Hot 102.7FM’s audience nearly 700,000 – BrandMapp

Hot 102.7 fm BrandMapp presentation

That was one of the key take-outs when WhyFive’s director of storytelling, Brandon de Kock, presented the findings of its annual BrandMapp survey at an industry presentation in Johannesburg in February.

According to the survey, Hot 102.7FM’s current audience is in the region of 680,000 – significantly up on the 316,000 it reported in 2023’s BrandMapp report.

“We think it’s about 15%, year-on-year, which is really good growth, and it’s come, mostly, from a slightly younger audience,” said De Kock. “Normally, you would see a lowering in income levels when that happens, but that hasn’t happened to Hot 102.7FM. So, it feels like the station is picking up more high-income listeners, but it’s a younger audience, which is pretty amazing growth.”

According to De Kock, this should make the Hot 102.7FM audience attractive to any brands, goods and services that are being sold into the top 30% of Gauteng, by household income.

“It’s not about where Hot 102.7FM sits, compared with everyone else. What’s more interesting is the quality of audience,” he said. “You’re looking at about 680 000 listeners in Gauteng, out of a total middle market audience of about 5.5 million, but it’s a really good chunk of high-quality listeners that you’re reaching.”

BrandMapp is a “unique, independent, landscape study of middle class and top-end South African adults and a definitive study of the top 30% of South Africans by income. This group of 12.8 million adults make up more than 80% of all personal income and consumer spend in the country,” according to WhyFive.

Lloyd Madurai, founder and managing director of Hot 102.7FM

“We’re incredibly passionate about the radio product we put out and believe it’s of the highest quality, but it’s also reassuring to get independent confirmation that the station is moving in the right direction and gaining the market share it is,” said Lloyd Madurai, managing director of Hot 102.7FM. “Our listeners and commercial partners remain our priority, so we will continue to service both to the best of our ability, with a focus on playing the best ‘Old Skool’ and R&B music, with the best presenters, the best events, and the best platform for our advertisers to access our market.”

All of this follows yet another 12 months to remember for Hot 102.7FM, which started with the station being honoured in three categories at the New York Festivals Radio Awards and went on to see a third consecutive ‘Best Local Radio Station’ award at the Best of Joburg Readers’ Choice Awards, an incredible R27.5m raised in the annual Teddython fundraiser, numerous new media partnerships, and another highly successful Hot Cares Christmas charity initiative.