Perhaps no other industry has the specter of potential monetary gain or waste than advertising. Each decision has real consequences—from ad campaigns that don’t reach their intended target, to ad buys and launches on the wrong platforms, to having misguided brand resonance that doesn’t fully engage the consumer. On the flipside, a well-placed, refined campaign strategy can quickly convert brand awareness into sales.

Brands and marketers need to understand their own place in the market in order to capitalize on the best platforms to reach consumers. Conversely, consumer trends can shift seemingly by the minute, so knowing where they are is crucial. Each media platform presents its own uniqu e reach and time spent characteristics, so each marketing decision involves a specific calculus to engage with as many consumers as possible across the platforms in which they spend their time.

In Q3 2020, radio reached 88% of adults in the U.S. each week, and those adults tuned in, on average, for a bit over 12 hours. App/web use on a smartphone was not too far behi nd, reaching 85% of U.S. adults weekly, who averaged about 20 hours. Marketers have relied on legacy mediums to drive reach at scale, but with the streaming revolution underway, all platforms are viable options when it comes to consumer engagement.