How Audio Ads Build Trust and Transparency for Pharma

As a pharma marketer, you’re likely thinking: I need a vacation. Between 2026 planning and evolving industry standards, the landscape can feel more complex than ever. But until you get that beach getaway on the books, here are five reasons SiriusXM Media’s audio-first storytelling offers a differentiated opportunity for pharma brands today.

1. Authentic Connection, No Visuals Required 

Audio storytelling casts the listeners as the main character, making ad experiences feel more personal and relevant. Your brand messages live in the consumer’s imagination. Without visuals, audio sparks a theater of the mind where each listener creates their own unique connection to the message, shaped by their lived experiences.  

2. We Offer Flexibility for Long-Form Pharma Ads and ISI

Pharma advertising demands space, omnichannel reach, and flexibility—and digital audio advertising with SiriusXM Media delivers.

• Audio ads. Choose your length: 45s, 60s, 90s (podcasts). Give your brand the space to provide clarity and detail without a visual component.

• Video ads. Need more space? We’ve got you covered. Our video ads can run up to 2m 30s, making it easy to flesh out your story with plenty of room for ISI. 

• Display ads. Combine audio and vision components with our companion display ads, complete with scrolling ISI capability. 

• Transact direct or programmatic. You choose. Buy your way, in any combination.

3. Producing or Updating Audio Creative Is a Fast, Flexible Process

When you work with us, you have audio advertising experts in your corner. We know audio creative, so your ads will be perfectly suited for our leaned-in, intimate listening environments.

• Audio is our specialty. In just hours—not days or weeks—our award-winning creative agency, Studio Resonate, can script, produce, and deliver fully revised audio ads. This eliminates the heavy lift often associated with reworking video creative, which can require additional production time, resources, and costs.

• Studio Resonate understands pharma. With deep experience supporting DTC pharma brands, the team is well-versed in industry nuances—from pacing and tone to ISI integration—Studio Resonate works with voice talent who are specifically trained in pharma messaging.

4. Our Listeners Embrace Pharma Ads

Our 2025 Pharma Audience Research Study confirmed that our adult listeners are all ears for pharma marketing:

• 68% want to hear pharma ads

• 46% want useful information about side effects

• Nearly half find ISI in audio ads helpful and informative

• 1 in 4 say hearing ISI makes the company seem more honest and transparent

5. Our Audience Prefers ISI without Visuals

The same study highlighted the disconnect that often occurs when ISI runs alongside happy lifestyle visuals in pharma TV spots:

• 51% find side effect visuals in TV ads misleading

• Only 7% find them comforting

• 3 in 10 prefer to hear ISI with no visuals at all

Build Campaigns that Resonate

You won’t find a bigger, more ad-supported audience in audio. As you navigate the next few weeks as a pharma marketer, let’s discuss how SiriusXM Media can both develop and run your audio ads, convert existing video creatives into audio-first messaging that resonates authentically with listeners, and deploy cohesive, multimedia campaigns.

Let’s talk.

Learn More About Digital Audio for Pharma Brands