In the last three months, two-thirds of US adults reported taking action because of an advertisement. Look closer at high-value categories from luxury vehicles and electronics to vacations and entertainment, and you’ll find radio ads outperforming the competition.
A new analysis from Katz Media Group based on Nielsen Scarborough data underscores radio’s impact on consumer behavior, showing that one in four of that 66% attributed their action specifically to a radio ad. These actions include making a purchase, visiting a store, following on social media, or recommending a product to others.
Not only are adults influenced by radio advertising significantly outperforming other ad-influenced consumers, but they’re also outperforming in all the right categories. Adults who respond to radio advertising consistently index higher in spending intent and purchase activity than those influenced by ads on other platforms.
For instance, adults influenced by radio ads are 68% more likely than the average adult to engage in sports betting – a 56-point advantage over the average ad-influenced consumer. They also outperform in major purchase categories: +15 points higher in likelihood to buy a luxury vehicle, +17 points more likely to purchase a game console, and +16 points more inclined to spend $500 or more on men’s business clothing.
Radio listeners also plan more leisure activities. They indexed 44 points higher than other ad-influenced consumers in plans to visit an indoor water park and 10 points higher in planning a theme park vacation. The trend extends to other entertainment and retail behaviors, including movie attendance, jewelry purchases, and mattress buying.
“While we do not know which advertisers’ messaging they responded to, we do know that these radio-influenced consumers are highly engaged across categories, making them advantageous to brands – and more valuable than ad-influenced adults in general,” Katz wrote in its summary.
As consumer budgets shift and advertisers prioritize effectiveness, AM/FM remains a critical platform for advertisers seeking measurable outcomes from motivated, high-intent audiences.
