Online Audio On Stage At Advertising Week

jennifer-lane

This article by RAIN CEO Jennifer Lane was originally published on her Audio4cast blog.


In case you’ve been living in a cave and have missed it, it’s Advertising Week in New York this week. Yesterday I attended a panel, sponsored by XAPP Media, that featured a discussion of online audio ad campaigns. XAPP Media is a technology company that enables interactive audio ads, and the panel began with CEO Pat Higbie showing the audience how it works.

XAPP’s product is designed to enable today’s ultramobile consumers to respond to audio ads while they are listening to their devices in hands-free, eyes-free mode. These audio consumers are busy – driving, walking, exercising, etc, – and audio ads are a great way to reach them, but getting them to respond to the ads can be a challenge. Enter XAPP technology that makes it possible for them to respond with a voice command. The ad plays, and the consumer can immediately respond by saying “Call now” or “Email me.”

NPR’s Bryan Moffett, VP, Digital Strategy and Ad Ops, spoke enthusiastically about their experience with XAPP’s technology. “It’s the most exciting thing we’ve put in front of marketers since the iPad,” he said. Moffett went on to discuss several campaigns that have used the platform with success, as well as ways that they are using the voice driven interactive feature within content, enabling listeners to launch a new program.

ad week panel

Spotify is doing some initial beta testing of XAPP as well, and VP Brian Benedik mentioned interesting results, without getting very specific with details. Spotify’s mobile listening has increased sharply in the ten months since they stripped the subscription required feature from their mobile app, with half of Spotify’s listening now on mobile devices in the US. Meanwhile, in Latin America Spotify’s mobile audience is 80% of all listening, according to Benedik.

All of the panelists talked about the push to offer innovative opportunities to advertisers. AdLarge Founder Cathy Csukas said there is a thriving marketplace of audio advertisers and they are looking for ways to do digital. She mentioned the importance of lifting advertisers up through programs to generate recall and response.

It was great to see an online audio conversation, talking extensively about execution of campaigns, take the stage during Advertising Week. While it would have been great to have a few more specifics on advertisers and results, the conversation was informative and the explanation of the XAPP platform was very good. A few questions from the audience indicated there were advertisers in the room who found it interesting as well. All good things..

Brad Hill