Want A Brand-Safe Ad Environment? Digital Audio May Be Just The Ticket

 

Marketers concerned about having their ads appear in brand-safe environments should consider looking closely at digital audio, a new report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau says.

The report looked at brand safety in the context of audio formats, such as podcasts and streaming music. It noted “digital audio in particular has a lot to offer marketers looking for a higher level of control.”

Among the findings: digital audio listeners tend to be particularly engaged with the content, often listening while commuting or at the gym. Consumption often happens in apps, where ads won’t be skipped.

In addition, many digital audio formats and providers can deliver an environment where the marketer can be confident in the quality and safety of the content surrounding their ads. 

“An important element of brand safety for audio advertisers is ensuring an ad will not be heard in a context that would damage a brand’s reputation,” writes IAB audio industry lead Jennifer Lane in a blog post revealing the findings from the report.

In the case of streaming music services (Pandora, or Spotify’s free tier), ads can be dynamically inserted, allowing for advertisers to choose channels, playlists, genres or artists that are appropriate for their brands.

The IAB estimates the percentage of buyers that buy radio and digital audio advertising will almost triple over the next year.

On the podcast and spoken-word side of the digital audio equation, the biggest opportunity is ad integration. Ads are baked into the program, and sometimes read by the host or personality themselves.

These ads almost never skipped; they take advantage of the unique relationship between the listener and the audio program.

“This creates a listening experience that is strong in terms of audibility and allows the advertiser to work more closely with the publisher, the show producer, or even the host to ensure the proper brand safety,” the IAB report says.

You can read the full report here.

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