ARN’s podcasting platform iHeart will roll out dynamic video ads “later this year”, opening up a major opportunity for brands.
This month, ARN officially launched video podcasts (vodcasts) on the platform, although it has been testing this format since June.
The new product launch introduces full-length video podcasts alongside iHeart Highlights, a new vertical video feed.
Video podcasts from Australian True Crime, The Interface (BBC), Double A Chattery, No Dribble, Las Culturistas, She’s On The Money, The Daily Aus, and Two Good Sports are now available, with more to come.
At present, brands are able to sponsor video podcasts but only audio advertising is being inserted into the ad breaks.
That will soon change, according to ARN chief digital and technology officer Ben Campbell, in what is a major evolution of the platform and ARN’s advertising offering.
“Later this year we’ll launch dynamic video ad serving into vodcasts. That’s where we serve an actual video ad into the ad breaks,” Campbell told B&T, adding that testing is currently taking place.
“That’s when we will start to see a podcast enter a very new space where we can do everything from your baked-in integrations, branded content, sponsorships and dynamically served video ads into that content.
“It’s massive for ARN and the next transition of our strategy to become not just an entertainment company for consumers, but an entertainment company for advertisers.”
At ARN’s upfront event last year, chief executive Michael Stephenson laid out a vision that ARN would transition from an audio business into an entertainment company.
Once dynamic video ads are being served, it will provide brands with opportunities to reach audiences with ads in broadcast radio, streaming radio, podcasting, premium video, live events and short form video discovery.
“There’s been a huge amount of interest from brands because a lot of businesses recognise the value and the power of podcasting, and when you combine that with video it’s a really unique opportunity,” Campbell said.
For ARN, dynamic video advertising not only provides brands with a richer advertiser ecosystem, but could translate to an uplift in ad sales.
According to the CRA’s The Infinite Dial report, 55 per cent of Australians consume podcasts monthly with video podcasts contributing a five percentage point lift on audio.
About a third of Australians watch vodcasts each week. In America, that figure is around 55 per cent of people aged 12 and older.
iHeart isthe latest platform to offer vodcast viewing after YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
