Double Dose of MRT: Unpacking Cannes Lions 2024 & Getting the Most Out of Your B2B Podcast Campaign; How to Make Your Brand Stand Out Sonically

You’re in for a treat this week, CAOs! We’re airing not one but two—count ‘em, two ??—special episodes of the Media Roundtable!?

First, if you missed out on Cannes Lions 2024, we have you covered. Daniel Granger (CEO & Founder, Oxford Road) jumped in the booth at Spotify ’s Podcast Studio at Cannes to talk with Conor McKenna (Partner, LUMA Partners ).

Together, they channel all the excitement and buzz from the festival into an engaging conversation, packed with insights from their week on the Riviera. We’re talking about creativity's role in marketing, forecasts for the macro environment in 2025, the value of AI in audio, and so much more. Here’s a teaser:?

• Rethinking Creativity at Cannes ??: People familiar with David Ogilvy may remember his famous quote; “Creativity is the most dangerous word in the lexicon of advertising.” While creativity and originality might not be the only elements bringing in revenue, they’re a HUGE part of the equation for crafting meaningful ads. Dan and Conor discuss the merits of creativity in marketing coming off of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2024 and dive deep into why it’s at the heart of any strong ad campaign.?
• Surviving, Reviving and Thriving ??: Conor shares his insights from LUMA’s recent State of Digital presentation, breaking them down in detail on the pod— TL;DR 2023 was a year of layoffs where many brands prioritized tech over people. In that context, 2023 was about Surviving. 2024 is about Reviving. And 2025 will be about Thriving.?
• Podcasters are Creators—Not Brands ????: When we think about monetizing audio, especially in podcasts, it’s important to keep in mind what makes this medium unique. Podcasters forge authentic connections with their listeners through their own creative practices and personal endorsements. Conor views podcasters as creators akin to musicians—even though we don’t hear ad breaks in the middle of a Beyoncé album. Podcast ads need to recognize and fit into the creative angle of the medium and the host.?

Listen to the full episode here, to hear audio advertising insights you won’t find anywhere else.

Next, we have a true Ad Infinitum gem! ?? Show Host Stew Redwine (VP of Creative Services, Oxford Road) covers all things B2B podcast ads with Hala Taha (CEO & Founder, YAP Media & host of Young and Profiting), AKA the Princess of Podcasts herself!

“[With a show like YAP], a podcaster is talking to your exact target audience.”

- Hala Taha (CEO & Founder, YAP Media)

These two Advertising Pros reveal their deepest secrets to making B2B podcasts more effective by resonating with show content. Hala’s insider tips??

• Know and use the product ?? - Hala invests in the brands that invest in her. For example, Shopify is one of the sponsors of her show, so of course, she uses Shopify for her business. As a result, Hala speaks with utmost authority about everything from Shopify’s offerings, to their price points and workflow. Beyond that, she knows how to talk about the product in a way that turns her listeners—usually other entrepreneurs—into customers.?
• Be a storyteller ?? - Hala’s ads always tell a story. She wants them to be entertaining and funny—yes, funny! She isn’t afraid to bring in her own personal life tales to enliven the ad read and dissuade listeners from hitting that skip button.?
• Be a broken record ?? - Often, host-read ads don’t mention the brand they’re advertising for until the very end of the ad. Don’t be that host. Figure out a way to mention the brand early and often, no matter how short the ad is.?

Listen to the full episode to hear Stew and Hala get into the nitty gritty of making great B2B ads and hear their live ratings of real-world podcast ads!

The Classifieds

A Diary Worth Reading for CAOs

We all know the pond we look across is a much larger ocean, yet UK podcasts easily make the journey. This week we’re featuring two selections that have widespread appeal in the US, while being thoroughly British. Steven Bartlett has proved to be a strong bridge between the two markets with his wildly popular podcast The Diary Of A CEO.? Each week Bartlett interviews a thought leader, expert, academic, or professional, and the conversations are unlike anything else in the audio space. Bartlett allows for stark silences and allows larger epiphanies to properly land. He never goads or leads the interviewee off course, nor tries to get soundbites for virality, and that subtle professionalism has lent to a high level of trust for his listeners. Advertisers agree, as this same earnest exceptionalism is prevalent in his reads for DR brands in an array of categories.

Just for ShxtsNGigs

No one can really get you ROTFL like your oldest friends. This is the simple yet effective premise behind ShxtsNGigs, a podcast co-hosted by longtime best friends James Duncan and Fuhad Dawodu. Often cited as the UK equivalent of The Basement Yard, the twosome have the same wholesome, sweet, ribald sense of self. They also laugh just as much, often peeling into uncontrollable giggles that will crack even the hardest of exteriors. The topics of conversation are often lighthearted and touch on relationships, internet culture, and friendship. Though firmly and unapologetically British in their humor, there has been consistent overlap with US podcast audiences, often appearing on Comedy and All genres podcast charts. Though the show is presented in simulcast, their DAI inventory is just as effective for some US-only based advertisers.

In Case You Missed It

Forget the UEFA European Championship. This is the UK News You Need

The Radio Joint Audience Research, or RAJAR , has released its RAJAR’s Audio Survey ‘MIDAS’ Spring 2024 report on UK audio. For overall listenership, live radio holds a commanding 70% of audio listening time. On-demand music comes in second with 15%, and podcasts come in third with 6% (or 13% if the 15–24 age group is excluded). 94% of the 7 hours that adult podcast listeners in the UK spend listening to them alone each week amount to 21% of their total listening time. CAOs that are advertising in the UK or have ambitions to do so will find value in this summary of the most recent UK RAJAR MIDAS report.

Wondery's Plan for History Buffs

Wondery is launching History Tellers, a new brand focused on history podcasts, live events, and publishing. It debuts with the historical fiction series Unsinkable and new seasons of American History Tellers and Legacy. History Tellers aims to provide a 360-degree experience featuring diverse voices and immersive storytelling. We love the idea of launching a sub-brand to make history content easier to find. For advertisers with history as part of their podcast mix, take note of the live events aspect—this could be a unique opportunity to engage your audience in a new way.

X Launches New Kardashian Podcast

Just when we thought we had enough Kardashians in our lives, Elon Musk’s X announces a partnership with Khloé Kardashian for a 26-episode video podcast debuting this fall, blending humor and relatability (because if the Kardashians are anything, they’re relatable, right!?). It’s part of X’s “Originals on “X” initiative.” Kardashian adds this statement; “I have a genuine curiosity about so many topics, and I try to see the positive in everything. I can’t wait to explore, listen, and learn through this exciting journey. Thank you, X, for taking this ride with me.” Call us nerds, but the most interesting part of this revelation, besides the fact that it’s on X, is calling it a video podcast. CAOs, the definition of a podcast is ever-evolving. In fact, according to MRI-Simmons data, the number of people who consider a podcast “a video recording that I watch on an app” has doubled in just two years.

#SaveTheLiveReads

Maximizing Influence with Kendall Rae

A solid attribute of a podcast host is someone who produces content as an advocate of education for their audience. This is especially true of our spotlight host Kendall Rae. Taking a quick break from her podcast True Crime with Kendall Rae, she delivers an outstanding recommendation for Zocdoc , advocating for good health among her audience. Kendall delivers compelling substantiation for the trust she’s established with the docs she found on Zocdoc.? Her earnest demeanor is comforting to listeners and exudes professionalism when it comes to the art of searching for a new doctor. Our Oxford Road team diligently and successfully matched Zocdoc with Kendall Rae in an effort to maximize the greatest possible influence and performance.

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OXFORd In The News

A Case for Sonic Branding

Why is sonic branding essential for your AV projects? Our very own VP of Creative Services, Stew Redwine was recently featured on the AV123 podcast by Voice123 to bring you up to speed. Stew and host, Carel F. Cronje dive into the in’s and outs of sonic branding and why it should be considered as part of your audio strategy. Listen to learn how Stew and his Oxford Road Creative Team have successfully launched sonically branded campaigns for brands like Tommy John , Shopify , Indeed , Blinds.com & NetSuite . If you’re a CAO toying with the idea of creating a sonic identity for your brand, this is the starting line.

Listen Here

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