AdsWizz Inc. announces an expansion of its relationship with Sonos, becoming the exclusive programmatic sales representative of Sonos Radio advertising inventory. This expansion of the parties' existing relationship builds on Sonos' current use of AdsWizz's campaign management, supply-side platform (SSP), and other digital audio advertising technology while providing marketers with access to millions of engaged listeners. The markets covered by the exclusive agreement include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Australia.

By Garrison Dua, VP Demand, North America.

Digital audio consumption has steadily risen over the last 10 years. There were 7.9 million music subscribers in 2014; this figure eclipsed 82 million in 2021, according to Statista. Weekly digital audio listenership has increased by over 38 percent in the past decade, with an audience of 192 million, reported by Insider Intelligence. Advertisers have been quick to take note of this shift. Global digital audio ad spend is forecast to hit $6.78 billion in 2022 and rise to more than $10 billion by 2027, via Statista

Listeners demand relevant experiences, so to avoid alienating audiences, brands must ensure their ads seamlessly integrate alongside published content; this is where programmatic audio advertising shines.

What does programmatic audio advertising look like in practice, and how can marketers successfully leverage it?

AdsWizz Inc, the global leader in digital audio and podcast technology solutions, has announced its success in helping Mustard.co.uk, the British motor insurance comparison website, to increase purchase intent and brand awareness by utilising AdsWizz’s Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO) technology for the first time in the UK.

The AdsWizz DCO feature enables brands to connect at an individual level, at the right time and place. By leveraging extensive data points — such as behavioural segments, local weather, and device type — brands can dynamically generate and deliver a multitude of customised creatives to a multitude of listeners, at scale.

From podcasting to playlists, audio streaming has witnessed exponential growth in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down. Global streaming subscribers are expected to hit 1.3 billion by 2030, creating a significant opportunity for advertisers to reach a wide variety of audiences, crossing demographics and markets.

As global ad spend in audio looks set to reach USD$35.74bn (~£31bn) before the end of the year, we asked some key players in the industry for their thoughts on the future of audio in ad tech.

Check out this article by Rowan Hamill, Director of Business Development, UK.

'Diversity' is the buzzword of the 21st century workplace. Employees are demanding more from their companies - 71% of people acknowledge that they want to work for businesses that value diversity. Companies across the country are pouring money into their Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) programmes.

Adland’s struggles with solving the diversity puzzle, however, persist. The latest All In Census reveals a lack of inclusivity of ethnic, neurodiverse and social backgrounds, which is now threatening to cause a mass exodus within the industry. The working class account for 19% of the advertising sector’s workforce - despite making up 39% of the UK’s population.

So what should diversity look like in today’s business landscape? The reality is that companies need to start looking further afield than the usual crop of university graduates. Low-paid entry roles and graduate schemes are crippling the recruitment process and excluding talented individuals that cannot live within these tight financial constraints.

What can Adland do to attract better and retain talented professionals who wouldn’t normally enter the industry - and what resources would they need to thrive in this space?

“Brands can’t afford the risk of a spray and pray approach to campaigns”: 25 marketers on the outlook for adspend

After the news that adspend forecasts are downgraded for this year and next, marketers reflect on the need to embrace emerging technologies and measure and account for every penny of spend, while making sure they don’t blink in the face of uncertainty.

The good news – advertising investment is still set for growth. The more cautionary tale is that the outlook is downgraded from three months ago, and we still face uncertainty on costs and consumer confidence.

However, the latest Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report highlights boosts to online advertising, video on-demand and recovery in out-of-home and cinema, while also considering this Christmas to reach the festive season’s highest level of investment.

PMW reached out to the industry to get the leading commentators’ thoughts on what lies ahead – and what marketers need to do to make the most of opportunities ahead.

Check out this byline by Zac Pinkham, VP of Demand, Europe!

Audio is booming, and the stats prove its effectiveness in advertising. So why does adspend continue to be diverted towards more traditional channels?

Audio advertising first took to the airwaves in 1922 when AT&T, America’s leading telecoms company, paid for the first original radio ad. General Mills (makers of Cheerios and Häagen-Dasz amongst other things) quickly took the concept and ran with it, releasing the first radio jingle in 1926.

100 years later, audio remains a marketing staple, spanning television, social media, and music streaming services – and the UK’s audience is tuning in in their droves. Total digital audio listenership is forecast to exceed 40 million by 2024 – up from 36 million in 2019.

Brand marketers haven’t ignored this ascendancy. The UK’s digital audio adspend exceeded £163m in 2021, a 58% increase on 2020’s levels.

SCA has announced its agreement with AdsWizz to exclusively represent the ad inventory of select Stitcher and SiriusXM podcasts in Australia through SCA’s LiSTNR app and other podcast listening platforms.

AdsWizz’s audio advertising technology, combined with SCA’s media sales, is expected to streamline podcast inventory connections, making Stitcher and SiriusXM’s content more easily accessible to advertisers. Both Stitcher and AdsWizz are subsidiaries of Sirius XM Radio Inc.