• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, June 16, 2010

Want to influence consumers just prior to shopping for products. Turns out the top medium isn't TV, online, or any new-fangled digital media option (sorry Twitter). The best option, according to the Nielsen-funded Council  For Research Excellence, may be radio. The just-released study finds that nearly two-thirds of consumers listen to radio in the minutes prior to shopping. The next most immediate medium, the study found, as TV, which was viewed by nearly half of consumers in the minutes just prior to their shopping excursions.

The findings are based on new analysis of the Video Consumer Mapping study that the CRE commissioned Ball State University to conduct. So maybe it should actually be called the Video & Audio Consumer Mapping Study? At least that might be a better name based on the new findings, which include:

• 62% of shoppers were listening to the radio an average of 14 minutes prior to shopping;
  • 90% of shoppers were in cars 5 minutes and 40 seconds, on average, before shopping.

• 48% of shoppers viewed TV – and 36% were exposed to a TV commercial – in the 42 minutes prior to shopping;
  • On average, 75% were in their homes 30 minutes prior to shopping.