A new study commissioned by Quu and conducted by market research firm Quantilope shows that in-dash visuals on car infotainment systems significantly enhance radio advertising effectiveness at every stage of the marketing funnel. The findings support growing industry belief that pairing audio with on-screen messages boosts brand performance across awareness, consideration, and purchase intent.
The research focused on Quu’s Visual Network, analyzing two groups of listeners: “Exposed” users who tuned in more than nine hours per week, and “Unexposed” users who listened less than three hours. While exposed listeners represented a smaller share of the audience, they accounted for nearly two-thirds of total listening time, making them a highly engaged group.
Participants viewed brand visuals—logos, slogans, and text—delivered through in-dash screens in vehicles equipped with infotainment displays. These messages appeared roughly 4,000 times per month per station, accumulating an average of 2,000 minutes of screen time. Importantly, the visuals appeared during regular programming, not commercials, giving advertisers consistent brand presence without interrupting content.
Among adults with compatible dashboards, 83% said they noticed the content on screen while listening to radio. That awareness translated into measurable results: exposed listeners saw improvements ranging from 50% to 89% across all five stages of the marketing funnel—awareness, consideration, preference, intent, and usage.
The study also highlighted substantial lifts in slogan familiarity, with an average increase of 57%. Certain sectors saw even greater gains, including financial services (+136%) and convenience retail (+113%). Brand equity improved across six major verticals: retail (convenience and automotive), consumer packaged goods, insurance, financial services, and quick-service restaurants. In nearly every category, exposed listeners significantly outperformed their unexposed peers.
“Combining radio’s most connected and loyal audiences with the power of a Visual Quu on screen generated a huge lift in brand equity,” said Quu CEO Steve Newberry. “This study confirms that visuals displayed on dashboard screens move consumers from awareness to action.”
Interest in this technology is growing rapidly. A 2024 Advertiser Perceptions study found that 80% of media buyers are interested in in-dash visuals, up from 64% in 2021. The share of advertisers who are “very familiar” with the technology more than doubled, from 15% to 33% over the same period.
The complete study findings are now available from Quu.