Radio ‘Highly Effective’ At Delivering Results For Retailers During Holidays.

With stations’ annual flip to all-Christmas music already begun, ‘tis the season for radio to work its own holiday magic when it comes to reaching shoppers and boosting retail sales when it matters most. A sack full of research in this week’s Westwood One blog shows how AM/FM radio gets the job done during this most wonderful time of the year.

“With money on the table, both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailers need to capture consumer attention,” Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard says. “AM/FM radio is highly effective at reaching potential customers during the holidays.”

Indeed, AM/FM radio’s reach of adults 18+ is significant when it counts the most, according to Nielsen: 77% are reached by radio in the week leading up to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, with 78% are reached the week of Christmas. That makes AM/FM radio “the prime advertising vehicle for reaching shoppers trying to find last minute gifts,” Bouvard says.

An MRI study shows that close to 80 million adults in the U.S. plan to listen to holiday music on AM/FM radio or streaming, with that listening peaking on the weekends. That research also shows that those listeners are more likely to participate in activities outside the home, meaning they’re likely to experience AM/FM radio ads while in their cars.

As Bouvard notes, “AM/FM radio is an on-the-go medium, reaching consumers close to the point of purchase. Advertisers who invest in AM/FM radio are reaching consumers at a critical time when purchase decisions are made.” They’re reaching quite a few of them, according to Edison Research’s Q2 2025 “Share of Ear” report, showing that while consumers are in their vehicles, 85% of their ad-supported audio time spent goes to AM/FM radio. 

The blog also cites a study from RealityMine’s USA TouchPoints showing that on a weekly basis, 53% of Americans 18-64 have been in a store and their car in the same half-hour. “Americans travel to and from stores and are in their cars to visit loved ones during the holidays,” Bouvard says. “This is good news for advertisers.”

E-commerce retailers also benefit from AM/FM radio advertising this time of year. According to a MARU/Matchbox study measuring the effect of Amazon’s December 2023 holiday campaign, consumers exposed to Amazon’s radio ads showed brand familiarity, ad recall, holiday association, favorability, purchase intent and prior purchase than those not exposed.

Retailers adjusting their media plan to spend more on AM/FM radio this time of year can experience the “20 gets you 50” effect, as in, shifting 20% to AM/FM radio generates a 50% incremental reach increase to their investment in linear TV, according to Nielsen Media Impact. Additionally, “shifting 20% of TV investment to a mix of AM/FM radio and podcasts grows reach by an average of +53%,” Bouvard says. “The smaller the retailer’s TV investment, the greater the incremental reach lift achieved with the addition of AM/FM radio.”

One more big plus for retail advertisers investing in AM/FM radio: a Nielsen study shows that for every dollar spent on AM/FM, retailers generate an average $15 of incremental sales, with the boost as high as $21-23 for grocery or auto aftermarket advertisers. “AM/FM radio has a proven track record for retail,” Bouvard says, “[as] campaigns generate extraordinary return on advertising spend for retailers.”