Missed Last Week’s IAB Upfronts or our CAO Event? We’ve Got You Covered; Ben Shapiro Makes a Case to Buy Conservative; YAP’s Masterclass in PE

The Media Roundtable is back, and we’re giving you all the best insights from last week’s IAB Upfronts and our latest Chief Audio Officer Messaging Forum in NYC.

Stew Redwine (VP of Creative Services, Oxford Road) hosts fellow Oxford Road audiophiles Dan Granger (CEO & Founder, Oxford Road) and James Ingrassia (EVP, Client Service, Oxford Road) with special guests Cassandra LaPrairie (Performance Marketing Lead, Audio, Wise) and Nikhil Arora (Chief Growth Officer, Albert). The team explores: getting the most from your host, Zero-to-One Sonic Branding, A/B Testing that actually works, and more. Let’s jump in.

“We live in an age where customers are omnipresent. They’re everywhere. Your brand needs to be omnipresent and Sonic Branding is part of that.” – Nikhil Arora (Chief Growth Officer, Albert)

The Host with the Most – For a stellar forward the clip to your whole company ad read–try this: Go deep on context and light on copy. For a host onboarding that makes all the difference, talk through your business objectives. Share your goals. Immerse them deep into your product. For tactics on how to best communicate their love of your product to their audience, let the hosts handle it. In fact, we’re experimenting with a minimal ad copy test with just two questions. Speaking of tests…

Branches Not Twigs – When it comes to A/B testing, the worst thing is not losing to the control, it’s not getting a definitive answer. When you test, do it with branches, not twigs. Test the changes that are big enough, so you can really see the difference, despite all the variability audio has to offer. Get definitive, clear knowledge (and then test again).

Start Where You Are – (Pretty much) Everyone agrees sonic branding is a good thing. We could talk stats for hours, and have on our Ad Infinitum podcast with Stew Redwine, about why your brand should show up sonically with intention. But as we’ve discovered when trying to change the Media Roundtable podcast intro music, thinking sonically is intense. Analysis Paralysis abounds. To go from “0 to 1”, mine your existing sonic assets, get a good enough proof of concept out into the world, and test it against the control. If there’s a lift in performance or recall, great, now make it better.

To capture a piece of the audio magic from our CAO Messaging forum, tune into the full episode via the link below. (Not a member of the CAO Club yet? Join HERE for no FOMO.)

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The Classifieds

No Catfishing, Only Cuffing

Bumble’s recent ad campaign faux pas has taught us all anew that dating is a total nightmare. Meet Lauren Compton, a comedian willing to brave the weird, wild, and wacky world of dating, in collaboration with fellow comedians, to determine if they’re dateable or even… if they ever were. This podcast serves as a thorough vetting process for interested singles, and as a rollicking romp that often veers into uncharted territory.
Recent guests included familiar podcast hosts like; Paul Scheer, Rick Glassman, Mark Normand, and Christina P. Lauren Compton’s First Date is a newly repped opportunity from Your Mom’s House (YMH) Studios. They produce and sell the show alongside other comedy newbies. DR advertisers finding success with this offering are generally male skewing B2C brands, not needing to adhere to strict brand guidelines. Swipe right on over to the link below.

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Identical Twins Work Towards Fraternal Goals

Launching a career out of your dorm room has become a common path for this generation’s creators. On the heels of Alix Earle‘s immense success on TikTok, a new era of young women are making their mark in extremely viral ways. Twins Caroline and AnnCatherine Conneen have tapped into the Gen Z zeitgeist with their podcast Girls with Goals, a RedCircle show that focuses on wellness, positivity, international travels, and physical fitness. Though only fourth year students at Northwestern, the twins have amassed multiple successful campaigns with storied DTC DR brands, both female and male skew. Their conversations are extremely loose, often hitting cogent, well rounded points throughout, then recalling scientifically backed reasoning for their advice. For people trying to set seemingly impossible goals, this is an easy, intimate format for finding kinship within a growing community. Set your next podcast campaign goal by clicking below.

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In Case You Missed It

The Smart Money’s on Smart Moms with Smartphones

2024 findings from Edison Research’s Infinite Dial series reveals American Moms’ heavy online engagement and adoption of smart devices, notably smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earphones. These devices enhance audio usage, with 43% of Moms as weekly podcast listeners and 82% consuming online audio weekly. Smartphone ownership, at 98%, drives a substantial daily online average of 4 hours + 4 minutes, supporting high social media usage (97%). A crucial takeaway from this research is the prevalence of smartphones and headphones and their impact on audio consumption behavior. Be it moms or almost any audience, it’s important to keep this dynamic in mind when crafting a digital audio strategy.

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Has the Age of Artificial Arrived?

AI start-up, ElevenLabs, produces highly convincing AI voices. Despite the excitement, Charlie Warzel of The Atlantic hesitates as his voice is replicated perfectly, albeit with an overly formal tone and filler words inserted. He finds it eerie, yet captivating. The experience evokes both fascination and concern over the implications of such technology. Offering an account for voice cloning at just $22 seems like a bargain, but it also raises concerns about potential misuse. We just might be stepping into an era of the artificial. Take, for instance, the rise of virtual influencers highlighted in this ANA piece. The implications are clear: authenticity is paramount. As AI technology advances, the need for genuine, trustworthy content will only become more critical.

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Ben’s Case to Go Conservative

Ben Shapiro attributes the success of his show to being honest about his conservative bias, asserting that transparency fosters trust with listeners. Advertisers find value in conservative podcasts, despite potential controversies. Daily Wire’s growth and impact demonstrate the potential for advertisers to succeed across the political spectrum. For brands hesitant about advertising among political content, Ben Shapiro’s perspective offers valuable insights. He presents a compelling case for embracing content from diverse political viewpoints, highlighting the importance of engaging with audiences across the spectrum.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

YAP Kicks it Up for Indeed

On last week’s Young and Profiting podcast, host Hala Taha gave a perfect example of how to crush a personal endorsement in an ad read for Indeed. Hala shares her personal struggles with trying to find the right candidates when hiring new team members. She talks about how Indeed helps her sift through the barrage of candidates to find the right fit for her team. Hala is the type of host who really puts her heart and soul into her reads. If you’re a brand looking to reach entrepreneurial listenership, this show is a MUST BUY.

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