All-Star Cast Joins the MRT to Discuss Audio’s Role in Your Media Mix; The Good and Bad of AI in Audio; Media Watchdog Uncovers New Ad Fraud Scam

The Media Roundtable is back! This week we’re devoting the episode to one question that every Chief Audio Officer should ask themselves: “What’s the core purpose of Audio in an advertiser’s ecosystem?”

Steven Abraham (President, Oxford Road) hosts fellow Oxford Road luminaries Miranda Romano (VP of Media Operations, Oxford Road) and Neal Lucey (EVP, Strategy & Product, Oxford Road) with special guests Chris Binns, (Chief Strategy Officer, Open X a WPP agency) and Andrea Stillacci (Founder & President, Herezie, Paris). This all-star audio team is talking: $200 headphones, the ultimate sidekick, the value of deep dives, and more. Let’s jump in.

“Media is not math. And anyone who’s looking at media from a mathematical perspective is going to end up with the wrong answer and no competitive advantage. Media is human behavior.” – Chris Binns, (Chief Strategy Officer, Open X, WPP)

Ultimate Sidekick – Audio doesn’t get its fair share of spend (5% of marketing budget vs 25% of audience time spent listening to audio), but in Mark Ritson’s words, it’s the ultimate sidekick. How can CAOs think of audio as a necessity that makes ALL campaigns work harder, instead of audio being just an afterthought?

Going Beyond Impressions and Reach – To get the most out of audio, CAOs need to know that audio listenership, especially podcast listenership, looks very different from other impressions. Yes, audio has broad reach, but its real power is in how deeply it touches listeners. As Steven says, Podcasts are paid media’s “closest equivalent [to] word of mouth.”

Don’t Swim, Dive – Get past maintenance-level marketing. Go deeper into your messaging and the context of your audience to see what’s truly possible with audio. In Andrea’s words, “When you dive, you discover.”

Want to understand the power of audio? You owe it to yourself to check out Andrea’s passion: Intrusion project. Check out this gripping 1977 Live Italian broadcast of free radio being shut down by police.

To learn more about how audio can enhance your campaigns, tune into our full episode with the link below.

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The Classifieds

A Sandwich Short of a Picnic

Podcast testing can be as seasonal as spring. And this spring has brought a new batch of freshly tested and validated podcasts for us to share. The first comes from Studio 71, hosted by YouTubers Ted Nivison & Schlatt. The YouTuber duo boasts a combined following of 6.34m subscribers. Episodes include interviews with fellow creators–and casual conversations on a multitude of random topics. They often answer questions from fans, share inside jokes between episodes, and provide background on some of their most notorious solo projects. At every possible opportunity, these hosts lean into colorful slapdash humor that resonates well with their Gen Z and Millennial following. Longtime advertisers in both the podcast and YouTube space have found great success working with this show. Advertisers seeking Comedy options can’t go wrong with this opportunity. Order your side for this sandwich by indulging the link below.

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More Teachers of Tech Than Titans

When advertisers first start testing in the Tech genre, they often go straight for the biggest and boldest podcasts on the charts. Those in the know will tell you the true dark horses of this genre are the small, efficient shows that publish regularly—like most selections from Backbeat Media. Hosts Jim Dalrymple and Dave Mark are veterans of the industry and have appeared on Apple and in tech news for nearly 30 years. Their discussions often veer outside of current events, and into a more personal realm, creating buoyant ease in their conversations.
It’s as if you’re casually eavesdropping on two longtime friends who know a thing or two about everything. Dalrymple is a DR darling for advertisers looking to reach an engaged audience of tech adopters, lifelong learners, and young professionals. Test in Q2 and report back to me via the link below.

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In Case You Missed It

Podcast Gaining Steam Worldwide

Podcast consumption is increasing globally, with 40% of listeners in 47 countries tuning in for over an hour per week, according to a YouGov survey. While the U.S. leads with 39% weekly listeners, other regions like Asia-Pacific and Africa show rapid growth, while Europe lags behind in adoption rates. If you’re a marketer with international ambitions, the YouGov data in this report will give you good reason to consider podcasts as part of your mix.

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Bad Actors Have Found Their Way To Audio

DoubleVerify has uncovered a new fraud scheme in digital audio advertising called “FM Scam”. Perpetrators falsify audio traffic, spoofing various devices to blend fake traffic with real traffic. “FM Scam” generates millions of ad requests monthly, impacting advertisers and legitimate sellers. DoubleVerify’s Fraud Lab uses AI and human review to detect and mitigate the scheme. Ad verification and brand safety are relatively new and can be considered by some as “nice to have”, but these recent findings demonstrate, yet again, why these tools are essential for successful audio campaigns.

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AI Narrated Audiobooks Are A Thing

Audible introduces AI-generated voices for audiobooks, offering a cheaper alternative for self-published authors. Over 40,000 books in Audible have been created with AI, and in posts online, authors praise saving hundreds and thousands of dollars per title on narration costs. While authors benefit from cost and time savings, listeners express concerns about the impact to narrators and the potential loss of quality. The advertising landscape in audiobooks is nascent in terms of monetization, but it’s a promising area to monitor. We recognize the potential benefits of leveraging AI narration to enhance accessibility for listeners. Yet it’s also important to consider the potential implications for voice actors. As this space evolves, it will be important to balance the benefits and tradeoffs across the entire spectrum.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

What’s Your 1Password? Tim Ferriss Knows His!

“Never use two, when one will do.” Nothing exemplifies efficiency like 1Password, and Tim Ferriss of his wildly popular The Tim Ferriss Show. Tim’s impressive career, which includes being listed in Fortune’s “40 Under 40”, help make his show a trustworthy platform for sharing knowledge. As a passionate 1Password user for more than a decade, Tim substantiates his recommendation with an assertive, honest and influential delivery. In his unique engaging way, Tim simplistically describes a universal issue we all face, explaining why this product is a time saver, and how it’s more safe and secure than others (any fan of Tim knows that he does his research). He explains further how 1Password saves him from the headaches associated with taking care of his most important data. Oxford Road Audiolytics™ expertly matches Tim with 1Password and has helped introduce this brand to hundreds of thousands of new users.

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OXFORd In The News

Did We Just Become Best Friends or Enemies?

AI is the future, but is that a good thing? Oxford’s own Dan Granger (Founder & CEO) weighs in on the subject in a recent article from Amplify Media. The article delves into the potential dangers posed by AI-generated audio, emphasizing the need for responsible use. Highlighting instances of misinformation and fraud, the article stresses the importance of developing safeguards and regulations to mitigate these risks. Ultimately, it calls for a balanced approach that harnesses AI’s benefits while protecting against potential harm. To learn more about how Oxford Road is harnessing AI’s potential, while safeguarding advertisers from any negative impact, you can reach out to us HERE.

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