Why brands looking for growth can’t afford to miss Tuning In 2026

Partner content

Radiocentre’s Lucy Barrett previews this year’s Tuning In conference, held at Kings Place, London, on 30 September.

Tuning In has always brought clients and the radio and audio advertising industry together to hear the latest developments and explore what’s shaping the future. This year, though, we’re going loud on something even more valuable. We’re putting the hard evidence of audio’s role in driving growth at the heart of the agenda.

The big question of how brands can deliver growth feels particularly pertinent in the current backdrop, where brands want their media budgets to work harder, and there’s growing sentiment against relying solely on social and search.

So, while there will still be plenty of energy, entertainment, and inspiration, we’re putting greater emphasis on the proof that will help brands understand how audio can be their secret weapon for driving business growth and amplifying advertising impact. 

And when it comes to effectiveness, it doesn’t get much bigger than Les Binet and Andrew Tindall.

Binet, one of the leading authorities on marketing effectiveness, will share what his latest research tells us about attaining bigger advertising effects and how audio fits in, while Tindall, chief growth officer at System1, will bring new global evidence on audio’s power to drive profit and trust.

Binet and Tindall will also take part in a live recording of Radiocentre’s Advertising Amplified podcast with the Advertising Association’s president and Allwyn UK’s former CEO Andria Vidler.

With a career spanning media owners, agencies and brands, Vidler brings a unique understanding of the media and marketing industries. The three will discuss a number of topics with podcast host Omar Oakes, including effectiveness, creativity and trust in advertising.

Radiocentre’s head of insight, Donna Burns, will build on the evidence with new research showing how reallocating budget from paid search or paid social campaigns to audio boosts profit for advertisers. 

Broadcaster, journalist and former political advisor Tom Swarbrick will host the morning. Best known for presenting LBC’s weekday drive-time show, Swarbrick will also share his thoughts on the political outlook in the new Andy Burnham era.

Radiocentre CEO Matt Payton will open with an exclusive first look at audio’s future growth prospects, highlighting opportunities and challenges the medium must address to keep thriving.

Comedian and broadcaster Katherine Ryan will speak with Lucie Cave, chief creative officer of Podcasts at Bauer Media Audio, about creativity, comedy, podcasting, and working with brands looking for growth.

Global will also take to the stage for a session titled ‘Behind the Secret to Growth’, exploring the morning’s research and how audio continues to deliver mass, trusted connection for audiences and commercial impact for advertisers.

The session will feature Mark Hatwell, director of commercial strategy & client development at Global, Chris Herbert-Lo, head of strategy at the7stars, Eva Grimmett, chief strategy officer at PHD UK and Sally Ardis, managing director of music brands at Global. 

The audience will also hear about KISS’s bold rebrand, with presenters Tyler West and Chloe Burrows, alongside Bauer’s chief marketing officer Anne-Marie Lavan and Krissie Ford, director of client strategy. They will discuss how the youth-focused station is working to reconnect with audiences in a way that reflects how they live, listen, and scroll today.

From proof of effectiveness to creativity and culture, Tuning In will explore all the different ways audio can help brands achieve growth.

So if growth is on your agenda in 2026, Tuning In should be too. Register here.

But also, don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some of our attendees are looking forward to:

With so much geopolitical change and uncertainty this year, hearing Tom Swarbrick’s thoughts on the political landscape alone makes this year’s event interesting. But I’m really looking forward to the thought-leading research. If it helps us improve campaign efficiency and achieve growth for our clients, it’s absolutely a morning well spent.”  

Tom Balaam, audio trading director, Mindshare UK

We’re all facing questions from clients about how we can make budgets work as hard as possible, so having experts like Les and Andrew share their thinking will be genuinely useful. As will the new research from Donna. What I always love about Tuning In is that it’s entertaining too, so I’m also really looking forward to hearing from Katherine Ryan!” 

 Molly Brown, AV business director, UM London

You can register to take part here. 

Lucy Barrett is the client director of Radiocentre