Cumulus Atlanta’s “Grow My GA Business” Initiative Helps Local Businesses Through COVID-19 Pandemic by Donating More Than $1 Million in Radio Air Time and Creative Services
ATLANTA, GA, July 20, 2020 – Cumulus Media announces that its “Grow My GA Business” initiative, launched in late March, has donated over $1 million in creative services and airtime on three of its popular Atlanta radio stations to 375 Atlanta area small businesses since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Grow My GA Business” provides free creative services and radio time on WWWQ-FM/Q997 Atlanta, WNNX-FM/Rock 100.5, and WKHX/New Country 101 FIVE to select family-owned and locally operated businesses struggling to keep their doors open during the economic downturn. To date, Cumulus Atlanta’s “Grow My GA Business” daily features have promoted the 375 participating businesses through hourly 30-second live-read commercials in prime dayparts on each of the three stations.
Sean Shannon, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Atlanta, said the effort assists small businesses that are the lifeblood of local economies. “The unprecedented disruption has left small businesses the most vulnerable of all,” Shannon noted. “At Cumulus Atlanta, we hold as one of our core values that we are a driver of small business success. So, we felt in this environment we should put our money where our values are. I’m incredibly proud of our team, from our creative to production to the personalities who donated their voices to endorse these small businesses.”
Iron Brothers BBQ and Catering is just one of the businesses that benefitted from a day of advertising and reached out to say thanks. Co-owner Craig Stark attributed an immediate uptick in business to being featured on the Cumulus stations on May 26.
“The response has been amazing, and we got a lot of good repeat customers out of it,” said Stark. “The day our spot was on the air, we had at least 10 new customers come in and say: ‘We heard you on the radio. We didn’t even know you were down here.’”
Station promos drive businesses to growmyGAbusiness.com. Cumulus Atlanta created the web site to not only capture information about a business that could be used in its spots, but also to help Atlanta-area consumers quickly find information about each featured business. The effort is ongoing.
“I want to see every one of these businesses standing and healthy when we get to the other side of this,” added Shannon. “It’s a mission for Cumulus Atlanta now.”
For more information and to inquire about participating in the “Grow My GA Business” initiative, visit: https://growmygabusiness.com/.
About Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS) is a leading audio-first media and entertainment company delivering premium content to over a quarter billion people every month — wherever and whenever they want it. Cumulus Media engages listeners with high-quality local programming through 424 owned-and-operated stations across 87 markets; delivers nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming from iconic brands including the NFL, the NCAA, the Masters, the Olympics, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and many other world-class partners across nearly 8,000 affiliated stations through Westwood One, the largest audio network in America; and inspires listeners through its rapidly growing network of original podcasts that are smart, entertaining and thought-provoking. Cumulus Media provides advertisers with personal connections, local impact and national reach through on-air and on-demand digital, mobile, social, and voice-activated platforms, as well as integrated digital marketing services, powerful influencers, full-service audio solutions, industry-leading research and insights, and live event experiences. Cumulus Media is the only audio media company to provide marketers with local and national advertising performance guarantees. For more information visit www.cumulusmedia.com.
Contact: Lisa Dollinger, Dollinger Strategic Communication for Cumulus Media, 512.633.4084, lisa@dollcomm.com.