Progressing forward into the second week of the second course in my master’s program, students were challenged to examine 5 radio advertisements of our choosing and provide an in-depth analysis. Admittedly, I haven’t listened to traditional radio in over 14 years, so I enjoyed looking up different radio advertisements and even found some to be quite shocking
Before streaming became a thing, my main music source was listening to downloaded music on an old-school iPod, which was commercial-free. Those things are built like bricks and are virtually indestructible! I still own one, which is brand new in the box, should the time arise again for its trustworthy use. Now, I primarily stream all music on Spotify, but started out listening to Pandora when it was first released.
The deliverables for the assignment analysis are composed into 5 different sections listed in the following order (Lahm & Lockwood, 2022):
- Describe the advertisement by product/service, company, brand, etc., and the focus. What was the appeal or technique that was used to evoke an emotional response? Include a link to the ad selected.
- What were the objectives of the campaign? To sell more? To inform customers about a new product feature? Were the objectives attainable and measurable, or were they time-specific?
- Describe the target market that was the focus of the advertisement.
- What action does the advertisement want the audience to take? If action is taken, how will the audience member benefit from using the product?
- Describe the value proposition of the product or service being offered in each advertisement. What are the specific reasons (product features and benefits) would drive customers to purchase the product or service being sold in each advertisement?
In selecting my radio advertisements, I wanted to include a mix that I was familiar with and a mix that I was unfamiliar with. Growing up as a kid and teenager in the 1990s and early 2000s, listening to the radio was a main source of entertainment while I got ready for school. Before iTunes became a thing, there was a progression from radio to MP3 files that were downloadable either by using Napster or LimeWire. I’m pretty sure it was considered pirating music, but as a teenager, I didn’t really care. I just wanted to download songs, make playlists, and burn my own CDs.
Radio Advertisement 1: hair pomade by Old Spice, which won a 2019 Radio Mercury award. Here is a link to the advertisement. https://aef.com/ad-campaigns/old-spice-pomade-radio/
The advertisement starts out with people, both men and women, calling into a radio show to request a “song” Pomade by Old Spice. The women are requesting songs for their boyfriends. A radio announcer gladly obliges, and a jingle comes on about Old Spice Pomade. The jingle explains, “You put it in your hair, not your other hair, but your head of hair. Your gorgeous head of hair. Pomade, such handsome, great hair!” Background singers are chiming in with “pomade” after every line in the jingle.
The jingle is catchy, and there is some quick-witted humor involved with the line, “You put it in your hair, not your other hair, but your head of hair.” Let us leave it to the imagination to figure out what “other hair” could be referring to. There is also flattery involved, as those who use Old Spice pomade will have gorgeous and handsome hair. Growing up, Old Spice was a brand I thought of for my father, or grandfather, but not a young man. Their advertising has shifted greatly over the years to target younger men, which can kind of be reflected in this radio advertisement, as all of the callers sound like young adults.
The objective of the advertisement is to inform customers of the product and sell hair pomade to men. The action is to purchase Old Spice hair pomade, which will benefit you by allowing you to achieve gorgeous and handsome hair by using the product. The value proposition is having gorgeous and handsome hair that impresses others or significant others. Old Spice hair pomade comes in multiple scents at a reasonable price. Regarding the success of the advertisement, I’m going to do a little more digging. Old Spice is owned by Proctor & Gamble, and according to Petruzzi (2024), net sales in the United States jumped from $28.6 billion to $31.3 billion from 2019-20, and have continued to increase over the past 3 years. According to Faria (2023), Proctor & Gamble spent $4.28 billion on advertising in 2019 and $4.72 billion in 2020.
Radio Advertisement 2: O’Reilly Auto Parts. I chose this advertisement because of how catchy it is and how easily it gets stuck in my head. I often hear other people singing or humming the jingle out in public. Here is a link to the jingle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5McPlaK9awQ
O’Reilly Auto Parts is an auto parts store, and according to the advertisement, they offer “professional parts people who recommend the best products for your car.” The advertisement goes on to highlight some current sales happening when this radio advertisement was run in 2022. The emotion that was invoked is pleasant, as the jingle has always been catchy and upbeat. Listening to it, I felt good and like I could trust the employees and products offered at O’Reilly.
The specific objective of this advertisement was to highlight and sell Peak antifreeze and engine coolant that was on sale with a mail-in rebate. There was no specific timeline in the advertisement, but since a sale was being advertised with a mail-in rebate, those are generally limited to a specific time frame. The target market for this advertisement would be people who drive and maintain their own cars and who might be looking to save a dollar, or a few dollars, with a sale and mail-in rebate. The advertisement encourages people to come on into O’Reilly Auto Parts to talk to professional parts people and get the best products for their cars. Talking to professional parts people who recommend the best products for cars is also the value proposition. The features and benefits of purchasing this coolant are that it is on sale with a rebate and gets maximum system cooling performance for 10 years or 300,000 miles with the Peak brand of long-life antifreeze and coolant.
According to Placek (2024) O’Reilly Auto Part’s revenue was $14.41 billion in 2022 and $15.81 billion in 2023. According to O’Reilly Auto Part’s corporate website, there are 6,095 stores in 48 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and 62 stores are in Mexico. According to their advertising profile, they spent less than $100 million dollars last year on advertisements.
Radio Advertisement 3: Bud Light, real men of genius. Budweiser is owned by Anheuser-Busch. This advertisement is 15 years old, but I chose Bud Light because I can always recall their commercials, and they always seem to have great success. I am not a beer or alcohol drinker, but Budweiser is memorable nonetheless. Here is a link to the advertisement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2-eqLrcyiA
The product that is being advertised is Bud Light to Mr. Camouflage Suit Maker, who has amazing skills of deception and can trick a deer into thinking they’re shrubs or a tree out for a walk as they perfect squiggly black lines of blogs and larger blogs all in spectacular shades of green. Bud Light is using flatty towards hunters and pumping up their egos’, as they’re “so smart” and deserving of a beer.
Clearly, this advertisement refers to and targets men who are deer hunters, or hunters in general, who often wear camouflage clothing to blend into the background unnoticed by their prey. These hunters who “blend in and stand out” deserve a Bud Light for all their crafty camouflage work, as Bud Light can easily be accessorized with camouflage. It’s funny how the beer is being sold as an accessory first and not a beverage, which seems to be the value proposition, as Bud Light could be accessorized with camouflage in a camouflage beer koozie.
According to Faria (2023) Anheuser-Busch spent $1.47 billion on advertising in 2009 and $1.36 billion in 2010 in the United States. Worldwide, sales revenue was $36.75 billion in 2009 and $36.27 billion in 2010 (Conway, 2024). I could not find specific sales for the United States, but it is interesting to see the correlation between sales worldwide and the amount spent on advertising in the United States for 2010, as they both decreased.
Radio Advertisement 4: Subway, 2007 Radio Mercury award winner. Here is a link to the advertisement, and I am going to point out that this is pretty shocking as it involves a lot of fat shaming. http://www.radiomercuryawards.org/spotdetail.cfm?id=15
The advertisement starts out with a couple ordering food at a generic fast-food restaurant. The names of the meals are “double chins,” “badonka dunks,” “love handles,” and “thunder thighs,” to name a few. It ends by describing the “California fit menu options” with raisins, low-fat milk, and apple slices, a tasty alternative to burgers and fries.
The emotions used are trying to guilt people using a shock factor (choice of words) into being healthier because they might have thunder thighs, double chins, a badonka donk booty, and so on, basically fat shamming people as if having an imperfect body is such a bad thing. The name of the menu is “California-Fit,” which makes me think of Hollywood and the ridiculously strict standards that celebrities are held to regarding physical appearances. The advertisement encourages people to go to Subway and try new, healthier alternatives to burgers and fries, such as raisins, low-fat milk, and apple slices. The target market appears to be people who might be feeling out of shape or insecure about their body types and who are looking to “get healthier” and will benefit from achieving their health goals by eating California-fit menu items.
This advertisement is from 2007, and I could not find any sales data from that year. The earliest sales data I found available began in 2015 at $11.5 billion dollars and has been decreasing over the years to $10.37 billion in 2022. Subway experienced a boom in the early 2000s with the success of Jared Fogle’s weight loss, who then became the Subway spokesperson from 2000-2015 until an FBI investigation led him to become a convicted sex offender for child sex tourism and possessing child sex pornography (Do Couto, 2023). Subway ingredients have also come under fire over the years in the United States and in European countries.
Radio Advertisement #5: Ragu pasta sauce, a 2013 Radio Mercury award winner. I consider this advertisement to be a bit controversial, as there are a lot of political undertones that could be seen as poking fun at liberals or democrats. Mind you, Barrack Obama was the President of the United States at the time. http://www.radiomercuryawards.org/spotdetail.cfm?id=1445
The advertisement starts out with a child complaining to their mother about a sibling playing with toys. Mom lets the child know that “we share” in this house, and a song begins. The song sings, “You gotta share all your stuff according to mommy, who knew you were being raised by a socialist commie. Because Ragu is growin up tough. Because Ragu, she’s been through enough.”
The next version of this song starts out with a teacher taking attendance in class, calling out a child’s name, “Moon Topaz Henderson.” The song starts to play, “Her name is creative, and her parents are to blame. Now she has to go through life with a stupid effin name! Because Ragu, growing up is tough. Ragu, she’s been through enough.”
The next version of this song starts out with a father shopping for shoes for his son. The father asks his son how the shoes fit, and the son replies that they’re too big. Dad says you just gotta grow into them. The song starts, “You wear a size 7, but he pulls a 10 off the shelf. You have to walk around like a hobo and look like an elf! Because Ragu, growing up is tough. Ragu, he’s been though enough.”
The tagline used at the end of all three: “A long day of childhood calls for America’s favorite pasta sauce.”
The product being offered is Ragu pasta sauce, which is targeted at parents. The parents should buy Ragu pasta sauce and make their kids dinner after a tough day, as growing up is rough. The emotions that are invoked here are mixed because the lyrics are outrageous and politically charged followed by a catchy jingle. My jaw dropped on several occasions. Is it effective? Yes! Is it effective in a positive way? Absolutely not. The value proposition is that parents can make an easy meal their kids will enjoy and eat with America’s favorite pasta sauce.
According to Wunsch (2014), Ragu was ranked #2 in the United States behind Prego at $246.6 billion in sales revenue in 2013. Prego had $390.4 billion. I could not find any statistics on how much money Ragu spent on advertising in 2013.
References
Company overview. Corporate Information General Info. (n.d.). https://corporate.oreillyauto.com/corporate-information-general-info#:~:text=More%20Info-,Locations,and%2062%20stores%20in%20Mexico.
Conway, J. (2024, March 11). Anheuser-Busch inbev revenue 2023. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/269112/revenue-of-anheuser-busch-inbev-worldwide/
Do Couto, S. (2023, March 7). Jared Fogle Documentary: How the child predator was brought down – national. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/9533658/jared-from-subway-fogle-catching-a-monster-documentary/
Faria, J. (2023a, September 6). Procter & Gamble: AD Spend in the U.S. 2022. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/191998/ad-spending-of-procter-and-gamble-in-the-us/
Faria, J. (2023b, December 19). Anheuser-Busch InBev: AD spend in the U.S. 2019. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/192158/us-ad-spending-of-anheuser-busch-inbev/
Lahm, R., Lockwood, F. (2022). ENT 610 Entrepreneurial Creation. Master of Entrepreneurship Degree Program: “Greatest Marketing Campaigns” Analysis. https://www.canvas.com
MediaRadar 252 West 37th Street New York, NY 10018 855-723-2788. (n.d.). O’Reilly Auto Parts. MediaRadar. https://advertisers.mediaradar.com/oreilly-auto-parts-advertising-profile#:~:text=They%20spent%20under%20%24100%20million,in%20the%20past%20twelve%20months.
Mercury awards break the rules. Radio. (2007). http://www.radiomercuryawards.org/spotdetail.cfm?id=15
Mercury awards break the rules. Radio. (2013). http://www.radiomercuryawards.org/spotdetail.cfm?id=1445
Old spice – pomade radio. ANA Educational Foundation. (2019). https://aef.com/ad-campaigns/old-spice-pomade-radio/
Petruzzi, D. (2024, February 15). Net sales of Procter & Gamble in the U.S. 2014-2023. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/244117/net-sales-of-procter-und-gamble-in-the-us/
Placek, M. (2024, March 21). Revenue of O’Reilly Automotive. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/381143/sales-of-oreilly-automotive/
The Statistics Portal. Statista. (n.d.). https://www.statista.com/
Wunsch, N.-G. (2014, April 1). Leading 10 spaghetti/Italian sauce brands sales of the U.S. 2013. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/189709/top-spaghetti-sauce-brands-in-the-united-states/
YouTube. (2009, March 19). Mr. Camouflage Suit Maker. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2-eqLrcyiA
YouTube. (2022, November 9). O’Reilly Auto Parts New Radio Commercial (2022). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5McPlaK9awQ
Innovative Leadership and Entrepreneurship: A Graduate Student's Perspective 
6 replies on “The Professional Student: “Greatest Marketing Campaigns” Radio Advertisement Analysis”
Shawn,
Thank you for this post and detailed analysis! I really enjoyed your description of the assignment to kick things off, staying true to your character form of offering a view inside the journey of a current graduate student. Moving on, you initial selection of the Old Spice jingle was a great choice, reminding me almost immediately of the countless Old Spice commercials that still run today. If I am being honest, I fully believe their modernization of marketing campaigns is what has allowed them to remain relevant and gain market share, after originally being only known for after shave. The “sensitive” nature of the message plays on the larger appetites of many Americans to relate to riskier content these days as well. One piece of feedback on this spot, I might also state that the benefits and value proposition of this particular product is a sense of belonging and pop-culture acceptance that comes from partaking in the brand.
Next, I thank you for having the O’Reilly Auto Parts jingle now stuck in my head! You are spot on regarding the jingle’s power in terms of a consistent reminder of their brand. While the messaging of this spot wasn’t overly powerful, the tune itself is where the true objective lies in my mind, sustaining brand recognition well beyond only a single airing of the ad. So, while this initial rebate offer may not have been a huge success, the brand recognition continues to grow each time this advertisement runs. Interestingly, I think it also shows us the power of music and the impact that melody can have on our subconscious mind when it comes to purchasing habits. Lastly, I would nearly guarantee that similar to what Dr. Lahm mentioned, O’Reilly may have utilized a separate post office box for this effort that allowed them to measure the spots success in great detail!
I won’t dive too deeply into your selection of the Bud Light, Real Men of Genius spot since I selected one of these as well. What I can share is that Bud Light’s advertisement campaigns have been historically very successful, that is until most recently when they chose to take a more risky politicized position with some of their advertisements, which backfired and cost them considerable market share. In my experience, Bud Light was so successful with spots like these because they keenly understood their core target market. Rather, these latest efforts were less effective because they strayed from this target audience. Great minds think alike on this one!
Finally, I enjoyed getting a listen to the Subway advertisement you shared, as this was the first time I heard that particular spot. While Subway has clearly been one of the front runners in the healthy offerings transition over the past 20 years, this is the first true fling with what might be considered modern “body shaming” that I have seen from the brand. The “California Fit” motto also aligns with the modern “idolization” phenomenon that is prevalent in society, where folks seem to place those in Hollywood on pedestals. While their target audience would seem to be the health conscious public, I tend to believe this spot is actually based more on a fear approach and aims even more broadly. It certainly was an interesting position to take, where historically Subway has taken a more supportive and positive approach. What we can say for certain, despite the total flops with their endorsement partners through the years, Subway remains a poster child for what effective marketing campaigns can accomplish.
I will leave feedback there for brevity sake but really nice job Shawn. Likewise, I look forward to further discussion as we dive into additional channels of marketing advertisements.
Cheers,
Zane Breeding
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Zane,
Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate you pointing out how the Old Spice radio advertisement also links to pop-culture and a sense of belonging for customers and consumers! The Bud Light controversy is interesting, but I won’t dive too much into it regarding what it says about their core target market. I’ve watched the said advertisment that caused all of the controversy several times as well as reading feedback from consumers, and to be honest, the feedback is applauling. It certainly does communicate a clear message about the issues surrounding lack of basic human rights in the United States. Subway was a poster child for what effective marketing campaigns can accomplish. However, I see more and more closing. There is an old location abandoned by where I live. Recently, I saw an advertisement for a foot long cookie. I’m not sure how that plays into their eat fresh “healthy” theme they’ve stuck to in the past. It will be interesting to see how they continue to progress forward.
Kindly,
Shawn
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Shawn,
I’m also a Spotify streamer, and previously relied on downloaded songs on my iPod. I think my sources were also questionable, but it still works and is in a drawer somewhere with a nostalgic 2000s teen library. I’ve had the Apple Music vs Spotify debate with a few friends, and I think Spotify’s playlist game can’t be beat. They have playlists for virtually anything and even tailor them to your taste.
It looks like we had similar ad selections! I analyzed the Old Spice commercial too. I didn’t think to include it in my analysis at the time, but I also think their advertising struck a chord with some young women. In sports, I knew of several girls who used old spice because they liked the smell, branding, and found it more effective than women’s deodorant products. I’ll admit, I use my husband’s from time to time. The O’Reilly Auto Parts jingle is truly a gem. I mentioned this on Meaghan’s blog, but O’Reilly, Safelite, and State Farm jingles tend to get stuck in my head for a day or two if I happen to hear them over a radio or commercial. Bud Light’s “Men of Genius” ads have always been witty, humorous, and felt light hearted. Your take on the beer being sold as an accessory was an unexpected take. I wonder if other beverages have taken this approach in radio ads.
The Subway Ad approach is unfortunate. I do recall Subway pushing their Jared Weight loss ads and essentially pushing that their sandwiches will make you skinny, when in reality the nutritional value for most of their menu reveals the opposite. I haven’t seen or heard any of their recent advertising, but now I’m curious what their strategy is. I saw an ad in their window for a foot-long cookie, so I doubt their pushing “California-fit” with that.
The Ragu one is certainly interesting. I’d say they’re trying to leverage the political divide, and invoke a sense of validation for more conservative individuals by stating examples of “liberal” stereotypes. However, I’m wondering what their value proposition is? It sounds like it might be, “if you buy our pasta sauce, you’ll be supporting a brand that agrees with your political opinions”. What is your take?
Great work!
Taelor
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Taelor,
Thank you for your feedback and for pointing out that ladies like to use Old Spice products as well! I wonder if Old Spice has ever considered making a brand for woman using their formulas with slight variations, like scents and what not? It could be an interesting market opportunity to explore. Personally, I don’t use old spice deoderant as it makes the skin on my underarms burn and peel off. Regarding the Ragu pasta sauce, I am not sure what they were trying to communicate, but I do not think it is smart for a brand to be invovled in politics. I feel that brands who do this are limiting their target market to those who have similar views and could experience a loss of customers. The Ragu advertisement did not make me want to go out and purchase their pasta sauce. It had the opposite effect.
Kindly,
Shawn
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Shawn,
Your commercial selection was interesting on this assignment. First of all, the Old Spice ad is hilarious. The women requesting the songs are clever and the intended audience wants to impress women. Therefore, if multiple women are requesting it; a man has more of a chance of being wanted by women by wearing it. I don’t ever really remember all of the details of an O’Reilly commercial, but I do remember their little jingle, and if you get that stuck in your head, it’s the first thing that comes to mind as soon as you need something for your vehicle. The Subway order names were out of this world hilarious and it was a good way to draw attention to their healthier options. This struct fear in women who wanted to be the highly coveted pencil size back at that time. Finally, who can forget the Ragu and Prego sauce war commercials? You had to pick a side unless you make your own, but I was definitely team Ragu until I learned how to make homemade sauce. If I have to open a bottle and Bertolli isn’t available, it’s still my go-to sauce. Great job on this analysis!
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Dear Tonya,
I think Old Spice has done a great job in targeting younger audiences. It is no longer just your father’s or grandfather’s aftershave! Thank you for your insights and feedback! I love making homemade pasta sauce, but one of my favorites is Classico. They have a pretty short list of ingredients, which is something I look for at grocery stores. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Kindly,
Shawn
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