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A major outdoor advertiser was upset. All the billboard inventory they desired at key highway locations was sold out.

AM/FM radio to the rescue. The advertiser moved their sizable outdoor budget to AM/FM radio including Quu AM/FM radio in-dash visual ad units.

Key findings:

• The upset outdoor advertiser learned via DTS AutoStage’s connected car heatmap that AM/FM radio reached consumers at the exact location of desired sold-out billboards.
• The outdoor advertiser used Quu in-dash visual ads with the same creative the brand was running on billboards.
• 70% of advertisers and agencies are aware of Quu in-car AM/FM radio display ads that sync to AM/FM radio ads and will pay +17% more for AM/FM radio in-dash visual display ads.
• Consumers heavily exposed to outdoor advertising are also heavy AM/FM radio listeners and share a similar profile, according to MRI-Simmons.
• Used together, outdoor and AM/FM radio lift Meta click through rates by +86% in a major UK study.

How did the outdoor advertiser realize that AM/FM radio could reach their desired target? The AM/FM radio listening heatmap from Xperi’s DTS AutoStage.

The heatmap from Xperi’s DTS AutoStage visualizes in-car AM/FM radio listening where it happens the next day

In an AM/FM radio industry first, the DTS AutoStage heatmap visualizes the listening proximity to outdoor billboards and retail locations the next day. The billboard advertiser learned via that heatmap that AM/FM radio reached consumers at the exact location of the desired sold-out billboards. In addition, AM/FM radio reached consumers all over the market, not just in one location.

In over 300 local markets, DTS AutoStage generates AM/FM radio listening data from six million connected cars in the U.S. AM/FM radio now has modern, cutting edge, timely measurement, which does not rely on a consumer’s memory or require a respondent to do something (like wear a gizmo).

Quu in-dash visual ads can sync to an AM/FM radio ad or run as a standalone visual in-dash ad unit

Another key reason the advertiser shifted their outdoor advertising budget to AM/FM radio? Quu in-dash visuals with the same creative the brand was running on billboards. Here’s an example of Quu’s in-dash AM/FM radio visual display ad:

70% of advertisers and agencies are aware of Quu in-car AM/FM radio display ads that sync to AM/FM radio ads and will pay +17% more for AM/FM radio in-dash visual display ads

A May 2025 study of 306 media agencies and advertisers reveal strong appeal and interest for Quu AM/FM radio in-dash visual display ads.

A major case study confirmed that Quu visual AM/FM radio ads displayed on dashboard screens move consumers from awareness to action.

A Quantilope study conducted in March–April 2025 using a sample of 1,219 respondents measured the impact of in-dash visual ads (Visual Quus) for six national advertisers. Brand messages appeared on vehicle dashboards across 374 AM/FM radio stations in 75 U.S. markets.

The combination of loyal AM/FM radio audiences and in-dash visuals drove a significant lift in awareness, consideration, and action. Combining AM/FM radio’s most loyal audiences and the connection they have with stations with the power of a visual ad on screen generates a huge lift in brand equity for national advertisers. The study had four key findings:

1. Visuals matter: 83% of consumers pay attention to what’s on screen while listening to broadcast AM/FM radio.
2. Visual AM/FM radio messages significantly boost results across the entire marketing funnel.
3. Visual AM/FM radio displays resonate most with loyal AM/FM radio audiences, increasing purchase intent by +89%.
4. Visual AM/FM radio ads boost slogan familiarity by +57%.

Consumers heavily exposed to outdoor advertising are also heavy AM/FM radio listeners

MRI-Simmons examined the media habits of mega-millers, those who clock 250+ miles weekly and are heavily exposed to outdoor advertising. Among mega-milers, time spent with AM/FM radio soars. The heavy outdoor audience is 23% more likely to be heavy AM/FM radio listeners.

Of all major media, AM/FM radio and outdoor have the strongest audience similarity

Heavy AM/FM radio listeners and those heavily exposed to outdoor advertising have a very similar profile

The AM/FM radio and outdoor audience have share similar age, employment, presence of children, and household size, according to MRI-Simmons.

Edison “Share of Ear”:  In the car, AM/FM radio has a dominant 83% share of ad-supported audio

When it comes to reaching Americans in the car with advertising, all roads lead to AM/FM radio. AM/FM radio has a stunning 83% share of all in car ad-supported tuning minutes, according to Edison’s just released Q1 2026 “Share of Ear” study.

Used together, outdoor and AM/FM radio drive significant digital impact

A major study in the UK examined the impact on Meta (Facebook/Instagram) click through rates when AM/FM radio and outdoor were added to the media plan.

The addition of AM/FM radio caused click through rates to increase by +29%. The additional out out of home advertising generated a 57% incremental lift in click through rates. Overall, the combination of outdoor and AM/FM radio lifted click through rates by an astonishing 86%.

Andrew Tindall, Chief Growth Officer at System1, the leading creative testing firm, called the study “a brilliant geo-experiment from Adriaan Hogervorst – de Jong and the team at Goboony. It’s what you get taught in any formal marketing training: Integrated Marketing Communications.”

Some markets only had a Meta campaign (“See” awareness stage) but with other channels turned on in comparable cities. One has four weeks of additional AM/FM radio, and another had four weeks of AM/FM radio and two weeks of outdoor advertising. The click through rates in these regions jump up as each media channel makes the other work harder. It almost doubles response.

Key findings:

• The upset outdoor advertiser learned via DTS AutoStage’s connected car heatmap that AM/FM radio reached consumers at the exact location of desired sold-out billboards.
• The outdoor advertiser used Quu in-dash visual ads with the same creative the brand was running on billboards.
• 70% of advertisers and agencies are aware of Quu in-car AM/FM radio display ads that sync to AM/FM radio ads and will pay +17% more for AM/FM radio in-dash visual display ads.
• Consumers heavily exposed to outdoor advertising are also heavy AM/FM radio listeners and share a similar profile, according to MRI-Simmons.
• Used together, outdoor and AM/FM radio lift Meta click through rates by +86% in a major UK study.

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Pierre Bouvard is Chief Insights Officer of the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group^®.

Contact the Insights team at CorpMarketing@westwoodone.com.