What Brands Want 2025

The $1B Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sound

Advertisers want to spend an additional $1 billion in podcasting. But they have conditions.

To understand what’s standing in the way, and what could unlock the next wave of growth, we went straight to the source. At Oxford Road’s 2025 Chief Audio Officer (CAO) Summit, we surveyed the people writing the biggest checks in audio, including leaders from 6 of the top 10 podcast advertisers in the U.S. Together, they control roughly 15% of total U.S. podcast spend. These brand decision-makers shared candid insights about what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change for podcasting to realize its next stage of growth.

Their biggest obstacles? Limited performance data, weak YouTube attribution, and skepticism around AI. Know the right problems so you can build the right solutions.

What is your role?*

Go beyond the headlines: see what brands actually want from measurement, where they stand on programmatic, and what’s fueling both their curiosity and caution around AI.

Inside the report, you’ll find:

The attribution improvements brands ranked highest (and which ones might surprise you)
Programmatic adoption rates: who’s buying now, who’s coming in the next 12 months
Why AI clone voices are still a non-starter for most advertisers
Brand safety concerns ranked by priority
Why 4 out of 5 brands are worried about ad clutter—and what it means for placement strategy

This isn’t market research from consumers. It’s direct survey data from top CAOs representing 20% of U.S. podcast ad spend.

If you’re a publisher, platform, or network trying to capture more brand investment, this is your roadmap.