New research from System1, The Creative Effectiveness Platform, presented at Commercial Radio & Audio’s (CRA) HEARD audio showcase, has revealed how radio’s full potential can be unlocked and drive new levels of effectiveness in advertising.
The key, according to System1’s new research, is Creative Fluency – ads that forge emotional connections, are memorable, and unmistakably tied to a brand through effective sonic branding.
The research shows that when you pair creative fluency with an increase in radio spend to 11% of the media budget you can “double the double” in terms of the improvement in return on investment (ROI).
“Last year academic Mark Ritson showed that allocating just 11% of a media budget to radio can double campaign business effects, System1’s findings reveal how marketers can now double that double,” said Andrew Tindall, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships at System1.
“We all know radio is an affordable vehicle for mass reach with high attention, signalling strength and the ability to build brand awareness. We also know creativity fluency is the main way to increase campaign ROI so our research shows Australian brands how to double the double to get the most out of their radio/audio campaigns.”
Despite radio’s strength to double campaign effects, System1’s analysis of 56 Australian audio campaigns with over 8,000 Aussie listeners has uncovered a huge opportunity to double the double. None of the ads achieved “Strong” or “Exceptional” fluency (% of listeners correctly recalling the brand), with the average Australian audio campaign achieving 68% fluency.
Additionally, the research predicts half of Australian radio ads will struggle to create enough of an emotional connection to change listener behaviour – with 50% scoring System1’s lower 1 Star Rating (predicting ‘low’ brand-building potential). The message is clear: creative excellence can easily unlock exponential returns.
System1’s research pinpoints key strategies to maximise radio’s effectiveness:
- Strong, Consistent Branding – Ads with strong branding will double brand trust gains. However, many brands fail to integrate their distinctive sonic brand assets clearly, consistently, early and regularly enough in ads. BCF’s “A to Z” campaign is a perfect example of how seamless branding throughout an ad can enhance recognition and recall.
- Memorability – Ads that brand early and avoid being dull dramatically improve recall per media reach. Ads must have something interesting to say. Bing Lee’s “Birthday Sale” and “Dumb Ways to Die” campaigns showcase how distinct branding, creative storytelling, and smart execution make all the difference.
- Leave Listeners Feeling Positive – Positive emotionally engaging ads are far more likely to be shared and discussed, increasing fame effects and multiplying radio’s mass reach. Aldi’s “Panettone Christmas” campaign shows how ads that resonate emotionally turn passive listeners into active brand advocates.
- Entertain Wherever Possible – Ads with more entertaining “right-brain” creative features such as Character, Story, Dramatic Pauses, Humour and Music dramatically increase positive emotional engagement, leading to a possible four-times more listener behaviour change. Bupa’s “Contagious Smile” proves that when creative fluency is nailed, advertising can spark real-world behaviour change.
Victoria Bitter’s classic “Theme Song” from 2005 was the most successful campaign in System1’s testing, with a strong 4.1 Star Rating. This shows the power of fluent, emotional and entertaining advertising but also a vote for consistency.
“Great radio advertising isn’t just heard, it’s remembered,” adds Lizzie Young, CEO of CRA.
“Brands that embrace creative fluency will see stronger recall, more engagement, and ultimately, better business outcomes. This research proves the power of radio when it’s creative, memorable, and deeply connected to the brand.”
Backed by over a decade of data and insights from 50,000 consumer responses across 131 campaigns, System1’s Listen Up! findings reveal the transformative impact of emotionally engaging ads. These ads deliver a 92% increase in social sharing, a 1.3x boost in word-of-mouth recommendations, and a 1.66x increase in ad recall per 100 GRPs. Moreover, audio ads generate 1.15x more emotional intensity than visual ads at comparable exposure levels and are 20% more likely to be recalled.
About System1
System1 is The Creative Effectiveness Platform that harnesses the power of emotion to drive growth for the world’s leading brands.
Our Test Your Ad (TYA) and Test Your Innovation (TYI) solutions quickly predict the short- and long-term commercial potential of ads and ideas, giving marketers confidence that their creative concepts will resonate with consumers and drive profitable commercial growth. Complementing TYA and TYI is Test Your Brand (TYB), which measures the impact of ads and ideas on brand health.
With a database of over 100,000 ads, System1 allows brands to compare their ads against competitors, and System1’s expert guidance helps brands improve the effectiveness of ads and ideas.
System1 was founded in 2000 by Founder & President John Kearon and has operations in Europe, North America, Brazil, Singapore, and Australia. For more information, visit system1group.com or follow System1 on LinkedIn.
