves at the Radio Show’s Thursday morning Advertising Breakfast. Among qualities Home Depot identified as radio’s strengths—pervasive reach, theater of the mind, flexibility and immediacy. “Radio is a major part of the reason that Home Depot has 99% brand awareness. We wouldn’t continue to be so invested with radio if not for the success in reaching our customers,” said Michael Hibbison, Home Depot’s VP of Integrated Media. “One of the things we love is that you’re in your car, backing out of your driveway, and we are engaging interest in the moment for your next home project.” Diane Fannon, principal of The Richards Group, which has Home Depot’s creative business, added that radio’s results are also quantifiable—and provide a thumb’s up. “A year ago, we primarily looked at TV data, but now we look at radio and digital, and what we see from radio is always really strong. Our ads catch people’s attention, they stay with it, and the ads have a very favorable impression with consumers.” Added Hibbison, “We need to make sure we’re relevant when the customer is in the middle of a project, and radio remains such a huge part of that to help us get our message out. It’s the one medium that has really stood the test of time.”