Observed Signal · May 18, 2026 · Research Report · Source: Horizont · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Study: Audio's Mental Availability Boosts Brand Reach
The study "Audioeffekt 2026 – Always within Reach", produced by RMS and ARD MEDIA, examines how mental availability in everyday situations contributes to media reach and brand presence. Based on an online sample of 2,878 German adults, the research measured usage across eleven media types over five days and associations with 25 Media Entry Points. Results show radio leads the surveyed media with an 18% Mental Market Share and 86% of respondents associating radio with at least one relevant everyday situation. Music streaming and radio also score highest on Network Size (7.1 and 6.8 associations respectively). The study argues that audio—particularly radio and music streaming—is strongly embedded in recurring daily contexts and therefore important for brand building and media planning.
Provides new, measurable evidence that audio (radio and music streaming) is mentally embedded in everyday situations — relevant for media planning, brand-building strategies and advertisers allocating budgets across media.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Study title: "Audioeffekt 2026 – Always within Reach", produced by RMS and ARD MEDIA.
- Online sample: 2,878 respondents aged 18+ in Germany; usage of eleven media categories tracked over five days and associations with 25 Media Entry Points recorded.
- Radio achieved the highest Mental Market Share among investigated media at 18%.
- 86% of respondents associate radio with at least one relevant everyday usage situation.
- Network Size: Music streaming scored 7.1 associations and radio 6.8 associations, ahead of TV, social media, podcasts and audiobooks.
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RMS Studies: Audio Advertising Boosts Brand Search and ROI
RMS, a German audio advertising marketer, released two studies demonstrating the effectiveness of audio advertising in the age of generative AI. The first study, 'Audio on – Search up!', conducted with bynd, analyzed 21 brands and found that audio advertising significantly increases brand-related Google search volume, with up to 70% of the effect persisting over weeks. The second study, 'Audio On, ROI Up', based on 166 marketing-mix models, showed that radio achieves a median ROI index of 175 compared to 100 for TV, and digital audio reaches 130. The studies emphasize that audio builds mental availability, which is crucial as AI-driven search makes brands more comparable. RMS argues that audio should be weighted more heavily in media plans given its proven contribution to brand building, demand generation, and economic success.
ma 2026 Audio I: German Radio Audience Results
ag.ma published the ma 2026 Audio I audience survey on 25 March 2026, reporting stable overall radio reach and detailed station/combo performance across Germany. The study (German-speaking population 14+, base population 71.001 million) collected 66,715 interviews between 7 Sept and 7 Dec 2025. Daily reach (Mon–Fri) is 74.5% (slightly down from 74.9%), average listening time ~250 minutes. STUDIO GONG, as a national media seller, posted the largest percentage gain among national marketers (2,730k listeners in the average hour Mon–Fri, +8.4%; in 14–49: 1,284k, +11.8%). Regional combos and local stations showed notable gains: BAYERN FUNKPAKET, NEW AUDIO KOMBI NRW, DIE NEUE 107.7, Ostseewelle, SACHSEN FUNKPAKET and others recorded double- or double-digit percentage increases in key demos.
Study: Digital Audio Drives Measurable Funnel Impact
Audion published the "Audio Performance Index", a reference study evaluating digital audio effectiveness across the full marketing funnel. Audion and measurement partner Happydemics aggregated and analysed 423 Brand‑Lift studies using campaign data from 2023–2025, with a focus on the EMEA region (France, UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands). The study reports high reach for digital audio (e.g., ~80% daily reach in France with average listening of 1h47m), measurable lower‑funnel effects (top campaigns saw purchase intent rises up to 21.6 points) and average upper‑funnel gains (Brand Image +2.5 points, Consideration +7.8 points across analysed campaigns). Audion and Happydemics frame the results as evidence that digital audio can be integrated into data‑driven media planning; the article notes no independent external validation of the aggregated findings.
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