Growing an Independent Voice
WNRN
Key Results
First Three Weeks Of Campaign
- 2M+ impressions in the first 45 days of the original Richmond campaign
- 600% increase in new Roanoke users in the campaign’s first month
- +17% app downloads and +31% daily active users in Richmond after just 12 days launch
- 20,910 total users and 742,947 impressions across both markets in July alone
Hidden Potential
WNRN already had something most brands chase but rarely achieve: a deeply loyal audience that values independence, discovery, and music beyond the algorithm. The challenge was not redefining who WNRN is for. It was revealing the scale of the audience that already exists, and proving that audience could grow into new markets without losing what makes it distinct. That audience is far larger than it appears. It includes not only listeners who actively reject algorithm-driven platforms, but also a growing group who feel increasing fatigue with them. Independence is not a niche mindset. It is an aspirational identity that many people naturally see in themselves. The opportunity was to elevate WNRN from a beloved insider community into a broader cultural signal — first in Richmond, and then into a new market: Roanoke.
The Idea
DLA launched “Independent As You Are,” positioning WNRN as a badge of identity, not just a station. Bold, integrated creative reframed WNRN as a curator for those who value authenticity, appealing to both anti-algorithm listeners and those ready for something more human. As the campaign matured, DLA expanded the idea in two directions at once: introducing “Independent As You Are” to an entirely new audience in Roanoke, while moving the already-aware Richmond audience from passive brand affinity toward a concrete action: downloading WNRN’s app. The newest creative wave leans further into an analog aesthetic that mirrors WNRN’s human-curated approach: concert posters, vintage vinyl labels, hand-lettered type, and a warm, plainspoken voice, in deliberate contrast to the polish of a streaming app UI. The message stays consistent across markets and funnel stages: real people, not algorithms, are choosing the music, because real people are listening. To support the expansion, DLA built a phased, full-funnel media strategy designed to meet each audience where it stood: introducing the brand in Roanoke through paid social and programmatic display, while using paid social to drive lower-funnel app downloads in Richmond, where awareness was already established.
The Results
The original campaign rapidly expanded reach and engagement, transforming WNRN from a hidden gem into a growing cultural force with a scalable foundation for continued audience growth. The Roanoke and Richmond expansion proved that foundation could scale: just 12 days of media in two markets produced record website acquisition and a clear step-up in app engagement.
Richmond, moving from awareness to action: Following the app campaign’s July 20 launch, daily downloads rose from 11.2 to 13.1 (+17.3%), and daily active users climbed from 146.9 to 191.1 (+30.1%). The campaign drove 169,170 impressions and 3,798 clicks at a 2.25% CTR — roughly nine times the click-through rate of the Roanoke awareness effort, consistent with a lower-funnel, action-driven objective.
Roanoke, introducing the brand: New users to the site surged 600% after launch, climbing from an average of 3 new users per day to roughly 25. The campaign generated 573,770 combined impressions across Paid Social (424,712) and Programmatic Display (149,058) in just 12 days, with Paid Social converting at a 0.25% CTR against Display’s 0.11%.