From game-changing shifts in creativity to artificial intelligence, measurement and audience activation, one of the nation’s biggest audio content creation and distribution companies is highlighting key trends it believes are “crucial for navigating the evolving ad environment” in a new “State of Audio” report released on Tuesday.
The findings come from Audacy, which is now a privately owned broadcast station ownership group following its emergence from voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
According to research compiled in the guide, emotional messaging is gaining renewed importance in audio advertising, driving an 8.2% increase in consumer action with ads that evoke positive feelings.
“In the creator economy, ‘test and see’ strategies are becoming obsolete, as authentic creator partnerships are now essential to media plans,” Audacy shares. “In fact, 40% of advertisers are shifting from one-off campaigns to year-long collaborations with creators, recognizing the lasting value these partnerships offer.”
Artificial intelligence, the “most disruptive change in a decade,” is reshaping the ad landscape, with 88% of marketers expecting AI to have a serious impact on their business by mid-2025.
Audacy notes that radio and podcast publishers are adopting dynamic AI contextual ads, creative testing and additional features to enhance experiences. “Despite the rise of generative AI, human connection remains the heart and soul of audio,” Audacy says. “By blending AI with a human touch, brands can maintain authenticity and preserve the magic of genuine connection.”
“In this edition of State of Audio, we explore audio trends that leading brands are leaning into to accelerate the performance of their media investments,” said Audacy Chief Marketing Officer Paul Suchman. “From great creative and discovering new audiences, to super interesting use-cases for AI and smarter analytics, these are the trends marketers are embracing to make their audio work harder.”
Among four key takeaways:
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Personalized ad creatives drive up to twice the conversion rates.
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Targeting Made Smarter: Now predictive models are leveraging past purchases to take audience targeting to the next level.
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While performance and driving purchases are critical, advertisers are increasingly prioritizing brand strength. In the past two years, brand marketing investments have surged by 56%.
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Marketers should tap into sports and music superfans, as over 35% of consumers view their favorite teams and artists as core to their identity. Leverage these emotional connections with contextually relevant campaigns.
