This Week’s Influencer: MRT Talks Pod Tools, Performance Validation, PLUS AI Ads; Mid-Tier Creator Wins; The MMM Reset, UK Loves Audio; and more…

Advertising always walks a fine line between building audience trust and breaking it. So, how does one find that ever-important line? That’s the question at the center of this week’s Media Roundtable: Industry Edition.

Stew Redwine (Executive Creative Director, Oxford Road) is joined by our own experts Jillian Garner (Account Manager), Neal Lucey (EVP, Strategy & Planning), and Kyle Jelinek (VP of Client Services) to break down what’s driving performance in podcasting.

From Podtrac’s new multi-channel ranker to Podscribe’s latest incrementality report, the team explores what matters beyond downloads. They debate the long-form’s staying power, the durability of history podcasts, and what would happen if ChatGPT introduced ads. Let’s dig in.

“Seeing that history podcasts are as popular as they are, it’s a good reminder that people aren’t actually moving away from depth. They’re just adding short-form [content] on top of it.” – Jillian Garner (Account Manager, Oxford Road)

Multi-Channel Rankings – Podtrac has new rankings that include audio, video, and clip impressions. Getting a full picture of reach is hard, so any transparency is a win. Plus, Marketers can use the data in a few ways. If you know a show’s reach is largely from clips, negotiate those clips as part of the campaign. (And try for usage rights to run on your own paid channels). Are impressions audio-only? Factor in a greater episode completion rate as you analyze the CPMs.

Historical Performance – History podcasts are epic in every sense of the word. You get multi-hour, in-depth episodes (Like Hardcore History) and a fanatical audience. Brands don’t always flock to these shows, but they’re worth considering. After all, hosts are trusted for their rigor, which flows on to advertisers. They won’t be hits for every brand, but we’ve seen lots of winners, and anecdotally, B2B marketers should take an especially close look.

ChatGPT: Now with Ads? – Ads look like the next ChatGPT move. It’s worth highlighting the differences between podcast ads and AI ads. In ChatGPT, an ad undermines the trust and neutrality we’re used to. Meanwhile, podcasts have always had ads, and people can sense how much the hosts actually believe in what they’re saying. In other words: ads only work when there’s enough trust to inspire action. Marketers, the channels you choose for your brands should rely on audiences’ trusted sources for information. You can’t erode one and still expect performance.

Want more insights from the forces shaping the industry? Tune in to the full episode by clicking the link below.

The Classifieds

Dollaz Dollaz Bills Y’all

Network: Barstool Sports / Monthly Downloads: 300k

This week kicks off the start of Black History Month, and we are celebrating with two high-performing podcasts from African-American hosts. Our first selection has been a longtime behemoth in the music landscape, and a cultural touchstone for the rap and hip/hop community. Hosts Gillie da Kid and Wallo267 have countless years of experience as producers, musicians, and influencers, but it is their incisive, groundbreaking commentary that has given them staying power in the podcasting landscape.

Beyond its cultural reach, the show has been praised by its audience for its raw, passionate conversations about the hosts’ personal struggles and lived experiences. Many high-profile guests have joined the twosome, including Kevin Hart and Shaq. Male-skew advertisers are highly recommended to consider this offering, especially those looking for a well-versed audience of culture vultures. Get your head in the game and out of the clouds by clicking the link below.

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No Sleep ‘til Brooklyn, Carmelo Says So

Network: Wave Sports / Monthly Downloads: 350k

Podcasting provides a level of access that previous generations of sports fans could only dream of. Carmelo Anthony is a ten-time NBA All-Star and six-time All-NBA Team member who recently-ish retired. Since partnering with Wave Sports in 2023, Anthony has hosted a weekly podcast that covers his time as an athlete and explores his thoughts on music, movies, comedy, and everything else in between. Guests are often brought on to discuss their expertise or POV on introspective cultural moments, especially those from his beloved New York City.

Recent episodes have featured iconoclasts such as Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet, former New York Knicks shooting guard John Starks, and rapper Styles P. Advertisers who have achieved success in testing on this show are often tech companies with an efficiency mindset. Testing into a great podcast? No time like the present, so feel free to click below for more details.

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In Case You Missed It

DAX: The Middle Child of Creator Marketing Is Winning

Advertising Week published DAX US President Brian Conlan’s case for mid-tier creators (typically boasting 50,000 to 500,000 followers). The core argument: a podcaster with 40K weekly listeners averaging 40-minute sessions delivers more value than follower counts suggest. The case study recommends treating creators like media channels with “bench plans,” A/B testing, and 10-20% test budgets, scaling top performers into multi-flight deals. Big-name creators are essential for reach and credibility, but performance often comes from the mid-tier and long-tail results. Smart planning treats creators like a portfolio: cherry-pick top-tier talent, then drive efficiency through mid-tier and long-tail shows where pricing is efficient and ad reads are more flexible

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Radio Didn’t Underperform, Your Model Did

John Fix, the former P&G media analytics leader credited with bringing the company back into audio, argues that radio should be treated as a fundamentally new media channel in Media Mix Models. Historically, radio underperformed in MMMs due to its reliance on planned, low-granularity data and tight historical priors that constrained ROI to past norms. That has changed. Broadcasters now provide weekly, as-run radio delivery data at the DMA level. Fix recommends that modelers fully refresh MMMs using as-run data across the entire time series, relax historical priors, and allow the model to relearn radio’s contribution based on this improved signal. When the person most responsible for P&G’s renewed commitment to audio says MMMs need a reset, marketers and analysts should listen.

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Why UK Brands Are Turning Up the Volume on Audio in 2026

Reuters Institute‘s 2026 journalism trends report finds news publishers expect search traffic to decline 43% over three years due to AI “answer engines.” In response, 71% say expanding audio formats is important since podcasts are harder for AI to rewrite/summarize than text. Two-thirds worry creators are drawing audiences away and 75% plan to encourage journalists to “behave more like creators.” U.S. creator ad spend hit $37B in 2025, growing 4x faster than the industry average. A projected 43% decline in search traffic is an existential threat to digital news. Audio and video are key to survival, so expect them to rise. The shift for marketers: newsrooms are pushing journalists to act more like creators, making premium news inventory feel less institutional and more personality-driven. For better or worse, early movers will benefit.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

Swiftie Charm, Pilates Glow-Ups, and a Fabletics Mic Drop

Kelly Keegs and Gia Mariano from the Taylor Watch podcast absolutely crush this Fabletics live read with boss babe energy, authenticity, and Swiftie-level charm, turning a simple promo into a full-on fashion moment. From Gia’s Pilates glow-up to the relatable struggle of wanting to look cute in class without dropping a fortune, these gals hit all the right notes, effortlessly blending real-life context with product perks. Their excitement feels genuine, not scripted, and their seamless back-and-forth makes the ad feel like part of the show, not an interruption.

They spotlight the comfort, quality, and insane savings of the Fabletics VIP program (can you say 80% off?!), all while making listeners feel like they’re in on a stylish, money-saving secret. It’s fun, fresh, and the kind of read that not only informs but also makes you want to click the link right now and treat yourself to a matching set or two.

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