It’s been well-documented by now that radio outperforms over-the-air television as a mass reach medium, but what about radio’s effectiveness versus over traditional advertising? A new report suggests that audio may have a leg up on another old rival: out-of-home.

Post-pandemic, commuting patterns have set the stage for a resurgence in both AM/FM radio and out-of-home advertising effectiveness. In May, Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group found 85% of average Americans commute to work again – meaning OOH ad spend is growing.

Now, this new report from Veritonic, which surveyed hundreds of US podcast listeners in June, provides valuable data for the entire audio sphere and how it stacks up against billboards, display ads, and social media. The study focuses on the comparative impact of audio ads in terms of memorability, purchase intent, and consumer awareness.

Compared to billboards, audio ads were found to have a higher recall rate among consumers, with 60% finding audio ads more memorable. 51% of those surveyed were more likely to buy after hearing an audio ad than from a billboard. 54% prefer discovering new products through audio ads over billboards.

For other media, audio still held a considerable lead. Audio ad recall was 49% more than display ads, 48% more than video ads, and 33% more than social media ads. With consumer intent to purchase based on ad type, 40% show more purchase likelihood from audio ads compared to social media ads with preference over display and video ads trailing at 38% and 34%, respectively.

Given this data, it’s worth noting how inclusion of traditional radio into a campaign can boost memorability and effectiveness, especially given radio’s 86% share within in-car ad-supported audio.