Study: Brands Win Big With Audio

WARC’s latest report, The Multiplier Effect, crafted with Analytic Partners, Prophet, BERA, and System1, is making waves in marketing circles. It argues that top brands succeed by blending brand-building with performance marketing, with Audio playing a pivotal role.

Analyzing over 1,000 brands, the report showcases Audio’s impact through real-world cases. For example, Saatva, a direct-to-consumer mattress brand, redirected funds from paid search to radio and podcasts. This shift boosted branded search, revenue, and margins, despite a declining category. Audio drove both awareness and tangible sales.

The report highlights a flaw in media measurement: attribution models often overvalue paid search while undervaluing Audio. Up to 30% of search clicks stem from upstream exposure to media like Audio and video, yet these channels rarely get credit. This echoes findings from Oxford Road’s analysis of $400M in Audio spend, which showed nearly 20% of branded search actions trace back to Audio, especially with an always-on strategy.

Audio excels at fueling both long-term brand equity and short-term sales. It fosters emotional connections and memory structures for lasting impact while driving immediate action when paired with search. This synergy—brand multiplied by performance—defines the multiplier effect.

Key Insights From Audacy Insights:

• Brands balancing brand and performance outperform those favoring one approach.
• Top brands use consistent creative across TV, search, and Audio for a cohesive narrative.
• High performers allocate at least 30% of budgets to equity-focused campaigns, often including radio and digital Audio.

Leading marketers treat Audio as a full-funnel tool, invest in accurate measurement, unify creative across channels, and align brand and performance teams. WARC’s report underscores that Audio isn’t just additive—it’s a multiplier for brand and performance success.