In a screen-saturated marketplace, brands would be wise to re-center around the power of sound. Katz Radio Group analysis is delivering a reminder to brands that sonic branding strengthens memory and delivers performance on par with TV, often at a far lower cost.
In an ABX Creative Test study comparing more than 10,700 TV ads with 2,779 AM/FM radio ads, listeners rated radio advertising nearly on par with television for performance in skincare and haircare. Ninety-five percent of respondents said radio was as effective as TV for skincare advertising, while 85% said the same for haircare, with the radio ads offering a greater value at a fraction of TV’s cost.
Many of the most enduring advertisements are remembered less for what they showed than for what they sounded like. A 2025 Katz Radio Group study of 600 adults underscores that point, finding that 15% of respondents cited the absence of music as a drawback when listening to a 30-second ad.
Based on feedback from 4,200 media and advertising professionals across 26 channels, MediaVillage’s 2024 Myers Report found sonic branding to be the second-largest “weak spot” for sellers, with most respondents saying they would need basic primers to understand it and very few claiming even foundational knowledge.
A 2024 Veritonic survey of US podcast listeners found that 58% report audio elements more memorable than visuals, and that 64% of listeners feel a stronger connection to brands that maintain a cohesive sound identity across radio, podcasts, streaming audio, and other platforms, while 51% say a brand’s sound influences their perception more than visuals.
Katz notes that music also succeeds where visuals face limitations. Video requires full visual attention. Audio, and especially music, integrates into everyday life. It reaches people while they drive, cook, walk the dog, or scroll with the sound on. In-car listening, where AM/FM radio listening leads, illustrates how music-rich environments create moments where audiences are both engaged and receptive. The experience feels natural rather than interruptive.
