This Radiocentre Ireland webinar focused on the latest wave of Sound Effects, a long-running research collaboration between Onic and dentsu that has been running since 2019. This fourth wave explored the power of connection in audio and examined how sound influences perception, behaviour and commercial outcomes in a fragmented media environment. The presenters argued that audio does far more than simply accompany daily life. Through music, voice, storytelling, sound design and context, it can create emotionally resonant experiences that build trust, loyalty and, ultimately, purchase intent.
The research was conducted between July and October 2025 and used a multi-method approach. It began with a review of the psychology of sound, followed by a three-day diary study, qualitative exploration and the fourth wave of a longitudinal survey that has tracked listening habits over a number of years. This combination allowed the researchers not only to examine how people currently listen to audio, but also to test a new model explaining how connection works.
One of the headline findings was that audio continues to account for around a fifth of overall media consumption. Even more significantly, this was the first year since 2019 that every audio format tested showed growth, with no declines. Radio, podcasts, music streaming and digital audio all showed strong levels of engagement, emotional response and recall. The researchers also introduced DAB into the study for the first time, reflecting the broadening and diversification of the audio landscape.
A major part of the presentation focused on how audio fits into people’s daily routines. The study mapped listening across six dayparts and found that audio serves different emotional and functional roles throughout the day. In the morning, it acts as an awakener, helping people shake off sleep and begin the day. In the mid-morning, it becomes a momentum builder, supporting focus and helping people get into work or household tasks. At lunchtime, it functions as a reset, giving people a mental break through music, podcasts or a walk. In the afternoon, it helps with reinvigoration, lifting people out of a slump and helping them refocus. In the evening, it supports decompression and transition to home life, while at night it plays a wind-down role, helping listeners relax, switch off or fall asleep.
This daypart insight led to an important conclusion for advertisers: audio needs to be planned with close attention to the mood people are trying to achieve, not simply the time of day. The presenters argued that advertising works best when it fits seamlessly into the listener’s mindset and setting, rather than interrupting it.
The research also identified four listener segments: Audio Addicts, who listen heavily across formats throughout the day; Purposeful Listeners, who choose audio intentionally to achieve a specific outcome; Light Listeners, who use it more casually or in the background; and Companion Listeners, who use audio mainly to keep them company while doing tasks. Although busy lifestyles have increased passive listening overall, Audio Addicts and Purposeful Listeners still account for about half of all listening behaviour, suggesting that highly engaged audiences remain central to audio’s power.
Several wider cultural themes emerged. One was the impact of hybrid working and the return to office life. Radio remains especially strong during commuting, but commute listening is no longer confined to the traditional morning and evening drive times. While the morning commute still clusters between 6am and 9am, the afternoon commute is now much more fragmented and stretched, running from midday to late evening. This reflects more flexible working patterns and creates new opportunities for advertisers to think differently about audio planning.
Another major theme was active choice. The researchers found that listeners are increasingly deliberate in selecting what to hear, choosing audio that matches their mood, routine or need state. Rather than just switching on whatever is available, people are now using audio intentionally for stress relief, motivation, focus, companionship or entertainment. This makes context more important than ever.
The study also highlighted the enduring importance of storytelling. Across all the qualitative work, stories repeatedly emerged as one of the strongest drivers of connection. Whether in radio, podcasts or advertising, listeners were drawn to authentic voices, emotional narratives and human experiences. The presenters argued that storytelling remains central to audio’s appeal, but is now spread across a much broader range of platforms than in the past. In advertising too, personal anecdotes and emotionally engaging stories were found to be among the strongest ways to create connection.
Audio’s role in the home also stood out strongly. Many people now listen while cooking, cleaning, doing admin or spending time with family. Smart speakers were highlighted as especially important in re-establishing audio in the home, in some ways replacing the traditional kitchen radio. This shift means audio can once again become part of shared domestic moments, rather than only an individual experience through headphones.
The core strategic contribution of the research was the development of a Connection Model. Based on the psychology literature and tested through qualitative and quantitative work, the model proposes that strong connection depends on the balance of three elements: interest, content and context. Interest includes relevance, nostalgia, education or personal meaning. Content includes entertainment, emotional resonance, empathy and storytelling. Context relates to mood, routine and social setting. According to the findings, all three need to work together in roughly equal measure for audio content to connect deeply.
The commercial importance of this was clear. The study found that when people felt connected to audio advertising, it could drive attitudinal change, influence and purchase behaviour. The presenters argued that this means brands need to spend less time thinking only about the ad itself and more time also considering audience design, targeting and placement.
The webinar ended with a challenge to the industry. Although audio accounts for about 19% of media consumption, it receives only around 10% of media investment. The research suggests this gap is unjustified and that better planning, better storytelling, improved measurement and more audience-sensitive creative could help audio claim a larger and more deserved share of advertising budgets.
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