Why Audio Belongs In Every Media Plan

At Tuning In North, new econometric analysis from WPP Media and Radiocentre, based on £1.8bn of media investment across 141 brands, provides one of the clearest signals yet for advertisers: audio is a high-performing, under-utilised media channel delivering consistent ROI across both brand and performance objectives.

For brands evaluating where to invest next, the questions are becoming sharper:

• Where does audio sit in a modern media strategy?
• How does it perform against digital and video channels?
• What level of investment actually drives optimal return?

The data provides clear answers.

Audio consistently outperforms market benchmarks

Across the full dataset:

• Average media ROI: £4.11 per £1 invested
• Broadcast Radio: +21% higher long-term ROI
• Audio overall: +32% higher short-term ROI

Audio delivers above this benchmark:

This positions audio as one of the most consistently efficient media environments available to advertisers today.

Audio outperforms most digital channels on efficiency

When benchmarked against pure-play digital media:

• Audio outperforms the majority of digital channels on ROI
• Over full campaign cycles, audio delivers ~30% higher returns than pure digital media
• Only PPC competes in short-term efficiency scenarios

This is a key distinction for advertisers: audio is not an awareness-only channel, it plays a measurable role in driving performance outcomes.

Why combining audio and podcasts matters

The strongest performance comes from integrated audio planning across the Communicorp UK network.

Radio delivers targetted regional campaigns and trust, building mass awareness and brand impact.

Podcasts deliver depth, attention, and highly engaged listening moments, where audiences actively choose to listen.

Together, they give brands both scale and resonance.

And increasingly, we’re seeing the strongest results when audio sits alongside social and video, reinforcing messaging across the wider media mix.

Why advertise with Communicorp UK

For brands choosing where to invest:

• Audio delivers above-market ROI across both short and long-term windows
• It consistently outperforms most pure digital media channels
• It works best as a combined ecosystem, not isolated formats
• It offers untapped efficiency headroom in most media plans
• stronger efficiency per pound spent
• better audience targeting across environments
• measurable performance across brand and activation goals
• access to one of the highest-performing media channels in the market

Communicorp UK sits at the centre of this performance opportunity. We provide access to regional radio audiences at scale, audio environments with targeting capability and integrated multiplatform audio campaigns that maximise ROI uplift.

We give advertisers access to highly engaged podcast audiences across sport and culture. Podcasts offer trusted, host-led environments that drive attention and recall, and scalable digital audio inventory within a growing market.

For advertisers, this means:

Audio-first investment is no longer about experimentation, it is about competitive advantage in media efficiency.