Audio’s Role in Politics - The 2024 Election and Beyond; Shows That Should be on Your ‘25 Radar; FTC Cracks Down on Deceptive Ads; Podtrac Goes Abroad
This week's MRT episode was recorded Monday, but with podcast hosts like Theo Von and "the mighty and powerful Joe Rogan" being called out from the stage during President Re-elect Donald Trump's acceptance speech this week, our conversation about the impact of audio (podcast in particular) in the 2024 election is even more poignant than we could have anticipated.?
Politicians have finally learned what savvy CAOs have known for years: podcast works!
That said, we invite you to dive into this week's MRT episode, "Podcast Election" – Audio's Role in Politics. Buckle up–it's going to be a ride…
Daniel Granger , (CEO of Oxford Road & Veritone One ) hosts Kraig Kitchin , (Senior Strategic Advisor for Oxford Road & Bonafide Audio Legend), Neal Lucey (EVP of Strategy & Product, Oxford Road ), and Tess Ryan , (Associate Media Director, Oxford Road ) to understand how audio shaped the 2024 election, while also taking a look at the future.
The team is talking: the “Podcast Election”, unlocking audio budgets, civility, and more. Let’s dive deeper.
“There is room in America for civility. Honest to goodness conversation – an exchange of ideas without having to insult individuals.”
The Podcast Election ???- Since 2016, the number of podcast listeners has more than doubled – now at 135M monthly?(Edison Research). In a fragmented and frantic media landscape, being able to reach that magnitude of the electorate in a friendly, long-form environment is invaluable.?
More Money Next Time? ?? - While both campaigns put extensive effort into reaching podcast audiences using the power of guest spots, audio ad dollars were minimal (2% budget for Harris and less than 1% for Trump). Note to future campaign managers, may we suggest joining our CAO Club?
Civility, Civility, Civility ?? - We all witnessed how uncivil remarks can shape a campaign. We may sound like a broken record now, but civility matters (requisite plug for our partner Seekr Technologies Civility Score). For those looking to support civil political content going forward, tune in for a peek at some of our Civility All-Stars.
Whatever your perceptions may be, and however you’re feeling right now, there’s no denying that audio was a key player in shaping this election–and many to come. For more insights, tune into our full episode below.
The Classifieds
Load the Glass Cannon
Network:?Glassbox Media
Monthly Downloads: 50k
Current Civility Score: 92, HIGH
For many advertisers, annual planning is in full swing. This week, we have two classifieds highlighting core shows that are still open for anyone to test. Our first comes from Glassbox Media and resides in the quickly growing Leisure sub-genre of D&D. The show is hosted by Barbara Dunkelman , Chris Demarais , Blaine Gibson , and Jon Risinger , set in the fantasy world of Grotethe, built of well-known fantasy tropes and horror staples like vampires, ghosts, and monsters. The structural plotline also includes a whodunit murder mystery. Dungeon Master Gus Sorola weaves the storylines across multiple campaigns in this long-running series. Advertisers seeking a male skew that prioritizes convenience and is obsessed with internet culture would be best suited for this opportunity. Tales from the Stinky Dragon can also accommodate feed drops. You don’t need a dragon’s hoard to test, just click below and we’ll tell you more.
Champagne and Chit Chat
Network: Kafen8
Monthly Downloads:?12k
Current Civility Score: 84, HIGH
Bravo reality TV has brought joy to lovers of mess for decades. And Cocktails and Gossip co-hosts B & Amanda have been along for the ride since launching their Instagram account @BravoandCocktails. Their social page is a mix of Bravo-related news, gossip, and blind items, along with a personable touch that only the two creators can provide. The twosome have built a loyal fanbase of invested listeners who like to hear their POV about every episode of Real Housewives, its spinoffs, and the newest generation of reality TV. You can join them weekly for discussions on their lives as insiders, along with their undying love for white refrigerators, Sprinter Vans, and iconic taglines. The show has done exceptionally well for DTC advertisers targeting women, especially beauty brands. Kick back with a cosmo for some hot goss by indulging the link below.
In Case You Missed It
The Election Boosts Political Podcasts
Triton Digital ’s September 2024 U.S. Podcast Ranker, with insights from Signal Hill Insights , highlights a 28% rise in political podcast downloads amid the U.S. election season. Democrat-leaning podcasts dominate, though they saw a slight decline from 58% to 56% of total downloads while Republican-leaning podcasts increased from 23% to 28%. Political podcast listeners tend to be older, affluent, and highly educated. A phenomenon seen with cable news has now extended to podcasts: During a presidential election, political content draws increased audiences. This increase highlights the impact of podcasts on the 2024 election.
Podtrac Launches International Podcast Rankings
Podtrac, Inc. has launched a podcast tracker in 30 countries, including the UK. The tracker combines downloads with estimated data for publishers who opt-in, similar to its U.S. methodology. Adam Bowie explains that Podtrac's methodologies for UK charts include a mix of downloads and estimated downloads. Comparisons with Edison Research show discrepancies, with some popular podcasts ranking unexpectedly low on Podtrac, such as; "The Diary of a CEO" at 80 and "Crime Junkie" at 93, while less expected shows are ranked higher. While numerous podcast rankings exist, Spotify ’s decision to sunset Chartable leaves a potential gap, particularly for marketers expanding into international markets. Podtrac’s new offering steps in to meet this need.
‘I Use It, and So Should You’ Ads Better Be Authentic
New Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations target deceptive advertising, focusing on fake endorsements and undisclosed influencer partnerships, with penalties of up to $43,792 per violation. Effective October 14, 2024, these rules caught many brands off-guard due to rapid implementation and limited public awareness. The FTC aims to enforce transparency across digital marketing, especially influencer ads, to protect consumers from deceptive practices. The FTCs new regulations are aimed primarily at influencer marketing, which is expected to surpass $8 billion according to eMarketer estimates. However, the regulations also apply to audio - namely podcast and radio host endorsements. Marketers, it is important to be aware of these new FTC regulations, as brands may be subject to fines for inauthentic endorsements.?
#SaveTheLiveReads
Email to Ecomm, ‘The Tech Guy’ Knows Personal Endorsement
Matching a brand to a proper endorsement can be challenging. If a particular host hasn't used a product or service themselves, how can they give their stamp of approval? Dealing with a pro like Leo Laporte (The Tech Guy) it's as easy as turning to those you know best. When scoping out a partnership between Shopify and the This Week in Tech podcast, Leo shared that his son had set up shop on the e-commerce platform and decided to share his son's experience in his ads. The result is as good, if not better than 99% of personal endorsements in the space. We need to talk if you're missing out on uncovering the hidden connections between your brand and the hosts who endorse you. Click below to learn more.
OXFORd In The News
David Defeats Goliath
You’ve heard of the story of David and Goliath, where the smaller ‘Davey’ took out the giant, Goliath. The Davey Awards is the largest and most prestigious competition exclusively for the “Davids” of creativity. Oxford Road’s own Stew Redwine (VP, Creative Services, Oxford Road ) just received eight 2024 ‘Davey’ awards for his work on the (now award-winning and often featured in this newsletter) show Ad Infinitum. If inclined, join us in congratulating Stew and the team for their achievement on Stew’s recent LinkedIn post about the win.?
If you've read this far, thank you!
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