This Week’s Influencer: Can AI Accurately Grade Your Ads?; Podcast = New Word of Mouth; Why Authenticity Beats Algorithms; and more…

What happens when you invite AI into the Ad Infinitum hot seat?

The world’s only podcast solely dedicated to audio ads is back! Presenting Ad Infinitum Season 3, Episode 12: “Infinite Prompts.

Host Stew Redwine (Executive Creative Director, Oxford Road) welcomes Juniper GPT for a Human/AI collab session. Together, they break down Magellan AI’s July 2025 Movers & Shakers report, grading fresh podcast ads from My Mochi, Activision‘s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, and JCPenney using the Audiolytics™ framework. Will Juniper’s AI algorithms concur with human judgment?

Stew and Juniper talk Tools of the Trade, Having Fun, Painting Audio Pictures, and more. Let’s dig in.

“For people in creative fields, it’s about embracing AI as a kind of creative partner. It can help you work faster and open up new possibilities, but the heart and soul of the work will still come from you.” – Juniper GPT

It’s A Tool, Not a Solution – AI tools like Juniper are game-changers because they’re readily available to everyone. But if they’re available to everyone, anything they generate can’t be a unique creative advantage. So how do you make the most of GenAI tools without sounding like everyone else? Studies show that while being heavily reliant on AI can harm your thinking, if you’re thoughtful and active in your GenAI use, you could boost your creativity.

Have Fun Making the Ads Work – Boring prompts create boring ads. But Stew’s actively playing around with Juniper–seeing what’s possible, and checking it against his internal creative compass. That’s how we get Western and Shakespearean Tony Hawk ads. That doesn’t mean those are fit to go to air, but if you’re feeling stuck for your next campaign, testing out a wildcard idea could trigger something completely original of your own.

Paint Audio Pictures – Juniper and Stew tapped the Tony Hawk and Meta Glasses spots as their winners. One winning creative element? Each ad had multiple audioscapes. A mock-PSA shifts to a high-energy skate park. A cityscape shifts to a kitchen. The ads felt bigger because they took the listener on a multi-locale journey. CAOs, with or without Juniper, as you’re crafting your audio ads think: can you tell a bigger story?

The Classifieds

A Deathly Good Time at the Cinema

Network: Daylight Media / Monthly Downloads: 50k

As inventory tightens up and Q4 testing becomes an intrepid battleground, there are still top-performing shows available for review. Our first is from the newly named Daylight Media and hosted by a household name: Brett Goldstein. Goldstein is a British comedian who gained fame for his portrayal of Roy Kent in the comedy series Ted Lasso. Goldstein has also worked as a touring stand-up and is the co-creator of Shrinking, so he has a lot of funny friends who join him each week. Though the conversations cover a whole host of interesting tidbits, the main focus is on life and death and its storytelling impact. Guests have recalled details from recent performances, like Joey King’s offbeat turn in Bullet Train, or nostalgic memories like director Chris Columbus’ on Home Alone.  If you’re even morbidly curious about this offer, pay your respects at the link below.

Get The Deal

Gen Z Drama Time With Two TikTok OGs

Network: Your Mom’s House Studios / Monthly Downloads: 75k

Kayla Malecc and Jacob Sartorius: These are names that most of those with a 19 in their birth year have never come across, but for Gen Z, they’re very familiar. Between the two of them, these TikTok superstars have a combined 41 million followers, and though they’re still quite young, they’re still finding ways to grow. In this video-heavy simulcast opportunity, the twosome talks about anything and everything their hearts desire. Whether they’re falling down a conspiracy rabbit hole to celebrate Halloween, recapping recent internet drama, or revealing intimate details about their lives, they always have fun together. This is a raucous, rowdy time, and even at their level of fame, they’re always relatable. Advertisers looking to reach engaged, drama-loving young adults have found great success in testing this offering. Those who see traction in YouTube and social media are also strongly recommended. Get it on, bang a gong, and get over to the link below for more information.

Get The Deal

In Case You Missed It

Why Podcasts Are the New Word of Mouth

Acast’s 2025 Podcast Pulse combines insights from 2,600 consumers across 10 global markets, 137 podcasters, and 200 marketers. Two in three listeners say they’ve discovered new brands through podcasts, and 70% have considered a brand after a host recommends it. Podcasters rank among the most trusted voices ahead of YouTubers and social influencers. The report also highlights podcasting’s influence on cultural conversation. The multi-country report shows that the impact of podcasts is consistent. Listeners everywhere trust hosts, act on recommendations, and see podcasts as shaping their views. For marketers, that reliability makes podcasts a global channel to scale influence.

Read More

Subscribers Surge, Ads Soften: Spotify’s Paradox of Growth

The Wrap reports that Spotify’s Q3 2025 earnings beat expectations. Strong subscriber gains fueled growth. Meanwhile, ad-supported revenue fell 6%. According to the article, Growth in music and podcast advertising sales, driven by growth in impressions sold, was offset by “softness in pricing and optimization”. In other words, it was a soft ad market. One of the stickiest subscription services raises its prices and still sees strong growth. It also saw growth in ad impressions sold. Sounds like a good place to reach consumers…

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In a Sea of Sameness, Authentic Beats Algorithm

Amplifi Media argues the AI-accelerated glut will punish the “medium” and reward high-value content; algorithms follow performance, not volume. Some of the truest words in advertising: you get what you pay for. Keep this in mind when planning your audio media: in a world where everyone’s talking, the voices that rise above will be the ones using innovation to sound more human, not less.

Read More

#SaveTheLiveReads

Finding Your Holiday Style with Quince

This week, we’re sharing how April Calahan and Cassidy Zachary, hosts of the Dressed: The History of Fashion, deliver a holiday ad read that hits all the right notes. Partnering with Quince, they weave warmth, comfort, and gifting into a story that feels as natural as conversation over cocoa or a set of Turkish towels. From cashmere beanies to eucalyptus sheets, their enthusiasm feels personal, not promotional. It’s a masterclass in authentic integration; the kind that only works when the brand, agency, and hosts are perfectly in sync.

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