Amplify Your Campaign with 3D Audio

What if audio ads were more immersive? What if you weren’t just listening to an ad—you were part of it, right there in the moment? Enter 3D audio, a creative tool that allows us to establish the illusion of a three-dimensional environment around the listener.

“We take sound effects and process them to give the impression of movement, depth, and space. This creates a deeper level of immersion, because listening to 3D audio more closely mimics the way we perceive sounds in the real world,” says Katelyn Mueller, Associate Creative Director, Studio Resonate.

The 3D audio experience plays best through headphones, but it also plays well through other sound systems. As you’ll learn, listeners prefer 3D audio regardless of how they listen.

We Put 3D Audio to the Test

What happens when audio ads are more immersive? The perfect opportunity came along when HelloFresh and Veritone showed an interest in 3D audio as a part of their campaign strategy.

“Cooking is such a sensory driven activity, we all recognize the sounds of sizzle, chopping or blending while in the kitchen. Therefore when we learned about 3D audio and how it created an immersive experience for listeners, we knew that we had to take advantage of serving an ad that resonated with listeners and cut through the clutter. Being able to test whether it could move the needle in the metrics of success was the cherry on the top!” says Kaitlyn Wood, Senior Marketing Manager, Integrated Media, HelloFresh

Katelyn Mueller added, “3D audio was a perfect fit for this HelloFresh campaign because it enabled us to drop the listener into a detailed kitchen scene. The tone is light and fun, demonstrating how easy and joyful it is to cook with HelloFresh. With the ingredients and recipe conveniently delivered to your door, all you need to focus on is cooking (and dancing)!”

Standard Audio Ad

Immersive Audio Ad

With Sound Effects

With 3D Audio

We tested these HelloFresh ads, surveying 16K Pandora listeners. Respondents were asked whether they listened with or without headphones to measure how that factor influences listener perceptions. We then compared the results of the standard audio ad with the ads featuring 3D audio elements.

3D Audio Amplifies Campaign Response

The results were clear: 3D audio elements improve ad recall, boost brand perception, and drive purchase intent versus Standard Audio Ad.

Immerse Your Audience in 3D Audio

Are you ready to take your campaign to a higher level? 3D Audio is as versatile as it is impactful. To make your 3D audio ads a success, here are some best practices from our team of audio experts at Studio Resonate.

Start with a Clean Slate – The best 3D audio executions happen when the idea is specifically crafted around movement, space, and sonically-rich environments. The copy should support the 3D audio vision, not vice versa.

Make a Good Idea Better – The idea and strategy must always come first. Use 3D audio as an enhancement tool to further immerse your listeners in your brand story.

Drop the Listener into an Environment – Close your eyes and imagine the scene you want for your listeners. What sounds should they hear? What direction are the sounds coming from? Example: a cityscape with cars passing from left to right, pedestrians walking behind, birds flying above, etc.

Less is More – 3D audio requires enough time to establish a scene, convey a sense of space, and support the story being told. Use minimal copy so the sound effects have a chance to shine through and fully immerse the listener.

For more tips from the experts at Studio Resonate, check out our 3D Audio Creative Guide. And if you're ready to see what 3D audio can do for your next campaign—and your brand? Let's get creative with audio.