How Streaming Audio Strengthens Brand Recall

Think of a recent audio ad you heard. Maybe you remember part of the script, the sonic jingle, or the background music. But do you remember which brand it was for? With the sheer number of ads thrown at audiences every day, it can be difficult for listeners to keep them all sorted. 

Brand awareness may get a lot of attention in the marketing space, but brand recall is just as critical. Brand awareness means someone can identify your company when they see branded materials. Meanwhile, brand recall means they remember you without visual or auditory prompts. Consumers can’t take action if they can't recall your brand, and in the modern digital landscape, every second of attention is currency. 

Audio advertising drives major results across the funnel but especially upper-funnel metrics like brand recall. When you need your brand to stick, streaming audio is a clear winner. 

Why brand recall matters more than ever

Millions of ads flood platforms across a variety of media every day. In the attention economy, consumer focus is the prize, and advertisers are competing for just a few seconds of engagement. Even if your brand has started to break out amongst competitors, new businesses continue to pop up—creating more competition and noise.

To stand out, you have to connect the dots for audiences and create value for them at the right time. Since digital audio listeners spend over four hours daily with digital audio, you have more room to find that intersection. Streaming audio captures attention whether screens are turned on or not.

The science behind why audio sticks

For listeners, whether they’re rock loyalists or pop superfans, streaming audio is not background noise. It connects deeply to their memories, daily emotions, and well-being. 

• Mood: 75% of listeners say music relaxes them and 77% say music improves their mood. When you reach consumers in these feel-good states, your brand benefits from the halo effect. It’s almost like you’re sponsoring their positive feelings. 

• Mental health: 51% of listeners aged 18-24 say music helps them process their emotions and 59% report it is important to their mental health and well-being. You become part of their daily wellness routine, not an interruption.

• Emotional connection: Music anchors memories. A milestone celebration. A road trip. A nostalgic hangout. These moments stick because audio creates emotional ties that visual media may not be able to replicate. After all, 83% of listeners say music triggers nostalgia.

Creative strategies to maximize brand recall in streaming audio ads

Here are proven strategies to make your message and brand take root. 

1. Strengthen your sonic identity

Consistency builds recall. Whether you’re repeating a memorable jingle (e.g., Netflix’s ta-dum) or a distinctive voice (e.g., Jake from State Farm), these are all elements of a sonic identity that help listeners recognize you instantly. In fact, 33% of young adults favor brands with a recognizable sound.

2. Use contextual targeting

Meet listeners at the right moment, time, and place. With our streaming audio solutions, you can align ads with consumers’ real-time activities or moods to increase your message receptivity. Picture an athleisure brand reaching listeners when they're exercising at the gym. Or a meal delivery service connecting with angsty audiences during dinnertime. The relevance that contextual targeting adds increases receptivity and drives stronger brand recall. Context makes your message feel less like an interruption and more like a natural part of the listening experience.

3. Repeat your brand name frequently 

The first few seconds are critical, so establish your brand presence early on. To drive higher ad recall, mention your brand name at least three times in a 30-second spot. To balance your message, you might weave your name throughout the ad. Establish yourself in the beginning, promote your name a second time in the middle, and close out your message with a final mention so you remain top of mind. 

4. Leverage rewarded ads

Consumers love a freebie, and that includes uninterrupted listening time. With rewarded ads, you can offer value in exchange for ad engagement, including ad-free listening time and access to premium features. These incentives create positive associations, as listeners will remember your brand as one that enhanced their listening session. 

5. Adopt sequential audio

Tell your brand story over time to build intrigue. Sequential audio lets you guide listeners through a narrative across multiple touchpoints. For instance, build intrigue and awareness with the first ad to get your name out there. Reveal the key product benefits and how you stand out from competitors in the second. Finally, close out the campaign with a strong call to action in the third. Each ad exposure deepens listener engagement while minimizing ad fatigue. In previous findings across 170+ studies, we found that four or more ad exposures generated the highest brand awareness.  

6. Conduct A/B testing

There’s no set it and forget it when it comes to your messaging and ad creative.  By conducting A/B testing, you can experiment with two versions of an audio ad to see what lands best with your listeners. Test different voices, script approaches, and CTAs. Even small creative tweaks can yield significant results. This process removes the guesswork and ensures you invest in creative that’s proven to drive brand recall and action and minimize rework. 

Driving upper-funnel lifts for an accommodation advertiser

To show how streaming audio and upper-funnel lifts are a power pairing, take a look at this success story. We partnered with an accommodation brand to build awareness and drive favorability among streaming audio listeners 18 and older while highlighting the membership benefits to both existing members and prospective customers. The campaign consisted of a dynamic product mix of mobile audio and display ads paired with promotional creative and strategic targeting across the SiriusXM Streaming Network.

The campaign performed well among existing and new members, with the upper-funnel results speaking for themselves:

• +16 pt lift in ad recall among existing members

• +11 pt lift in favorability

• +11 pt lift in favorability among existing members

• +8 pt lift in brand awareness

• +7 pt lift in ad recall

• +7 pt lift in favorability among new and non-members

No matter the upper-funnel metrics you’re targeting, streaming audio moves the needle and sets the stage for conversions.

Amplify your brand impact with SiriusXM Media

Brand recall matters more and more in today's crowded marketplace. Luckily, we offer the reach and engagement required to boost upper-funnel metrics. Armed with the largest ad-supported audience,  sophisticated targeting capabilities, and proven creative strategies, we help brands cut through the noise.

Whether you’re launching a new product or cementing your position in a competitive market, streaming audio advertising delivers the reach, engagement, and emotional resonance brands need to drive impact. Let's talk.

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