Mind Share Equals Market Share: AM/FM Radio Builds Strong Advertiser Brands In Lake Charles, Louisiana
In Lake Charles, Louisiana, across automotive repair, HVAC, and plumbing services, AM/FM radio campaigns help local businesses successfully become “known before they’re needed.” Each advertiser employed the four keys of AM/FM radio advertising success: consistently and frequently reaching a large portion of the market with memorable, emotion-based creative.
With a population of 175,000, Lake Charles is an unrated market that is home to smart advertisers who understand “you have to win the mind to win the market.” A new study from Quantilope, commissioned by the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group®, measured unaided awareness of brands in a wide variety of local advertiser categories. One hundred consumers in Lake Charles were surveyed from August to October 2025.
For each advertising category, the Quantilope online survey asked consumers to name, unaided, all the brands they could think of. Unaided awareness means respondents are not given a list of brands. On their own, consumers have to name brands they know in a category. Here is an example of the unaided awareness survey question:
“When you think of plumbing services, which ones come to mind? (Please type the names of services that come to mind, typing only ONE name in each box provided. If you cannot think of any additional services, simply leave the other boxes blank.)”
Through the outstanding use of AM/FM radio, Able Plumbing has the strongest unaided awareness for plumbing services in Lake Charles
14% of people in Lake Charles name Able Plumbing unaided when asked to indicate a plumbing service. Thanks to their AM/FM radio advertising, Able Plumbing beats out all national brands like Roto-Rooter, Lowe’s, Ace, and Home Depot.
It is interesting to note that 29% of consumers are unable to name one brand when asked to name a plumbing service. Unaided awareness studies reveal the number one brand in many local advertising categories is “don’t know.”
This is why advertising is so important. It is not just about beating out the competition. To really grow your brand, you must explain that your business exists to the large group of people who cannot think of one brand in your category.
Thanks to AM/FM radio advertising, Burnworth’s AC is a leading brand in unaided awareness: 25% are unable to name a heating/air conditioning service
6% of Lake Charles consumers name Burnworth’s AC unaided when asked to name a heating and air conditioning firm. One out of four consumers are unable to name a brand when asked to name an HVAC company. That presents a huge opportunity for an HVAC company to “expand their mind share to grow their market share.”
Powered by AM/FM radio, Meads Automotive is the leading local auto repair brand in Lake Charles; 23% are unable to name any brand
10% of consumers name Meads Automotive on an unaided basis when prompted to name auto repair brands. Nearly one out of four cannot name one auto repair brand. Advertising can teach people brands that exist in a category. One day, when consumers have a need, they will remember that brand.
The four keys of AM/FM radio advertising success
Lake Charles brands like Able Plumbing, Burnworth’s AC, and Meads Automotive, as well as Steve’s Pest Control, practice the four keys of AM/FM radio advertising success.
- Go for broad reach: One of the most useful marketing books ever written, How Not To Plan: 66 Ways To Screw It Up, from Les Binet and Sarah Carter, offers this recommendation: “Always aim to get more customers from all segments of the market. It’s the main way brands grow. Reach as many category buyers as possible. Don’t target too narrowly. It may be efficient, but it’s rarely effective. Tight targeting means low sales and profits.”
- Ensure high frequency since learning is repetition: Aim to reach a big group of consumers 3 or more times. The objective: reach potential customers to get them to think of your business first.
- Be consistent. Be on 52 weeks a year: Les Binet and Sarah Carter advise, “Talk to everyone who buys your category. Talk to them regularly. Advertising memories fade.”
- Use interesting, memorable, and emotion-based creative to build trust: Marketing effectiveness guru Dale Harrison says, “Creative effectiveness is the only growth lever marketers actually control. It’s the only variable you can improve tomorrow.” Emotion is the most powerful selling tool you have.
The 95/5 rule: Only 5% of people are in the market for a product or service at any point in time; 95% are not
A major study from the Ehrenberg Bass Institute of Marketing Science reveals at any point in time, 95% of consumers are not in the market for a product or service. The vast majority of people today do not need a plumber, an HVAC firm, or auto repair. Their need might be years away.
Successful advertisers recognize that they need to work hard to create “future demand.” Their business has to be known long before they are needed.