The Impact of Audio (Also) Can Be Measured

Audio, whether in its traditional form (radio) or through digital channels, has been firmly established as an advertising medium for years, with little doubt about its effectiveness. However, one aspect has barely been analyzed: its impact within a broader media mix, which is how advertisers use it in most cases. Understanding its contribution in this context is a true game-changer.

At FLUZO, we offer precisely that possibility: a native cross-media measurement solution, independent of media and people-centric, that unifies the view of each medium's performance within a campaign, in relation to each other, regardless of the device or platform through which the user is impacted. Our technology measures Reach and Frequency, identifies overlaps, and detects exclusive audiences, all without relying on media consensus or collaboration – not even from walled gardens.

How? FLUZO combines its automatic content recognition (ACR) technology based on audio fingerprints with additional data layers, such as surveys, all operating on the same single-source panel: FLUZO measures people, not media, and it measures everywhere –including the car!–, not only households. This enables fair measurement of all media, providing data that helps identify saturated media, frequency excesses, or imbalances in the media mix, just to name a few of the challenges advertisers face today.

Additionally, we operate in 14 countries and continue to grow, helping multinational companies unify their measurement across different markets. For the first time, it is possible to have the same measurement for all media and in many countries, instead of media-specific measurements, data fusions, and a different language in each market.

The Contribution of Audio in Advertising Campaigns

Let's focus on Audio. Our benchmark, based on hundreds of campaigns from major advertisers in Europe and Latin America, shows that radio and Audio are present in roughly 20% of campaigns, and not necessarily in the same ones. These are the main benefits it provides:

Reduction of TV Saturation. Radio and Online Audio are key allies in reinforcing reach and frequency among segments less exposed to television – the coveted Low TV Viewers – while simultaneously reducing saturation among High TV Viewers. For example, in a recent Toyota campaign, Radio emerged as the medium with the highest presence of Low TV Viewers, with a twenty-point difference in our frequency dispersion index compared to Connected TV and Online Video.

Incrementality. Yes, we can prove it: audio, especially online, enables incremental reach, meaning it brings advertising to audiences who would otherwise not receive the campaign. Results vary significantly by campaign, but in some cases, its contribution has been highly relevant, adding several percentage points of incremental coverage – compared to the entire rest of the Media Mix!

Complementarity with TV and OTT. While Television and the consumption of OTT platforms like Netflix are concentrated in Prime Time and its surrounding hours, Radio and Online Audio consumption is much more balanced throughout the day, with a significant peak in the morning. Leveraging this pattern allows for the creation of a more balanced and efficient media mix. At FLUZO, we have measured cases such as Renault (with Spotify) and Brico Depot (with radio), where they optimized their planning thanks to this strategic combination.

Advertising Effectiveness. Audio, whether due to its immersive nature, its strong creative tradition, or a mix of both, is an effective medium for enhancing brand KPIs. And our Brand Lift studies prove it, as we objectively know which media combinations impacted each panelist and how many times, using this information to assess survey results. For example, in a Renault campaign, Online Audio outperformed television by more than twenty points in increasing purchase intent among the 18 to 44-year-old segment.

At FLUZO, we believe that the debate on cross-media measurement should focus on what truly matters: advertisers and their interests. Therefore, this conversation should not focus solely on video media, nor adopt fragmented approaches that vary from country to country. Advertisers and other stakeholders in the advertising ecosystem should be able to choose the tools that best fit their needs to optimize their strategies, maximize the impact of their campaigns, and gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly complex and dynamic market.

Originally published in The Media Leader FR on the occasion of FLUZO's participation in The Future of Audio event.