Can the argument be made that audio is becoming the most effective ad medium? Audacy Chief Marketing Officer Paul Suchman thinks so.
“Audio deserves much more recognition as a (legacy) medium that’s constantly innovating and evolving to enhance the consumer experience and the advertiser opportunity,” Suchman says in a guest column for Ad Age.
“At the heart of audio lives great storytelling, the single most effective tool for sharing information and knowledge. The way stories are told is shifting, driven by new technologies and approaches that allow brands to create more emotional connections, deliver more personalized experiences, and scale their campaigns for maximum impact. And no medium is better equipped to do this than audio.”
Suchman identifies several key advertising trends working in audio’s favor, such as spots driven by emotion. “Ads built around stories and fueled with emotional resonance — joy, surprise, even a touch of sadness — create the deepest connections,” he says. “Delivering a message within a story transforms an ad from a fleeting interruption into a memorable moment. And the brands who infuse this into their narratives see higher recall and significant gains in purchase intent.”
Helping to create these audio connections is a boost in advertiser-creator partnerships, with 31% of advertisers saying they are upping their investment with creators and 40% investing in long-term partnerships, according to a study by Advertiser Perceptions.
“We’re seeing a shift toward deeper partnerships, longer campaigns, and non-traditional collaborations where brands become part of the stories these creators are telling,” Suchman says. “By aligning with trusted creators and hosts, advertisers are leveraging their equity and relationships to build deeper connections with their target cohorts.”
One perhaps unexpected helpmate in audio ads’ evolution is AI, which, notes Suchman, is “transforming audio advertising by helping marketers better understand audience data, target ads with more precision, and create audio experiences for an audience of one at scale. AI is also enabling the production of customized ad creative on the fly. Music, SFX voiceovers, and offers can all be tailored to each listener’s unique preferences and buying behaviors. It’s built on intelligent recommendation engines working behind the scenes to make ads more targeted and more effective without adding any cost to media plans.”
Audio ads are also benefiting from the growing popularity of podcasts. “Podcasts are now mainstream media, with more than 135 million listeners tuning in every month to shows large and niche, and advertisers are all in,” Suchman says. “Brands are identifying specific mass shows, leveraging cross-network, addressable buys to broaden reach and buying space on small shows with highly specific audiences.”
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