Audio drives brand awareness: new WPP Media study highlights the impact of audio advertising

Audio drives brand awareness: new study highlights the impact of radio and podcasts

New research by WPP Media and Kantar reveals how audio contributes to brand awareness, and how platform, format and personalisation influence effectiveness.

Audio advertising delivers a significant uplift in brand awareness.New research from WPP Media, conducted in partnership with Kantar, shows that audio campaigns generate meaningful improvements across key awareness metrics, including a 10% increase in ad awareness, an 11% uplift in unaided brand awareness and an 8% rise in top-of-mind awareness. The findings reinforce audio’s role as an effective channel for building brands and strengthening mental availability.

At the same time, the study highlights considerable differences in effectiveness across platforms, formats and listening environments. Through this annual research programme, WPP Media aims to help marketers better understand what drives upper-funnel performance within audio. As the audio landscape continues to evolve through digital consumption, addressable capabilities and new podcast formats, the findings provide practical guidance for building more effective campaigns. The study also reflects a broader industry effort to improve transparency and establish a more consistent approach to measuring media effectiveness.

Radio, online audio and podcasts: complementary rather than competitive
The research shows that performance varies significantly across audio platforms. Podcasts deliver the strongest awareness impact, driven in part by higher levels of listener attention and longer exposure to both content and advertising messages.

The findings also challenge the perception of radio as a single, uniform medium. Online audio environments outperform linear radio across several awareness measures, suggesting that digital listening environments can create stronger engagement and communication impact. From a strategic perspective, radio, online audio and podcasts should not be viewed as competing channels, but as complementary parts of the media mix. Each serves a different role and consumption moment within the customer journey. Radio continues to provide scale, reach and sustained presence, while podcasts stand out for their ability to capture attention. The growth of podcast advertising has further enriched the audio ecosystem. When combined effectively, these channels enable brands to build both reach and impact.

Longer formats and format combinations drive stronger results
Creative length also proves to be an important driver of effectiveness. A 30-second audio ad performs approximately 40–45% better than a 20-second execution. Within podcast advertising, host-read ads generate the strongest results, benefiting from both longer exposure and a highly attentive listening environment. The study further shows that combining podcast formats creates additional value. When a pre-roll is paired with a host-read execution, the effectiveness of the host-read increases by approximately 22%. Introducing a brand message early and reinforcing it later in the listening experience creates a stronger awareness effect.

Personalisation increases relevance and effectiveness
Personalisation also delivers clear benefits. Persona-based audio messages generate 68% higher impact than a standard 20-second commercial. Product-based personalisation produces additional gains as well. The findings demonstrate that relevance is a powerful driver of effectiveness in audio advertising.

Attention and context remain critical
Beyond platform and format, the listening environment plays a significant role in campaign performance. The study was designed around realistic listening scenarios, including multitasking and common distractions such as driving, working and studying. The results show that attention and context are key factors in determining advertising effectiveness. For marketers, this means that audio should not be evaluated solely on reach, but also on the quality of audience engagement.

A note on frequency
One important consideration when interpreting the findings is that the results are based on a single exposure to an advertising message. In practice, audio campaigns are rarely built around a single contact moment. Managing frequency and repeated exposure remains a core principle of effective media planning, and outcomes may differ when audiences are exposed to a message multiple times.

Conclusion
The research once again confirms the value of audio as a driver of brand awareness. Whether through radio or podcasts, audio reaches audiences throughout the day, often in moments when other media channels are less present. That consistent presence, combined with relevant creative formats and messaging, makes audio a powerful channel for maintaining brand salience and staying top of mind over time.

“This study confirms that not all audio environments are created equal. Podcasts generate the highest levels of attention and awareness impact, even in situations where listeners are distracted, making them particularly effective for complex propositions and long-term brand building. At the same time, the research gives advertisers greater control over how they use audio and represents another step towards a more mature audio market where quality, attention and relevance are at the centre.”
Hanneke van Rozendaal, Sales Manager FD and BNR

“We are seeing a clear shift in the market. Successful brands no longer want to simply broadcast messages; they want to become part of conversations that matter within highly engaged communities. In the Netherlands, podcasts have become the gateway to those communities. This research provides compelling evidence of that value. With an impact index of 112, podcasts demonstrate strong message retention, even in distracted listening environments. When brands build authentic connections through host-read advertising and combine this with pre-roll messaging, the impact of the host-read increases by a further 22%, reaching an impressive impact score of 198. The report shows that the greatest opportunity for advertisers is no longer found in buying reach alone, but in earning a place within loyal and engaged communities.”
Eva Rozenbeek, Commercial Director Podimo

“This research reinforces what we strongly believe at Ad Alliance. The strength of Total Audio lies in the combination of reach, relevance and attention. Radio, online audio and podcasts each play a distinct role and bring unique value throughout the funnel. By combining these channels strategically, brands can build reach while creating meaningful impact throughout the day and remaining top of mind over time. As our joint research with WPP Media demonstrates, personalised creative can amplify those results even further.”
Rob Beijersbergen, Commercial Director Radio, Ad Alliance

“Audio is no longer a homogeneous channel that can be assessed on reach alone. This research highlights the significant differences between platforms and formats, and the strategic opportunities these differences create for brands looking to increase awareness. Marketers who approach audio with attention to context, relevance and audience engagement can achieve substantial gains in effectiveness through relatively small adjustments.”
Andrea Ortiz, AV Practice Lead, WPP Media