Brian Benedik, previously head of North America advertising at Spotify, has been promoted to a newly created position as Global Head of Advertising Sales. He will take charge of the company’s entire advertising sales effort across the 58 global markets in which the music service operates.
The role creation and the promotion underline the seriousness of Spotify’s advertising operation, and the company’s commitment to it. In the cauldron of publicity around Spotify’s subscription business, its label negotiations, and the general controversy around “freemium” (ad-supported) platforms attached to on-demand music services, Spotify’s commitment to advertising revenue is sometimes overlooked by observers.
Spotify serves 75-million monthly global listeners, according to the company’s latest update. Of that audience, 55-million use the ad-supported plan. Last December the company worked with Triton Digital to launch geo-targeted ad impressions, smartening its inventory for better value to advertisers.
Chief Revenue Officer Jeff Levick noted the audience growth: “As Spotify’s ad supported free tier has grown exponentially over the past few years and it’s become clear that the business needed a full time, world class leader. I’m thrilled Brian is stepping into the role.”
Brian Benedik comes from a radio background, having held executive roles in Clear Channel and Katz. Today’s promotion announcement ties into a rumor we first heard in Tom Taylor’s NOW Newsletter, that Katz Radio Group, which represents ad inventory at 4,000 U.S. radio stations, is (or will be) representing Spotify. We have nothing to contribute to that rumor, but note Brian Benedik’s connection to Katz.