NFL (Taylor’s Version) Hits The Media World; Nick & Vanessa Lachey Make Things Awkward; The Hispanic Podcast Audience Continues to Explode; and More

Today’s your lucky day! We’re back with a double dose of audio insights! First, we’re rounding up the news you may have missed on an all new episode of Media Roundtable.

Taking the host microphone for a spin is MRT fan-favorite and Oxford Road Associate Media Director Kristen Duenas, along with fellow Oxford Roadies, Neal Lucey, Ricardo Martinez, and Spencer Semonson. We’re talking AI translation, some good news for radio, top Brit Pods, and the immense Hispanic podcast audience. Let’s dig in.

• Podcasts Speak Your Language : Spotify’s AI Voice Translation means your favorite podcasts may soon talk to you in your mother tongue. (h/t Podnews) The feature doesn’t merely translate; it keeps the essence of the podcaster’s voice intact. Pros: Using AI to bridge language gaps and make global podcasts more accessible. Cons: YMMV. On Armchair Expert, Dax’s accent was a lot better than Kristen’s.
• Radio Strikes Back  : TV’s loss the audio world’s gain? Production delays from the longstanding Writers/Actors Strike still have viewers turning down the TV volume, and amplifying audio from podcasts and radio. The content void in fall TV programming is a golden opportunity for podcasts. Marketers, this might be your cue to shift focus and test the waters, but it may be a case of leading the witness.
• The Taylor Effect  : All Hail Queen T Swift? Travis Kelce’s podcast (co-hosted with brother Jason) “New Heights” is reaching just that, thanks to an influx of Swifties. Advertisers always keep an ear to the ground– current events can trigger unexpected gains. In short, make sure you’re ready.

For full breakdowns of these stories and a whole lot more, tune into the full episode by clicking the link here.

Plus, for an embarrassment of riches, we present Ad Infinitum Episode 4 – “Demonstrated = Persuaded.” This is the only podcast all about how audio ads work, and it does not disappoint.

This week, host Stew Redwine (Oxford Road’s VP of Creative Services) welcomes a Powerhouse Panel from across the Podcast Polyverse – Amelia Coomber (Head of Marketing at PodScribe, Host of Make Better), Adam McNeil, (VP of Marketing at ADOPTER Media, Host of Make Better), Arielle Nissenblatt, (Head of Community and Content at Squadcast.fm) and Paul Riismandel (Chief Insights Officer, Partner at Signal Hill).

“We are most persuaded when we consider a thing demonstrated.” – Aristotle

Join Stew and crew as they break down top-spending creative from HelloFresh, BetterHelp, Angi, and Instacart. Did they demonstrate, and are we persuaded?

• It Demonstrates Too Much, Methinks 🤨 – Which ad gets dinged for explaining too much about how things work, so you can’t retain a thing?

• Curtain’s Up 🎭 – Which ad makes the most of theater of the mind, helping the listener truly imagine what it’s like to use their product?

• Off-Target 🎯 – There’s no perfect ad, just a perfect ad for the audience. We get into the nitty gritty of why one ad might have been perfect for the 30-something crowd… but the podcast it was on has an audience about 10 years younger.

If you’ve never understood why some ads have moved you and others haven’t, you owe it to yourself to hear the experts grade these ads (and offer key fixes). Listen to the whole episode (and complete lesson #4 of your audio ad masterclass) by clicking below.

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The Classifieds

K9 Trainer Is an Advertiser’s Perfect 10

Mike Ritland’s expertise is in the world of K9 military training, but in his newly represented podcast from Cumulus, you can fetch every topic under the sun. The former Navy SEAL, author, and lover of BBQ spends each episode with a new guest, having politically incorrect conversations around politics, health & fitness, survival skills, nutrition, music, and so much more. Through his charity work with animals and his advocacy for veterans rights, Ritland usually gains immediate respect and trust from his interviewees, making for truly focused and engaging conversations.
Think of this show as one of those interview-based shows constantly topping the charts, but with a price-tag that won’t break your budget. So don’t bark up the wrong tree with your Q4 tests, just click below.

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’m Not Nick Lachey, Obviously

Get out your golden goblets, brush off the lyrics to Cameron’s cringey rap, and open the bottle of eye drops: Love is Blind is back! With it comes a new set of episodes from season 2 participants Deepti Vempati and Natalie Lee’s podcast Out of the Pods. The two former contestants are now flying solo, giving their experienced takes on the current season, as well as other Netflix reality franchises, like The Ultimatum, Perfect Match, and Too Hot to Handle. In the most recent episode, they easily debunk internet theories around the show’s production while giving firsthand accounts of their season’s cast. Recently taken on by Audioboom, the show continues to build a reputation as a DR Darling, a perfect tune in opportunity for Q4 as well as a heavy volume driver for any female skew advertiser. Get in on the “experiment” by clicking below for more information.

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In Case You Missed It

Este No Es Un Robot

First on our list of Audio news you need to know, Spotify is introducing an AI-powered feature that translates podcasts into various languages, while preserving the podcaster’s voice style. As part of the pilot, Spotify worked closely with podcasters like Dax Shepard, Bill Simmons, and Lex Fridman to generate AI-powered voice translations into Spanish, French, German, and many other key languages. Translating existing content while keeping the creators’ voice intact is a great way to reach unique listeners who may already be interested in podcasts as a medium, also allowing for scale outside the US.

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Fresh Insights on Audio Usage Within the Latino Segment

According to Nielsen, 94% of Hispanic adults ages 18 – 49 listen to AM/FM radio monthly, totaling nearly 29 million listeners. Hispanics are also 13% more likely than the general population to listen to podcasts. Language preference is not the sole factor; content relevance and cultural resonance are crucial for engaging the Hispanic audience. If you’re not advertising to this segment, then you could be missing out on a market that represents nearly 20% of the US population.

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Travis Kelce Most Definitely a “Swifty”

Stick with us for a second: The Taylor Swift Effect has shaken the sports world and is now even spilling over into our world. Since last Sunday when the NFL (Taylor’s Edition) swept the world, Travis Kelce has gained more than half a million Instagram followers. His merchandise sales have spiked 400%, female TV viewership of Chief’s games is up massively, and his New Heights podcast with brother Jason Kelce is now the number one show on Apple Podcasts. Note to media buyers and CAOs: be aware of current events and make sure you set aside enough testing budget so you can tune in value on select properties–you never know who Taylor Swift will date… next.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

Not Joel Osteen Talking About His Bathroom Habits

With a unique podcast title like History is Dank, there’s no doubt its host Strider Wilson (who has an uncanny resemblance to televangelist Joel Osteen, which he uses for comedic purposes) has an equally unique twist on his advertisements. Take this recent strong testimony about the Tushy bidet. In a great demonstration, he’s humorous when talking about how this product has changed his life.  It’s exactly what Oxford Road seeks from hosts. Talking about your butt on a podcast doesn’t come easily, but Strider has a great balance of normalcy and eagerness about the product, and that’s what an audience grabs onto. His execution is what really sells the promotion and makes him a host who captivates brands toward having him sell their products.

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