ARD Media Lets Advertisers Build Their Own National Radio Packages
Updated: 6 days ago
ARD Media has launched 'Flex-Kombi', a new audio product that for the first time lets advertisers and agencies assemble their own national radio buys — choosing stations by audience, region and budget — across 36 stations and around 2.15 billion possible combinations, from 1 October 2026.
What's Launching
ARD Media, the sales house for Germany's public broadcasters, has introduced 'Flex-Kombi', a product that lets advertisers and media agencies assemble a national radio buy themselves — choosing stations by target audience, region and budget rather than taking fixed, pre-set combinations.
All stations are MA-certified and run in weekday daytime (6am–6pm), with a combined discount applied uniformly across the chosen package. It launches on 1 October 2026.
The Numbers
The self-configurable model spans 36 stations across 31 sales packages, which ARD Media says yields around 2.15 billion possible combinations, with a minimum booking of six packages from at least three different media companies.
That scale of choice is the headline, but the real shift is control: buyers move from a menu of fixed bundles to a build-your-own model tuned to their exact audience and geography.
Marketing Minute's Take
This is audio catching up with the flexibility digital buyers now expect. Fixed combinations are a seller's convenience; self-configuration is a buyer's tool, and offering it signals ARD Media knows where the power is shifting.
It's also a smart defensive move for radio. As budgets migrate to digital audio and programmatic, giving advertisers granular control over traditional radio is one way to keep the medium competitive on flexibility, not just reach.
What Businesses Should Do
Where a channel offers more granular control, use it — building to your actual audience and geography beats accepting a generic bundle that bakes in waste.
More broadly, buyers increasingly reward flexibility. If your offer is still 'take our fixed package', a competitor letting customers self-configure will look more modern — and win the budget.
Quick FAQ
What is ARD Media's 'Flex-Kombi'?
A new audio product that lets advertisers and agencies build their own national radio packages by choosing stations by audience, region and budget, rather than taking fixed combinations. It launches on 1 October 2026.
How many combinations are possible?
ARD Media says the model spans 36 stations across 31 packages, yielding around 2.15 billion possible combinations, with a minimum booking of six packages from at least three media companies.
When do the ads run?
All stations are MA-certified and run in weekday daytime, from 6am to 6pm, with a uniform combined discount across the chosen package.
Fixed media bundles are a seller's convenience; self-configuration is a buyer's tool. ARD Media handing advertisers granular control over national radio is audio catching up with what digital buyers already expect — and a smart way to keep the medium competitive. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Buyers reward flexibility — 'take our fixed package' loses budget to whoever lets customers build their own.
Is your offer still a fixed bundle, or can customers configure it to what they actually need?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: HORIZONT, Meedia, turi2 and ARD Media/presseportal.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
