The gap between what advertisers believe about audio and what they spend on it isn’t just an American problem. A new study across nine European markets puts the same tension in sharper relief, and offers a few data points the US industry should pay attention to.
Sound Check Europe 2026, conducted by Bauer Media Audio in partnership with Elevate Consultancy, surveyed more than 1,000 senior agency and advertiser decision-makers across nine European markets. It stands as one of the more comprehensive looks at audio advertising attitudes across the continent and the UK.
The headline number: 96% of advertisers plan to maintain or increase audio spend. Eighty-six percent now consider audio a core part of their media strategy. In the UK specifically, 91% of respondents said audio is important to their strategy, yet only 47% of brands expect their investment to increase, compared to 59% of agencies. The study’s framing on that gap is pointed: the UK no longer needs convincing about audio’s effectiveness. It needs to focus on activation.
Across Europe, audio accounts for roughly a fifth of total media consumption but attracts only about 5% of ad investment, despite consistently delivering above-average ROI.
The attribution problem helps explain it. Only 13% of European advertisers say they confidently use audio attribution tools, dropping to 10% in the UK. Yet 73% across Europe and 68% in the UK said they would invest more if stronger evidence of effectiveness were available.
Digital audio and podcasting are where the opportunity is most visible. Seventy percent of European advertisers view digital audio as a brand-safe environment, with 66% citing broadcast-scale reach as a key attribute. In the UK, 81% say broadcast delivers scale while digital adds targeting flexibility, and 79% say the two formats play complementary roles. On podcasting, 82% of European advertisers say the format reaches highly engaged audiences and 47% plan to increase podcast investment. In the UK, 79% are aware of podcast formats, but only 49% consider podcasting important, a gap the study flags as significant untapped opportunity.
As for AI, advertisers are embracing the tech in audio for speed and scalability, though 38% cited trust as the biggest barrier, specifically concerns around brand risk and the impact on human creativity.
