• by Alex Weprin , October 26, 2017

Cumulus Media is launching C-Endorsement Videos, which will enable its local radio hosts to appear in video advertising.

It works like this: local radio personalities will tape the video endorsements, and Cumulus will serve them as pre-roll video ads on third-party websites through its digital marketing solutions platform the Cumulus Digital C-Suite.  Cumulus can target specific audience groups, including age, gender and geography.

The service will be initially available to advertisers in 90 markets across the country.

Larry Linietsky, VP of digital operations and business development for Cumulus Media, told Digital News Daily the company is hoping both national and local advertisers will use the service. Linietsky said the on-air talent appearing in the videos represents all the different genres Cumulus stations air, including talk radio, sports and music.

The video endorsements are in many respects an extension of the endorsements that radio hosts offer during their shows. “With audiences spending up to four hours every day with these personalities, research shows that nearly 80% trust on-air personalities like friends,” said Linietsky in a release explaining the new product. “Given the combination of the time spent and the trust built, it is no wonder that over 50% of the audience reports their favorite personalities influence their opinions.”

Cumulus is one of the largest radio companies in the U.S., owning hundreds of radio stations, as well as syndication company Westwood One.