Findings by Cumulus Media/Westwood One’s Audio Active Group reveal that a significant majority of Americans once again are driving to work.
The group commissioned a study of habits of 1,600 nationally-represented “average Americans” this past April. Separately, it also interviewed more than 300 people who work for marketers and the media industry through an April 2024 perceptual study.
Of the average Americans, 85% say they commute to work at least part of the week. The study noted an even higher percentage for marketers and media agencies who work outside the home, at 89%.
Fifty-seven percent of marketers and media agencies say they commute “most or all days,” which is a post-pandemic high. It also marks an eight-percent jump from six months prior.
In a blog post, Pierre Bouvard, chief insights officer at Cumulus Media/Westwood One’s Audio Active Group, referenced Edison Research’s Q4 2024 “Share of Ear” report that showed over-the-air radio made up 86% of audio time spent in the car of persons 18 and older.
“For marketers and media agencies the message is clear: Out-of-home media audiences have roared back as billboards, digital signage and AM/FM radio offer mass reach at full pre-pandemic levels,” Bouvard wrote.
He noted that the trend has less of an impact on digital audio such as Spotify, Pandora and podcasts, which are primarily consumed at home.
Ad industry catches up with “average Americans”
The study also pointed to an interesting convergence in commuting behavior, which normalized in April 2024 after previous post-COVID divergence.
Everyday Americans reported clocking in slightly more days at the office, averaging 4.7 days per week compared to the advertising industry’s average of 4.2 days.
As one might expect, Monday through Thursday are the peak days for in-office work for both groups, with Friday seeing a noticeable dip in attendance.
Of those who are “partially commuting” in the advertising industry, 37% say they don’t plan to return to the office full time, which is down from 49% last year.
The advertising industry is also showing a strong return to in-person professional activities. Nearly three-quarters of respondents indicated that they have resumed in-person media vendor meetings and in-person conferences and events, signaling a post-pandemic high.
Methodology
These perceptual interviews of the advertising industry, conducted in April 2024, were compared against data from seven previous perception studies conducted every six months beginning in April 2022.
The Cumulus Media/Westwood One’s Audio Active Group commissioned a Quantilope consumer study in April 2024, surveying 1,600 adults aged 18 and older to examine the commuting habits of average Americans. The results of this consumer study were benchmarked against similar questions posed by Nielsen and MARU/Matchbox over the preceding five years.
