Many in radio have surrendered to the notion that when the commercial break comes on, the listener tunes out – maybe to their own thoughts, maybe to another station entirely – but as it turns out, that’s not the case at all according to a MARU/Matchbox survey.
With whole programming models dedicated to scheduling stopsets around competitors, it might be shocking to find that audio formats exhibit remarkably low avoidance rates. AM/FM radio, podcasts, and their streaming counterparts are among the formats most likely to be noticed and the least likely to be skipped or ignored.
As discussed in this week’s Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group blog, OTA AM/FM radio leads the pack with 35% of audiences saying they “tune out” traditional radio less than half the time. Interestingly, streaming AM/FM stations only had 27% say the same thing, but that still beat out online music streaming services with ads at 26%. This is considerably better than YouTube, which finished dead last at only 16%.
Podcast ad attentiveness also saw high attention, driven by the emotional connection and power of host-read ads. Recent measurements in creative effectiveness by research firm System1 have illuminated the significant influence that talent-read advertisements in both OTA radio and digital audio have on brand impact and sales.
System1’s star rating chart tracks ads that elicit a strong emotional response. The system is simple: two-star ads can lead to a 0.5% market share increase, while those achieving five stars can skyrocket a brand’s share by 3 points.
System1’s analysis of digital audio audiences against a general population sample found that host-voiced ads in podcasts carry an extra star in creative effectiveness ratings, underscoring the value of personalized ads in enhancing market share among podcast listeners. Furthermore, such host-read ads double the happiness score among podcast listeners compared to the general population, with happiness being the key emotion driving long-term brand growth. This supports the notion that listeners are particularly receptive to the trusted voices of their favorite hosts.
The study also introduces the “spike rating,” a predictor of short-term sales effectiveness based on the ad’s emotional intensity and brand association speed. In the short term, the spike rating for sales effect among podcast audiences exposed to host-read ads jumps by 16% to 18% over the general population. These findings echo the experiences of direct-response advertisers who have long recognized the efficacy of talent-read ads in boosting sales.
The unique combination of attentiveness and host engagement in audio advertising not only minimizes ad avoidance but also maximizes brand lift and sales impact, making it a compelling choice for advertisers aiming to leave a lasting impression.
Very well said JA-M. A good spotset should be a “how to use and enjoy your community today”. Length of spotsets can be problematic however I don’t believe spotsets in them self are bad. Radio at its core is creating sound tracks for our communities. If spotsets a have three to six creative short podcasts in them …job done.
I specifically patronize sponsors of OTA radio programming of Detroit Lions and Tigers games and other shows. Host read advertisements do make a little more positive impact on me. It is funny because, host read or not, I do not patron Iheart nor YouTube sponsors. I did patron a podcaster by sending in a money order. I will never patron by online methods. Anyway, to this day I never heard a word of thanks for my patronage. Podcasters will never receive future patronage, but because I enjoy podcasts, I will buy products from their sponsors regardless of host read ads or not.
For my needs nothing beats OTA radio programming though.