While Cannes Lions is famous for champagne-soaked yacht parties, celebrity sightings, and jaw-dropping creative, the conversations happening on the ground also feature the nuts and bolts of advertising performance. Amid the buzz around creators, AI, and the latest tech, one topic keeps surfacing throughout panels and meetings: Measurement.

In an era of fragmented attention and growing media complexity, marketers are being held to higher standards. In fact, 71% of U.S. CEOs want their marketing teams focused on sales and revenue, not just reach and awareness. That’s according to a January Boathouse survey. In our recent State of Audio 2025 study we found the same urgency: 4 in 10 marketing execs say they need to improve ROI measurement and prove attribution.

This week, advertisers and creators, including Audacy’s own Joshua “Bru” Brubaker, took the stage at Cannes alongside Nielsen to spotlight how creators, data, and platforms are transforming the media landscape. And Audio is taking a leading role. We’re seeing two primary focus areas for Audio attribution — performance and innovation.

For marketers wisely looking to follow the money, they’re finding that when comparing ROI head on, Audio comes out on top. 

When it comes to performance, Audio punches above its weight:

And the best part? Clients can prove it. Attribution in Audio has never been more advanced — or more accessible.

Whether it’s broadcast radio, streaming, or podcasts, today’s tools allow marketers to track exactly how Audio moves the needle – from exposure to online visits to actual sales. Want to know if your radio campaign led to a spike in app downloads? There’s a dashboard for that. Curious how a podcast host-read ad compared to your paid social? We’ll show you the side-by-side.

And then there’s the AI layer – arguably one of the most talked-about shifts in media right now.

AI is helping Audio become even smarter. From dynamic personalization (think ads that adjust tone, voice, or message based on listener context) to predictive targeting (getting your message to the right person when they’re mostly likely to convert), AI is amplifying what Audio advertising can do.

It’s also powering more sophisticated attribution, linking listener exposure to real business outcomes – sales, signups, website visits – even for broadcast media. And perhaps most game-changing of all, AI is enabling unified measurement across over-the-air, digital streaming, and podcasts. One view. One truth. Total clarity.

So yes, Cannes will continue to dazzle. But the smartest brands and agencies know that performance is the true prize. If your team is being asked to do more with less, or to show clearer results from every campaign – Audio should be your first stop.

Let’s make every dollar count.