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The Medium Moves the Message

The Medium Moves the Message

A comparative study of the effects of advertising across three platforms: two broadcast channels (AM/FM Radio, Network/Cable TV) and one on-demand platform, podcasting.

By Tom Webster

March 22, 2023

The Medium Moves the Message is a comparative study of the effects of advertising across three platforms: two broadcast channels (AM/FM Radio, Network/Cable TV) and one on-demand platform, Podcasting.

This study of 2000+ Americans 18+ examined consumer attitudes towards advertising on all three platforms, demographic differences in core audiences, and how listeners and viewers respond to the brands that support their favorite shows and stations. Research requires a lot of hard work and support, and we couldn’t have done it without the following sponsors:

The Barometer
ESPN Podcasts
NPR

 

The centerpiece of the study is a look at four key brand health measures (awareness, favorability, consideration, and taking action/purchase behavior) for five of the largest advertisers by share of voice in each of the three platforms. Brands studied include:

  • Domino’s
  • Progressive
  • Liberty Mutual
  • GEICO
  • Subway
  • Indeed
  • ZipRecruiter
  • Upside
  • Babbel
  • BetterHelp
  • Athletic Greens
  • Shopify
  • McDonald’s

The principal findings of this study include:

  • Podcasting’s weekly reach 18-34 is nearing that of radio and TV.
  • The median age of heavy users of radio and tv is significantly older than that of heavy listeners to podcasts.
  •  Podcast buys reach net-new consumers when added to TV or Radio buys.
  • Podcast listeners are more likely to subscribe to premium, ad-free content options.
  • Podcast listeners are significantly more positive towards the brands that support the medium than Radio listeners or TV viewers.
  • The leading advertisers in podcasting perform significantly better in lower-funnel metrics with podcast listeners than the leading advertisers in TV and Radio do with their consumers.
  • The addition of podcasts to a multichannel media mix shows significant mid-funnel effects.

The Medium Moves the Message was conducted by Sounds Profitable in partnership with Signal Hill Insights. The study was conducted in February, 2023, using an online survey of 2,002 Americans 18+, weighted to the demographics of the US population according to the most recent Census data.

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The Ad Bargain

For 2024, Sounds Profitable will once again lead the industry in producing research studies designed to help grow the podcasting space and increase monetization opportunities. The year kicks off very aggressively with what will be sure to be a widely-cited study, The Ad Bargain. The Ad Bargain is a broad, cross-platform survey of American consumers and their attitudes toward various ad-supported media channels. The title references the “deal” consumers make when they watch or listen to ad-supported media: a few minutes of their attention to brands, in exchange for free access to content they love. Podcasting has historically been the best “bargain” for consumers AND brands, with attention, willingness to consider, purchase behavior, and positive perceptions for companies that sponsor podcasts leading amongst other ad-supported media. This study will reflect the current state of the perception of ads in podcasts compared to CTV, social media, and other platforms.

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