Acast is stepping into the Japanese podcast advertising market. The expansion is facilitated by a partnership with Otonal Inc., which Acast characterizes as Japan’s premier digital audio advertising agency.
Otonal marketing graphic
Acast refers to “surging demand” from Japanese advertisers and creators, and promises “innovative and far-reaching podcast advertising solutions.” (Complete statement HERE.)
Acast brings 125,000 podcasts to the Japanese market, a vast catalog which includes corporate behemoths BBC, Financial Times, and The Guardian.
Acast invokes the phrase “transpacific bridge” by introducing Japanese advertisers and brands to Acast’s global audiences. The company sees this alliance as a “significant milestone,” inasmuch as it will allow Japanese brands to reach podcast audiences in the U.S. and Europe at a scale the company says is unprecedented.
Acast foresees that its expansion into Japan as “transforming the podcast advertising landscape and providing unparalleled opportunities for cross-market growth and engagement.”
“Officially entering the Japanese market is extremely significant,” said Megan Davies, Managing Director, International. “We’re responding directly to local and international demand, and connecting, in particular, the major markets of Japan and the US, which shows how extensive the abilities of our marketplace are. What is also really important is that this partnership underscores our commitment to connecting diverse global audiences and advertisers through high-quality podcast content.”
“Podcast ads are starting to gain traction, including in Japan. Japanese companies are showing great interest in using podcasts domestically and overseas to expand their global footprint. At Otonal, we continue to pursue avenues to expand the digital audio market in Japan. Otonal, up until now, has formed many partnerships with international partners. Through our partnership with Acast, Japanese companies can now easily expand their global marketing efforts through podcasts,” said Taisuke Yagi, CEO of Otonal.
