Sound Affects 4: The Power of Connection

Dentsu and Onic Present Wave Four of Sound Affects Research

Since 2019, Onic and dentsu have undertaken research projects every second year that delve into the value and changes of the audio landscape. This series is the Sound Affects Series, and 2025 marked the fourth addition, The Power of Connection.

Media and communications continue to change shape, and over the years, we have explored the impact of digital media on audio, the changing shape of audio and the impact of AI on audio. This year, we saw increases in the levels of engagement in listening and designed and validated a model for connection that can help marketers use audio moments to build valuable relationships with consumers and customers. The new connection model shows how three pillars of engagement must be present to drive real connection: Content, Interest and Context.

The research showed that equal measures of these connection points must be present, but often more time and resource is invested in content with less consideration given to ensuring that the content is delivered to the right people in the right context.

The Sound Affects Connection Model

Three-column chart titled Interest, Context, and Content. Under Interest: Personal Relevance, Nostalgia & Memory, and Informative & Educational. Under Context: Mood Regulation, Routine & Habitual Listening, and Social Connection. Under Content: Entertainment & Humour, Emotional Resonance, and Empathy & Human Stories.

These three pillars were explored in a listening study and diary, providing further depth to what drives connection within these pillars. We saw that interest extends beyond simple relevance and that learning and nostalgia work to drive interest. From a contextual point of view, the need to place content in “like-minded” spaces is important, but mood moments and reasons for choosing the content must also be considered. The study showed that these moments change throughout the day with different triggers at different day parts. While entertainment and humour featured in drivers of content that connects, emotional resonance and particularly human storytelling were strong drivers of connection.

Triangle diagram showing three equal sections labeled Interest (33%), Context (34%), and Content (33%), all connecting to a central circle labeled Connection.

In addition to connection, we saw that audio continues to be a powerhouse within the broader media environment, making up 19% of Irish people’s media consumption. As audio continues to grow and evolve beyond FM radio, the expansion is resulting in more consumption, with each audio channel playing an important role.

Bar-style table showing increases in audio behaviours since 2023. Listening to live radio is up 1% with 93% usage; listening to playback radio is up 2% with 66% usage; listening to podcasts is up 6% with 80% usage; listening to free streamed music is up 3% with 76% usage; listening to paid streamed music is up 9% with 69% usage.

In researching connection, it was important to understand not only what drove connection, but also the value. We found that 34% of people were likely to recommend or talk to someone about an ad that they felt connected to, 30% were personally attitudinally impacted, and 25% were more likely to purchase as a result of feeling connected.

Four clear listening themes emerged from the longitudinal study, first carried out for Sound Affects 1 in 2019:

1. Back to the Office

The new shape of hybrid working has been debated and researched regularly, but the listening data showed a marked difference in how we are commuting. While the morning commute is behaving similarly to pre-COVID behaviour, with the period between 6 am and 9 am being key for radio listenership, the afternoon commute has elongated.

Line chart showing audio listening by time of day. Live radio peaks during the 6–9 a.m. morning commute and gradually declines through the day. Playback radio, podcasts, free streaming, and paid streaming rise through midday and early afternoon, then taper off after 6 p.m. Two shaded boxes highlight the morning commute (6–9 a.m.) and a more fragmented afternoon commute (3–6 p.m.).

2. My Choice

With more audio options available, listeners are actively choosing content more than ever before. 65% of people say they take time to choose what they listen to, compared to 55% in 2023. 70% of people choose what they listen to to match their routine. This compares to 58% in 2023. We learnt that their choice triggers evolve throughout the day, with the requirement to mood regulate increasing throughout the day.

Chart titled ‘Choice Triggers’ showing how listening duration increases across the day. Time periods run from Morning (6–9 a.m.) to Night-Time (9 p.m.–midnight). A rising line indicates average listening duration from 15 minutes in the morning to over 2 hours at night. Icons along the line mark triggers: Routine and Environmental Cues in the morning; Emotional Boost and Task Enhancement at midday; Emotional Regulation in the afternoon; Personal Time and Together Time in the evening; and Night-Time Routine and Personal Time late at night.

3. Storytelling

When we explored what content works to drive connection, it became apparent that storytelling is a critical component. Of the top 5 content typologies that Irish people feel connected to, storytelling features in four. Storytelling as a powerful tool for connection also delivers when it comes to advertising. Just over 1/3 of people claim that advertising connects with them when it is introduced with a personal story or anecdote.

Horizontal bar chart titled ‘Content that makes them feel connected.’ Interviews with inspiring people rank highest at 53%, followed by personal stories or confessions at 50%. Real-life drama or true crime and funny presenters both score 44%.

4. Part of the home

Looking back, the radio was a central and permanent feature in the home, but over the years it lost its role. Smart speakers have brought audio firmly back to its central place in the home.71% always put on audio while doing tasks such as cooking and cleaning. In contemporary media ecosystems, connection is not simply a social or emotional function; it is a primary driver of economic value. Media organisations, brands, content creators, and platforms all monetise connection because it translates directly into engagement, influence, and ultimately revenue.

Bar chart titled ‘Listening while Cooking/Cleaning.’ Music is highest at 51%, followed by radio at 40% and podcasts at 36%

As audio continues to evolve, understanding the triggers, contexts, and emotional foundations of listening behaviour gives marketers a powerful opportunity: not just to reach audiences, but to connect with them truly. Sound Affects 4 provides a roadmap for doing just that. Download the full presentation here (video coming soon).