Looking at the latest seven-day period, big retail radio advertisers generally have been running fewer spots than a year ago.
According to Mediaguide AdMonitor’s summary of radio advertising for June 30 through July 6, top retail brands are tracking at lower levels. “Other than radio enthusiast Geico,” stated the company’s Joan Gerberding in its summary, “there isn’t anything in this report that really shouts, ‘The economy is doing better.'”
Home Depot was the top advertiser in both periods, but its number of spots for the week fell 2% to about 52,100 compared to the same period last year. Geico was second, up 21% to 48,000 spots.
McDonald’s was third, down 3% to 34,500, and SafeLife Auto Glass was fourth, off 29%, to about 26,000.
Gerberding commented: “While the number of commercials seem to be picking up from the last week in June to the first week in July, we still have a ways to go before we can predict a real upturn.”
Also in the top 20 advertisers for the week but spending less than a year ago for this period were Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Sam’s Club.
Big advertisers spending more than a year ago are Autozone Auto Parts Store and Kohl’s.
Missing from the top 20 from 2009 are Wells Fargo/Wachovia Banks, Farmer Insurance Group and Onstar.
