Study: AM/FM Radio Boosts Allergy Brand Performance

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, July 6, 2026 | 11:29am CT

Cumulus Media | Westwood One

A new study from the Cumulus Media | Westwood Audio Active Group found that a national AM/FM radio campaign significantly improved brand awareness, favorability and consumer engagement for a nasal congestion and allergy relief brand, while also highlighting audio's effectiveness in reaching category users.

The study, conducted by Quantilope, surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults age 35 and older in March 2026 following the brand's national AM/FM radio campaign during the winter. Researchers compared consumers who were exposed to the campaign with those who were not.

According to the findings, consumers exposed to the AM/FM radio campaign demonstrated stronger brand equity across every key measure, including awareness, familiarity, favorability, advertising recall, purchase consideration and product usage.

The report also found that heavy AM/FM radio and podcast listeners are substantially more engaged with the nasal congestion and allergy relief category than heavy television viewers. The advertised brand posted aided awareness of 70% among heavy AM/FM listeners, compared with 58% among the total U.S. population. Heavy audio users were also two to three times more likely to report being very familiar with the brand.

Brand favorability reached 40% among heavy audio listeners, compared with 25% for heavy TV viewers and 23% for the overall population. One in three heavy audio listeners said they would consider using the brand, while only one in five heavy TV viewers expressed the same interest.

The study also found that heavy audio consumers are significantly more likely to use products throughout the nasal and allergy relief category. Nearly 80% of heavy podcast and AM/FM radio listeners currently use a nasal or allergy relief brand, compared with 62% of heavy TV viewers. Usage rates for major brands including NyQuil, Mucinex and Sudafed were consistently higher among heavy audio listeners than among heavy television viewers.

Despite the category's much larger investment in television advertising, using data from MediaRadar and Magellan AI, the report found that brand awareness and usage were stronger among heavy audio consumers. Researchers concluded this is largely because audio listeners are more active users of the category overall.

The study also found that AM/FM radio advertising generated stronger aided ad recall and greater consumer response among heavy audio listeners, with campaign messaging resonating more effectively and driving higher intent to take action than among television viewers.

Read the complete blog post here.