“OK, Boomer.” It’s time to get with the program.
And I was one of those remnants from the Woodstock Era who has frankly been skeptical of the “influencer phenomenon.” But not now.
Not only are people buying stuff from influencers they “meet” online, for many air personalities, working to become an influencer might be part of your “side hustle strategy.”
Let’s take a look at where this movement apparently originated. Some web sources track it back to those “mommy bloggers” in the early 2000s. Later, the rise of social media – especially MySpace – provided individuals a platform to build loyal followings.
Chances are, you’ve heard radio people aver that “Radio was the original social media.” Perhaps you’ve made that point yourself in a presentation or staff meeting. And while not the most elegant analogy, it is true that radio broadcasting in its heyday – say, the 60s, 70s, and 80s – was a pretty important medium in most people’s lives, a place where music was introduced, sports contests were heard, and the medium itself fit right into everyone’s lifestyle because it was a portable medium, thanks to transistor radios and later, Walkmans.
It’s not much of a leap to infer that DJs and personalities, then, were the original “influencers.” After all, they exposed you to new music for the very first time, told you who was going to be playing in-concert in your town, and what to do over the weekend. Radio personalities and newscasters were often first with breaking news, traffic, weather (especially school closings!), and of course, sports.
They also told you when to be the 9th caller – and you obeyed them. They announced when they’d make an appearance at a local car dealership, and you probably showed up – if nothing else to see if they looked like they sounded (they didn’t).
They did testimonial ads live on the air, and more than likely at one time or another, you took their advice and bought a mattress, a new roof, a car, or signed up for a weight loss program or LASIK eye surgery – because they did it and you should, too!
If you ran into them at an event or a remote, they often handed you a station T-shirt or hat – just because you stopped by to say hi. You might still have the article of clothing today.
And just for showing up at a bar night, a phone store, or a festival, radio personalities are still compensated by the sponsor somewhere in the neighborhood of a Benjamin or two. And then there are the payments for endorsing a product or service. Not bad work for a nice financial return.
But compared with today’s actual social media influencers, radio personalities are either grossly underpaid OR they’ve been limiting their sphere of influence – literally – and taking home a lot less money as a result.
You might be asking yourself – especially if you’re north of say 50 whether anybody actually buys stuff from pitchmen and pitchwomen they run across on social media. Like Flower:
But the reality is that it’s not just teens buying stuff from industrious peers like Flower. In our soon-to-be-released Techsurvey 2025, conducted among nearly 24,000 mostly core radio listeners, more than one in five respondents make purchases from social influencers.
And while it’s true, those who are most apt to pull the trigger on makeup, gadgets, household products, pet supplies and gadgets skew toward the younger side of the demographic spectrum. One in four Gen Xers has purchased items from social media influencers, as have nearly as many fans of radio’s broad collection of music stations.
It also is striking that more than half of these social shoppers have made multiple purchases, an indication that recommendations from influencers might be habit-forming. It’s ridiculously easy to buy something while you’re waiting to see the dentist, killing some time at the car wash, or mindlessly scrolling on your phone during lunch.
And here’s the kicker. While the stereotype of a social influencer profiles similar to Flower, an increasing number of Xers and even Boomers are finding this business model both appealing and lucrative.
To that point, I happened upon this story on Digiday last week:
“Brands hire Gen X and boomer influencers at the ‘power of the silver influencer’ rises
According to writer Kimeko McCoy, very adult brands like Progresso Soup, General Mills, and Harmless Harvest (a coconut product company) are leaning into aging influencer campaigns – and reaping the benefits.
And wouldn’t you know it, an account aptly named Retirement House (not “Assisted Living?”) specializes in so-called senior influencers. They now boast 6 million+ followers, with partnerships with Walmart, KFC, and other big names desirous of sales and revenue from the 55+ crowd.
While the Baby Boomer audience is admittedly not the most tech-savvy, General Mills’ VP Maria Carolina Comings points out the phenomenon we’ve seen in our Techsurveys for well more than a decade:
“They’re still (broadcast) TV watchers. But also, it’s a pretty social group. So one of the places we went to was TikTok.”
Another agency specializing in the aged is the Longevity Lab, repping social seniors who have worked on campaigns like Dove’s “Beauty Never Gets Old.”
The story mentions “grandfluencers” with massive TikTok followings, including @grandma_droniak (nearly 15 million followers) and @brunchwithbabs (more than 4 million followers).
Yes, more followers than your morning show has.
It wasn’t difficult to run into one of these “silver influencers” on my TikTok feed. Wouldn’t you know it, JD is hawking Excel-themed mousepads. How appropriate.
But you don’t need to have a massive social media presence to rake in influencer dollars. You can even do it on so-called “linear TV” – or radio.
That’s exactly how NBC has leveraged their “Shop TODAY” program, an incredibly successful vehicle that cashes in on the popularity of its hosts and its franchise brand. The concept is built on generating revenue via affiliate relationships with retailers and brands:
There’s life – and cash – beyond live reads and bar nights. Yes, it requires having personalities that matter, especially those who enjoy and value their favorite products and services. The “influencer economy” is real. And as Techsurvey 2025 confirms, core radio listeners are open to the pitch.
We have to look at radio’s “influencers” through a different lens.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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