adStream is a journal of ad-stalking in streaming audio services.
With podcasts and other on-demand talk programming so much in the post-Serial news flow, we turned our ad-stalking mindset to audio ads in podcast streams. We opened the Stitcher app to gauge how much interruption there is, and of what type. Continue Reading
Getting the right ad to the right listener at the right time is accomplished in different ways. We spotted examples of a matchup that is possible with streaming audio — matching product type with playlist type. Specifically, when auditioning Pandora’s “Brunch” playlist (one of Pandora’s house-built listening options, which the company has been promoting lately), we heard ads by McDonald’s and Community Coffee in rotation. Continue Reading
We had heard about SoundCloud’s skippable audio ads, and were on the prowl to see one in action. We struck gold in the new Gimlet Media site. There, we found the unique ad technology used by SoundCloud to present a 30-second pre-roll audio ad. Continue Reading
Following our recent examination of native advertising growth for streaming audio, we were on the prowl for live campaign examples in podcasts. We found two instances of a podcast campaign by Casper mattresses, and those two examples demonstrate the range of ad-libbing that is possible when a podcast host is responsible for the marketing presentation. Click to listen. Continue Reading
adStream is an ad-stalking journal in streaming audio.
We usually study audio ads in adStream, but when our eyes are on the screen it is impossible to ignore the steady parade of banner ads in some music services. Interestingly, TUNE released a whitepaper study of the effectiveness of app-download ads. Continue Reading
adStream is an ad-stalking journal in streaming audio.
In the relentless pursuit of streaming ads, we encounter plenty of “companions.” Companion ads are (usually) banners that accompany audio spots in streams. Tracking the banner impressions is difficult, and companions are secondary to audio advertising which interrupts the stream and captures the listener’s attention. We found an interesting one, with a single purpose. Continue Reading
adStream is an ad-stalking journal in streaming audio.
Video ads in audio streams often convey the entire marketing message, even to listeners who aren’t looking at the screen, which is often the case. We have also spotted some video commercials on music services that require watching to deliver a fully branded message. Continue Reading
Freemium — the layer of streaming music which is designed to funnel users into paid music subscriptions at services like Spotify, Rdio, and Slacker. Freemium streaming is ad-supported, and we were curious about spot load in Freemium listening. We put it to a test. Continue Reading
Music-ID app SoundHound has created an intriguing brand integration with Grand Marnier, in which the DNA of certain songs is revealed — samples, remixes, and covers, mainly. The campaign is called “The DNA of Music,” and we spotted it surrounding a Kelly Clarkson song ID’d in SoundHound. We talked to Cheryl Lucanegro, VP of Sales at SoundHound, to get the back story of this campaign. Continue Reading
As streaming audio advertising gradually becomes more personalized to the listener, localized ads increasingly appear. One solution — registration data — gives audio publishers a way to sell inventory on a regional basis, so listeners in a state or city hear streaming commercials localized at that level. In our recent ad-stalking, we wanted to anecdotally track how much city-localized advertising was delivered by Pandora in a 90-minute listening session. Continue Reading
Last week we wrote about pre-roll ads, their benefits, with an example from Live365. This week we were on the prowl for streaming music ads that are invoked by skipping songs in an online radio station. We turned to iHeartRadio for examples, and were quickly rewarded. Continue Reading
Pre-roll commercials, which play before the first song when a custom station is launched in a music service, make a lot of sense. This might seem counter-intuitive to radio listeners, every one of whom has endured the experience of tuning into a favorite station at the start of a long spot set. But a single short ad before the music starts can grab attention without pushing away the user. We find a good one in this edition of adStream. Continue Reading