Audio podcast ads are 18-25% more effective at driving purchases than YouTube video podcast ads, according to a major new study from Oxford Road and Podscribe analyzing over 1,000 campaigns across 100+ brands.
The Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog highlights this finding alongside multiple studies showing audio's superior attentiveness and engagement:
- Adelaide Metrics: Audio platforms (radio, streaming, podcasts) generate nearly the same attentiveness as linear TV despite lacking visuals, with podcasts at 94% of TV's level.
- Lumen Research (commissioned by Dentsu): Audio ads outperform video in attention and brand recall, delivering higher attentive seconds per impression.
- DVJ Insights: In TV ads, audio carries the bulk of brand recall—"you can look away but you cannot shut your ears"—with recall soaring as audio brand mentions increase.
- WPP Media: Digital audio ties for top short-term ROI (+44% above all-media average), while broadcast radio ranks second (+23% above average).
- Audio narratives demand active imagination and participation, leading to deeper engagement than passive video viewing (e.g., Game of Thrones audiobook elicits stronger emotional responses than the TV adaptation, per UCL research).
These reports collectively challenge the assumption that video is inherently superior, emphasizing audio's efficiency in attention, recall, and sales impact.