Creative is crucial to driving ROI

A study commissioned by radio giant Westwood One suggests that podcast advertisements may be just as effective as television commercials in driving consumer actions, and in brand scores.

Westwood One’s podcast creative test was conducted in partnership with the Advertising Benchmark Index (ABX). ABC compared podcast ads to TV commercials and online video ads for the study.

The study found that when it came to clear branding, podcast ads were comparable to TV ads, with the study measuring an online job site, a grooming subscription service, and a watch brand.

Perhaps more significantly, the study also found that podcast ads were more effective than both TV and online video when it came to call-to-action metrics.

Westwood One and its parent company Cumulus Media have skin in the game, of course, and have made podcasts a significant investment priority, as the traditional linear radio business faces pressure from streaming services and satellite radio.

According to a Nielsen study of 500 advertising campaigns, creative drives 47% of all sales lift. Creative matters; how an ad is received by a listener has a huge impact on sales effect.