Audio—radio, podcasts and streaming—is undergoing more than a renaissance. A true revolution is underway, led in part, by the disruptors who are making, consuming and advertising on the medium.
The idea of your parents’ favorite staticky radio station playing golden oldies has been blown apart, transformed not just by state-of-the-art car dashboards, smart speakers and mobile devices, but also by ultramodern attitudes. Radio has always been an intimate medium, the persuasive voice of a trusted friend whispering in your ear, but digital innovation has made audio’s reputation and effectiveness skyrocket. News, sports, conversations, music, podcasts. It’s all here in ultra-high fidelity.
That’s why we’re devoting Audacy’s latest State of Audio guide—“The Disruptors: The Listeners, Advertisers and Creators Revolutionizing Audio”—to those driving so much attention to our industry. This edition of our biannual report spotlights the people, content and marketing strategies that make audio a must-have medium for marketers.
The ultimate companion medium
The rise of cross-platform listening stands out as the biggest opportunity in 2022 for advertisers. Morning and afternoon drive time has given way to “me time” as audio has become an on-demand medium. Platform agnostic, these folks might be called the “AudioX” listeners, who follow their favorite content creators, transitioning smoothly from over-the-air radio to podcasts to audio streaming throughout the day.
More than a demographic, AudioX listeners are defined by behavior. They’re 52% more likely to have a college degree and two-thirds more likely to have a household income over $100,000 when compared with digital content only consumers.¹ What’s more, AudioX listeners have a greater propensity to recall brand messages and have a significant increase in purchase intent.²