Summary
New international research presented at the Cannes Lions Festival this week argues that audio is not a nice-to-have addition to advertising but a measurable performance multiplier. The report, unveiled by Professor Mark Ritson and produced in partnership with Radiocentre Ireland, System1, Effie, MiniMBA and others, finds that campaigns that include audio deliver stronger commercial outcomes across profit, trust and pricing power. The findings are published by AdWorld and the full report is available to download. See the AdWorld coverage here and the report here.
Key findings at a glance
– Campaigns using audio outperformed non-audio campaigns by 22% across the markets analysed, rising to 23% for UK and Ireland campaigns. Source: AdWorld.
– Campaigns that incorporated audio were 75% more likely to produce profit and delivered an 81% increase in consumer trust and price insensitivity. Customer acquisition improved by 19%.
– The profit advantage increased with campaign scale: smaller audio-enabled campaigns saw a 27% uplift, medium campaigns 74%, and larger campaigns 88%, compared to similar campaigns without audio.
– Emotional creative and long-term consistency amplified the effect. Emotional campaigns running for more than three years produced incremental profit in 33% of cases, versus 6% for non-emotional campaigns, and adding audio more than doubled profitability.
– Distinctive sonic branding – jingles, audio logos and signature sound devices – significantly improved brand recall and fluency, often outperforming many visual-only brand assets.
What the numbers mean for advertisers
The study’s headline statistics present a compelling case for adding audio to campaign mixes. For marketers sitting on tight budgets, the finding that returns scale with investment is especially relevant. The largest profit gains came where audio was part of bigger, sustained campaigns, which suggests audio is most effective when it is a strategic, not tactical, element.
That said, the research draws on award-winning campaigns in the Effie and System1 databases between 2007 and 2023. Those samples skew toward campaigns that have already achieved creative and commercial recognition. In other words, selection effects are a real caveat: audio looks powerful in the company of high-quality creative and strong planning. The data is persuasive, but it is not a simple causal guarantee that adding a 30 second radio spot will automatically double profits for every brand.
Sonic branding and emotional storytelling
One of the clearest messages from the report is that audio multiplies the effect of emotionally engaging creative. Where brands invest in emotion and run campaigns consistently over years, adding sound assets produces a compounding effect on profit and on brand differentiation. The study also finds that combining audio with other distinctive brand assets produces the strongest outcomes.
For marketers building long-term brand equity, that is a practical nudge. Sonic identity – from simple audio logos to recurring musical cues – aids brand fluency in noisy markets. The study suggests brands should treat sound as a core asset to be managed, not an afterthought to creative execution.
Voices behind the research
Professor Mark Ritson described the findings as “yet more beautiful data”, arguing that the evidence for audio’s effectiveness is unequivocal. Ciaran Cunningham, CEO of Radiocentre Ireland, highlighted audio’s role in driving profit, trust and price resilience for brands. Andrew Tindall of System1 emphasised that emotional audio campaigns roughly double profitability and that distinctiveness and consistency compound results. Full coverage of the announcement is available at AdWorld.
Implications for the Irish market
For Irish advertisers this research arrives at an opportune moment. Audio channels, including radio and podcasts, retain reach and context advantages that can be cheaper and more efficient than some digital formats. The study’s Ireland-specific uplift figure (23% for UK and Ireland) makes the case for local marketers to reassess audio’s place in media plans.
Practical steps Irish brands should consider
– Audit your brand assets to identify opportunities for a cohesive sonic identity.
– Treat audio briefs as strategic: test emotional creative with sonic elements early and measure impact over time.
– Consider scale and consistency. Smaller tactical insertions will help, but the biggest gains come from medium to large sustained campaigns.
– Use audio alongside visual assets to create multi-sensory distinctiveness rather than as a standalone channel.
Methodology and caveats
The research analysed more than 1,200 award-winning campaigns drawn from Effie and System1 databases across the UK, Ireland, Europe and the United States and covers campaigns from 2007 to 2023. The scope and scale of the dataset give weight to the conclusions, but the focus on award-winning work means results are not necessarily representative of all advertising. Correlation is strong and persuasive, but brands should still test in-market and track direct commercial outcomes when reallocating budgets.
Where to read more
Read the AdWorld article that summarised the Cannes announcement and download the full report from the publisher here. Those materials include tables and case examples that advertisers can use to press pitches or to justify budget shifts toward audio.
Takeaway
The report gives Irish marketing decision makers fresh ammunition to argue for a meaningful role for audio in the media mix. It does not promise a magic bullet. Instead it shows audio is a high-leverage asset when combined with emotional creative, distinctive branding and sustained investment. For pragmatically minded marketers looking to protect margins and build brand trust, the message is clear: do not relegate sound to the last line of a brief.
