Here’s how Barbie uses radio to sell cereal boxes – without advertising on radio.
Now, what makes this offer so valuable?
One part Barbie, one part content.
No parts technology.
What does that tell you about the consumer’s relationship to radio? And what does it tell you about our opportunities in the future?
As I’ve said before, consumers buy clocks and radios come along for free. They buy cars, and the radios come along for free. They buy cereal, and the radio comes along for free.
It is the content that creates the value for radio, not the gadget. That’s what happens when your products are free and ubiquitous and easy.
And Barbie is scratching the surface of a trend that has yet to materialize.
In the future you are going to see a lot of would-be advertisers hijacking the value of radio for the own ends – without necessarily participating in the exchange of money with radio. Need and technology will conspire to make this possible, even commonplace.
Yes, I’m being vague. But stay tuned.