Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×

Study: 4 Features That Boost the Effectiveness of Audio Ads

Audacy and Veritonic partner in new audio study

A new audio study concluded that, in audio ads, four key features maximize intent to purchase, recall and brand favorability: sonic branding, music, voice and message. The study was conducted by Audacy in partnership with Veritonic.

“The question on everyone’s mind is no longer should I be using audio, but what should my audio sound like?,” said Scott Simonelli, CEO of Veritonic.

Key takeaways from the study are as follows:

Methodology

In search of the ideal audio advertisement, Audacy conducted a content analysis on 113 ads from OTA and podcast platforms, across entertainment, auto, CPG and financial service categories. The content analysis delved into 20 attributes, including voice over gender, sonic branding type and ad tone. Audacy then ran a custom survey asking 330+ consumers their opinions about the ads and the brands they represent. Within 48 hours of their responses, they were contacted a second time to gauge ad recall.

Sonic Branding

Pulling from study findings, according to an Audacy press release, sonic branding is the single most effective way for marketers to improve brand recognition and purchase. “It’s central to how we feel about and identify with brands,” says Audacy. “A sound logo that’s deployed consistently over time can reinforce a visual and verbal brand identity and enhance brand recall.”

An Audacy graphic detailing study findings about how sonic branding can improve a brand’s image.

Music

“Whether it’s curating custom compositions or selecting simple melodies, the key is to select music that aligns with a brand’s core values and brand personality,” says Audacy. The study found that music can be utilized to reinforce what the brand stands for, capture attention within ads and connect with target audiences.

“Incorporating music into ads drives purchase intent by 5%,” read the press release. “Music also helps ads stay top of mind and propels intent to purchase, and ads with music were more memorable, realizing 4% higher recall.”

Voice

With the explosive growth of audio-first platforms such as podcasts, music streaming, and voice assistants, brands are increasingly communicating with consumers through voice.

“There’s always great debate over voice – will a female voice or male voice resonate best, young and energetic or mature and authoritative? It turns out, the most significant and consistent driver for success was multi-voice.” While ultimately, the voice that works best depends on brand personality and which voices jive best with established identity and target audience, the study found that there are some tactics that show success across brands and industries (multi-voice).  Ads with multiple voices increase recall by 10%, says Audacy.

Message

Finally, the study found that name exposure makes a big difference, so be conscious when curating brand messaging and scripts.

“How many times you hear the brand name matters; how many times you’re exposed to an ad campaign matters,” says Audacy. “When the brand is mentioned at least four times, purchase intent increases by 4%. Brand mentions in disclaimers factor into this increase as well.”

Click here to download the study.

[Sign Up for Radio World’s SmartBrief Newsletter]

Close