The advertising industry, distracted by video content, does not value the audio medium, according to Adam Ferrier, Thinkerbell founder and consumer psychologist.
Ferrier, speaking at the Commercial Radio Australia's HEARD conference, wants the industry to get back to capturing the feeling of radio advertising because it is arguably the most emotional and powerful medium.
A study by the University College of London, commissioned by audiobooks, which got people to experience audiobooks and then watch the equivalent on video - found video was more engaging with a better narrative and character development.
"But what also happened is the study measured things like galvanic skin response, heart rates and body temperature which is all proxies for arousal and emotional stimulation - and the people were much more stimulated emotionally by the audiobooks," Ferrier said.
"So the video distracted them but the audiobooks created a much more powerful response."
As a result, Ferrier argues videos assets are a distraction for the industry, a distraction for media buyers and everyone else.
But there is two reasons why audio is a really useful medium.
"Audio is versatile, people can get on with their life while listening and the advertising can just seep into their heads while they're doing the laundry, walking etc," Ferrier said.
"Audio is also pretty cheap, I asked Jim Ingram [founder at Thinkerbell] what a typical TV ad costs which is around $50,000 and a typical radio ad is around $2,000 - but that all depends on who you're talking to and what your back end deals are but that's roughly it."
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