This Week's Influencer: ORBIT Takes on the World; Why iHeart Is Guaranteeing Human; Youth Audio Is Alive and Well; and More…

How do you help 7500 co-workers be their most creative selves? Find out in the latest episode of Ad Infinitum.

That’s right, the world’s only podcast solely dedicated to audio ads is back! Presenting Ad Infinitum Season 4, Episode 2: “Rahul Sabnis: Guaranteed Human.”

Host Stew Redwine (Executive Creative Director, Oxford Road) welcomes bona fide creative master Rahul Sabnis (President & Chief Creative Officer, iHeartMedia) for a WIDE-ranging conversation spanning: Picking a Side, Creativity for All, The Memory Test, and more. There’s even an Audiolytics breakdown of ads from Mint Mobile, Aura Frames, Toyota, and Amazon Prime. Let’s dig in…

“A voice in the dark when you feel alone.”  – The purpose of radio, according to Rahul Sabnis (President & Chief Creative Officer, iHeartMedia)

Creativity: More How than What – Rahul’s job at iHeart? To unlock the inner creativity of his 7500 co-workers. Creativity is not just how we make ads, but also how we find new solutions. So, next time you’re hitting a creative roadblock, try this: pay attention to your frustrations. That’s how Rahul moved from being stymied by weeks-long ideation to writing ads for Ryan Seacrest in 20 minutes. Marketers, if something feels wrong, imagine how it could be different. Whether it’s ads, campaigns, or literally anything: our inner creativity lights up with the magic words, “what if…?”

The Guaranteed Human – What is the point of radio? It’s to make people feel less alone. It’s connecting outside algorithms. That connection is impossible, though, if listeners doubt the humanity behind the message. So, iHeart has a guaranteed human initiative for all of its radio stations. A bulwark against AI mistrust. It’s not just about celebrating human connection. The insight came directly from iHeart research that 90% of their customers want media from humans. Marketers, if a part of AI is bad for your customers, listen to them. This is one of the easiest, smartest stands you can take.

The Memory Test – Marketers, take your ad, read it aloud, wait 5 minutes, then try to tell someone one thing about it. If you can’t do that, your ad’s probably stuffing 10lbs of copy in a 5lb bag. If you can remember one thing, make sure it’s the main thing. And start cutting to make that main thing shine. Your customers are already wading through AI slop on the daily. Don’t feed them “copy slop”, too. Let simplicity shine.

Want more insights from two creative heavyweights at the top of their game? Tune in to the full episode below.

Your Monthly ORBIT Report – May 2026

International Podcasting Isn’t One Opportunity. It’s 194, but we’ll start with 4.

International podcasting is one of the biggest opportunities in audio. But it’s not one market, and treating it like one is the difference between a worldwide takeoff and never leaving the runway. We turned to ORBIT, our benchmark intelligence tool built on $1.8B+ in real campaign data across 500+ advertisers, to find out where budgets actually perform across four distinct markets: UK-English, Spanish, French, and German.

“Stepping into the international podcast market takes courage, but it shouldn’t require a leap of faith.” – Steven Abraham (President – Intl., Oxford Road)

Special shout-out to top-performers #3 How To Fail With Elizabeth Day, #2 F1: Beyond The Grid, and #1 Have A Word With Adam Rowe & Dan Nightingale.

For Podcast advertisers ready for worldwide success, we’re showing them exactly where to go. Here are a few tips to start.

• Sport is universal. Individual sports aren’t. Internationally, sports mean football (the one where you use only your feet) and F1. Despite their best efforts, the NFL does not travel internationally… yet. But remember from our sports analysis that the racing season is much longer, so consider that a plus.

• Treat each market differently and reap the rewards. Within UK English, for example, conversational and cultural formats show an efficiency edge over sports. Each of the four markets has its own version of this story.

For the complete May ORBIT Rankings and Insights, check out the full report below. And as always, if you need a well-traveled guide to lead the way, we’re happy to help.

View the Full May 2026 ORBIT Rankings & Insights

The Classifieds

Don’t Get Red-Carded on Your International Buy

Network: Acast / Monthly Downloads: 800k

This week’s classifieds are keeping with ORBIT’s international theme, highlighting two shows quintessential to any global campaign. Many people are anxiously awaiting the 2026 World Cup, which also means they are trying to brush up on all things fútbol before the big event. That’s where our first offering comes into play, with host James Richardson turning his decades of experience into content that even the greenest rookie can understand.

Whether he’s breaking down the latest match or discussing larger trends across the various leagues, Richardson helps turn complex and detailed subject matter into casual chatter that everyone can keep up with. He makes listeners feel like they’re a part of the conversation, even if they’re across an ocean or cheering for an opposing club. If you don’t want your international campaigns red-carded, click the link below.

Get The Deal

 The World Is Complicated, This Show Isn’t

Network: Genuina Media / Monthly Downloads: 225k

Not into sports? No problem. Fernando Arancón has built a devoted following by doing something deceptively simple: making world history and politics genuinely entertaining. He selects topics intentionally, weaving cultural relevance with the context that listeners need to form an informed opinion, all without losing their attention.

His casual delivery has made staying up to speed feel less like homework and more like a conversation with your smartest friend. Wildly popular among Spanish-speaking audiences, this one is a natural fit for brands looking to reach engaged, globally minded listeners. Head to the link below to learn more.

Get The Deal

In Case You Missed It

The Sun Never Sets on Podcast Growth

Sounds Profitable’s 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study shows that podcasting has moved well beyond “niche media” status, especially with younger audiences. Podcasting now reaches 60% of UK adults 18–34 monthly, pulling ahead of broadcast TV at 57%, while TV’s strength is increasingly concentrated among adults 55+. The study also highlights opportunities with the 35–54 demo, who are most likely to rank podcasting among their top ad-supported media platforms. Podcasting’s growth in the UK reinforces the global phenomenon of rising audio consumption. Marketers should be careful not to confuse consumer reach with buyable reach. More British 18–34’s may listen to podcasts than watch broadcast TV each month, but TV can still deliver broader reach more efficiently in your media buy. The real takeaway is that audio deserves a more serious role in reaching younger consumers in the UK market, where traditional video is losing ground.

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Programmatic Gets You In, Host Reads Get You Remembered

Advertiser Perceptions data, highlighted in a blog piece from Cumulus Media/Westwood One, shows programmatic audio buying has accelerated sharply, with 82% of agencies and advertisers now buying audio programmatically (up from 41% in 2022). Adoption is especially high among performance-focused campaigns. According to the WWO analysis, audio is moving closer to digital media buying norms. Programmatic audio is growing rapidly, but adoption still varies by format. According to eMarketer, about one-third of digital audio ad spending is traded programmatically. Podcasts are even lower at roughly 12%. More commoditized audio environments, such as streaming and, eventually, radio, are well-suited to programmatic buying. But the not-so-secret sauce of podcasting, and radio for that matter, still requires a more hands-on approach. We’re not saying direct buying is going away; it can just be complemented by programmatic.

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Gen Z Has Changed the Channel

Edison’s Q1 2026 Share of Ear data shows that younger consumers are the heaviest daily audio listeners, with persons 13–34 spending 4.5 hours per day with audio. While AM/FM still accounts for a meaningful share of ad-supported audio time among younger adults, the broader story is that the 13–34 demo is highly engaged with audio across formats, including digital and subscription-based listening environments. If you are young, were young, or know young people, it should not surprise you that audio listening is highest among younger audiences. Believe it or not, radio was once added to media schedules to reach younger consumers. What has changed is how younger audiences access audio. The behavior is still there, but it is now led by digital platforms, where ad exposure is more fragmented.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

These BFFs Just Made Bed Sheets Sound Like Therapy

This week’s #STLR winner comes from long-distance besties and hosts of the Two Judgey Girls podcast as they discuss their love for Boll & Branch! Courtney opens with that universal love of coming home from vacation to your very own bed. She doesn’t rush to the product pitch, creating the perfect scenario for her listeners: the sheets piling, the corners popping off in the middle of the night, the pillows going flat, the bed somehow running too warm.

By the time she gets to talking about Boll & Branch, the audience isn’t just hearing about a solution; they’re feeling relief. Her tone stays conversational and grounded throughout, never tipping into over-the-top enthusiasm. Instead, she lands on this genuine excitement that feels completely earned because she took the time to establish the contrast first. Her soft, warm delivery seals the deal, with an almost ASMR-like quality that makes you want to crawl into bed before the ad is even over. This ad is warm, perfectly paced, deeply personal, and the audio equivalent of sliding into cool, soft sheets at the end of a long day.

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