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Your Radio Isn’t Dead – It’s Just Getting Smarter for Family BrandsBlog Post Title Here...

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It’s 7:45 AM. A mom buckles her kids in the car and turns on the radio. A dad’s headed to work with the local station playing in the background. These aren’t just passive moments—they’re prime opportunities for your brand to connect.

While streaming TV is getting a lot of buzz (and for good reason), radio still holds power, especially for brands targeting families. In 2025, the smartest advertisers are using radio and streaming together to cover every phase of a parent’s day.

Radio Still Reaches Nearly Everyone

Yes, really.

According to Nielsen, 92% of U.S. adults listen to AM/FM radio every week—a reach that outpaces TV, smartphones, and even social media (Nielsen Audio Today, 2023). And it’s not just background noise. It’s a habit.

For family-focused brands, this means:

  • Parents on school drop-off

  • Carpool runs to extracurriculars

  • Afternoon errand stops

  • Weekend birthday party prep

These are the moments when families are tuned in—and your message can land clearly.

Local + Live = High Trust

Parents often trust their favorite local stations more than any screen. That’s because:

  • Radio DJs are familiar voices

  • Ad reads can sound like personal endorsements

  • Local stations cover community events and family-friendly programming

That connection matters. In fact, radio ads read by on-air personalities can boost brand recall by up to 50% compared to pre-recorded spots (Katz Radio Group, 2022).

For brands like indoor playgrounds or activity centers, that trust creates instant familiarity—and often drives same-day interest.

Radio + Streaming = Better Results Together

Here’s where it gets smart: pairing radio with CTV.

When campaigns use both radio and streaming to reach parents across their day, they see stronger results:

  • Up to 30% higher brand recall

  • Greater lift in offline actions, like website visits or store lookups

  • Better frequency without audience fatigue
    (Source: i-crafters.com, Campaign Data, 2025)

Think of it like this:

  • CTV owns the evening family screen

  • Radio owns the morning and afternoon car
     Together, they cover the day’s most attentive moments.

You Can Still Target Smart

Modern radio platforms let you get specific with:

  • Daypart targeting (e.g., weekday mornings or weekend afternoons)

  • Language-based spots (Spanish/English)

  • Station genre matching (kids’ programming, family-friendly shows)

  • Programmatic radio ads through streaming audio like Pandora or Spotify

And like CTV, these ads are measurable—with tracking across impressions, frequency, and listener engagement.

Wrapping Up

Radio isn’t old school—it’s just evolving.

For family-focused brands looking to connect with busy parents, the right message on the right station at the right time can make all the difference.

Pair it with your streaming campaigns, and you’ve got a full-day strategy that meets families exactly where they are—on the go, and ready to listen.