To break the ice, I asked a simple question: Who here has listened to audio today? Almost every hand went up, followed by a ripple of knowing laughter.

It was a small moment that captured the bigger story. Audio has moved far beyond background noise. It is woven into daily life, the soundtrack for commutes, workouts, and quiet moments at home. Listeners are already all in. The challenge now is ensuring advertising investment reflects that reality.

Digital Audio Growth Outpaces Ad Spend

In my opening remarks, I shared a snapshot of where the UK audio market stands today. Listener habits are surging, but advertising spend has not kept pace.

• 70% of UK listeners (especially younger audiences) now consume digital audio daily on connected devices.
• Smart speakers are spreading, podcast listening continues to grow, and in-car integrations are making audio more seamless than ever.
• Budgets are still catching up. Although audio accounts for just 5% of total ad spend, according to the Q1 2025 Edison Share of Ear, and digital audio only 1.8%, according to a 2025 eMarketer forecast, the growth potential is enormous. Listener growth is outpacing investment, creating new opportunities for brands.

Panel: Programmatic Audio – The Rise, the Reality, and What’s Next

Our first panel, moderated by Rowan Hamill, Director of Business Development at AdsWizz, explored the shift toward programmatic buying. The panel tackled how automation is reshaping audio and what it really means for agencies, advertisers, and listeners.

Participants:

• Martyn Searles, AV Business Director, Hearts & Science
• Dave Ajumobi, Programmatic Lead, Two Circles
• Nadia Holmes, Head of Business Development, audioXI
• Libby Watling, Senior Account Director, Walk-in Media

The panel left no doubt: programmatic is the future. Agencies are embracing it for its scalability, efficiency, and simplified workflows. Even the skeptics agreed that media buying is moving in one direction.

Programmatic advertising adds flexibility, simplifies reporting, and enables campaigns to run across multiple formats in a single plan. Agencies have been clear in their demand for standardized measurement and streamlined workflows that make buying audio as seamless as display or video.

Fireside Chat: Podcast Targeting Buyers Can Trust

This session focused on podcasting, highlighting how the medium sits at the intersection of culture and commerce and why advertisers must approach it with authenticity.

Participants:

• Thema Archer, Senior Account Executive, EU Marketplace Partnerships at AdsWizz
• Renay Richardson, Founder & CEO, Broccoli Productions

Thema and Renay emphasized the power of independent podcasts to reach tightly knit communities built on trust. These shows give brands access to audiences mainstream channels cannot touch. Authenticity is essential: host-read ads resonate because they carry the creator’s credibility, and when brands integrate naturally into content, conversions follow.

While the UK still trails the US in monetization, programmatic buying is helping close the gap. Podcasts are more than a media channel. They are cultural launchpads, and AdsWizz is helping advertisers scale their investment with confidence.

Panel: Finding Your Brand’s Voice – Reaching Niche Audiences Through Digital Audio Targeting

Next, we turned to targeting. Moderated by Lindsay Lynch, Senior Director of Business Development at AdsWizz, this panel explored how digital audio enables brands to speak to the right audiences in smarter, more efficient ways.

Participants:

• Rachel Holsgrove, Director of Digital Operations, Octave
• Dave Ayre, Managing Partner, Programmatic, Dentsu
• Katriona Connely, Global Media Lead, Publicis Media
• Mike Murray, Head of Programmatic, OMD EMEA

Traditional radio still misses large swathes of listeners. Programmatic fills those gaps with richer data such as device type, IP, and commuting behavior.

Panelists noted that podcast content moves fast, which makes brand safety and suitability top of mind for advertisers. That’s why AdsWizz has built solutions designed to provide the transparency, control, and confidence brands need to invest in audio at scale. This topic gets explored further in the final session, which examines how advertisers can balance brand safety, scale, and authenticity.

Panel: The New Rules of Podcasting

The final session of the day asked what has changed in podcasting and how advertisers should adapt as the medium continues to evolve. Moderated by Guy Taylor, Director of Business Development at AdsWizz, this conversation focused on balancing brand safety, scale, and authenticity.

Participants:

• Tyler Clarke-Richards, Programmatic Account Manager, MG OMD
• Kate Cooper, Activation Director (AV), the7stars
• Pia de Giorgis, Associate Director, Connected Performance, OMD
• Dimana Zaharieva, Programmatic AdTech Solutions Manager, Acast

The panelists stressed the tension between brand safety and creativity. Content evolves fast, so strict controls rarely keep up, while over-targeting can fragment campaigns and stunt reach. The message was clear that podcasts thrive on authenticity. Overly complex classification risks stripping away what makes them effective. Buyers should favor simplicity, accept some unpredictability, and keep scale intact without choking creativity.

Closing the Gap

At AudioDays London 2025, the conversations showed where AdsWizz can make the biggest impact. Listeners are already deeply invested in audio, and advertisers have a clear opportunity to match that engagement. With trusted technologies and strategies, AdsWizz is enabling global brands to turn audience demand into measurable results.

Here are the priorities that emerged:

• Prioritize education by simplifying messaging around programmatic audio, targeting, and measurement so agencies understand the value clearly.
• Lean into curation and step into the driver’s seat. Buyers can now gain the transparency, control, and trust they already leverage in display and video.
• Leverage AI thoughtfully by showing how it creates efficiencies in targeting, identity resolution, and creative personalization while maintaining authenticity.
• Lead in measurement by advocating for standardized, cross-channel metrics that are both credible and easy to compare.
• Adopt a format-agnostic mindset. Audio podcasting remains the foundation, but video and multimedia can amplify reach, depth, and engagement.

These are not distant goals. Programmatic, smarter targeting, AI-driven efficiencies, and podcast monetization are tools AdsWizz is already delivering to help advertisers connect with audiences where they are today.

• Check out the full presentation here.
• Ready to amplify your audio investment? Connect with an AdsWizz audio expert.
• Look out for Audio Days Paris 2025 for more insights and conversations on the future of digital audio!

by Ollie Chadwick, Regional Director, UK & Ireland

The post Audio Days London 2025: Closing the Gap Between Audio and Investment appeared first on AdsWizz.

“Our collective insight on the show floor was further reinforced by interacting with industry peers and thought leaders, highlighted the essential role connectivity plays within the audio community. The conference profoundly acknowledged our current market realities, clearly demonstrating that digital audio is leading the industry toward increasingly innovative and integrated strategies.”

 

-Paul Brown, Vice President, European Business & Operations at AdsWizz

 

Keynote – How Digital Audio Stacks Up Against the Rest

AdsWizz’s Rowan Hamill, Director of Business Development, UK and Ireland, and Lindsay Lynch, Director of Business Development, International, presented industry findings illustrating the effectiveness of digital audio advertising through its convenience, accessibility, measurable effects on audiences, and expanding influence over traditional media.

Check Out the Presentation Slides

Comprehensive Integration and Consumer Trends in Digital Audio

Digital audio is deeply incorporated into daily life in the UK, complementing other media forms with its adaptability and relevance. More than 35 million people now listen to digital audio weekly—a 40% increase since 2019—with an average daily listening time of 2.3 hours. Audio integrates into various activities, such as morning news streams and evening podcast sessions. The pandemic in 2020 accelerated shifts in consumer behavior, particularly among younger audiences, who have shifted 31% of their media time to digital audio from traditional visual media.

Challenges, Prospects, and Synergies with Other Media

Digital audio enhances the media consumption experience by providing continuous adaptability that meets audiences wherever they are, engages users throughout the day, and serves as a versatile complement to other media. Technological advancements like AudioPixel improve ad conversion tracking across devices, enhancing audience targeting and engagement measurement without relying on cookies.

Strategic Implications for Digital Audio in Marketing

Marketers need to capitalize on the growing influence of digital audio by incorporating it more extensively into their media strategies. Notable technologies such as speech-to-text for podcast contextual targeting can optimize engagement with specific audiences, thereby streamlining marketing efforts.

Panel – AI, Programmatic and Tech Innovation

Our very own Ollie Chadwick, Regional Director for the UK & Ireland, participated in a panel discussion about the expanding influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in audio, which highlighted innovations that are redefining ad creation and performance tracking beyond traditional cookies while enhancing innovation, efficiency, and personalization. 

Participants

• Ollie Chadwick – AdsWizz
• Mary Ann Halford – Halford Media Advisory
• Matt Deegan – Folder Media
• Tom Sherwood – YouTube
• Emma Raz – NumberEight

Digital Audio and AI Integration

The conversation first summarized the integration of AI in the digital audio sector, focusing on solutions that simplify and enhance advertising processes. AI can be used to create tailored audio content based on demographic data, making advertising more targeted and effective.

Programmatic Audio

The panel then discussed the rise of programmatic audio and its efficiency in streamlining advertising campaigns. This method leverages automation to enhance targeting and reporting, thereby optimizing advertising expenditures and reach.

Multilingual and Inclusive Content

Touching on the importance of creating content that caters to diverse linguistic and cultural demographics, AI helps lower the barrier to entry for producing diverse and inclusive content, which can expand market reach and connect with broader audiences.

Future Trends and Innovation in Audio Advertising

Noteworthy future trends in audio advertising include more sophisticated contextual targeting, brand safety, and direct interactions with publishers. Driven by technological advancements, the advertising landscape in digital audio will continue to evolve rapidly.

The Future of Audio is Now

At The Future of Audio and Entertainment 2024, AdsWizz had a unique opportunity to elevate digital audio’s potential as a powerful advertising medium through our branding and content spotlighting market dynamics and AI innovations.

Interacting with industry peers and thought leaders further reinforced the essential role connectivity plays within the audio community. The conference profoundly acknowledged our current market realities, demonstrating that digital audio is leading the industry toward increasingly innovative and integrated strategies.

 

– Thema Archer, Senior Account Executive, EU Marketplace Partnerships at AdsWizz

Did you miss us at the event? Contact us today to learn more about our offerings or to schedule a meeting with our team. 

by Daniel Einhorn, Senior Manager, Content Marketing

The post The Future of Audio and Entertainment 2024 Recap appeared first on AdsWizz.

Advancing Brand Safety in Podcast Advertising

From March 26th – 29th, AdsWizz took on a key sponsorship role at Podcast Movement Evolutions 2024. Podcast Movement Evolutions is the leading conference brand for podcasters and industry experts, aimed at fostering growth in individual shows, the podcasting community, and the industry. 

Our private meeting space served as a hub for insightful discussions, highlighting our commitment to elevating podcast advertising through our cutting-edge technology solutions.

AdsWizz Technology Spotlighted at Podcast Movement Evolutions

Targeted Podcast Advertising Solutions

Our targeted podcast advertising solutions offer a wide range of premium and niche podcasts through partnerships with top publishers, enabling broad reach and precise targeting for advertisers with features like automated host-read ads and second-screen retargeting. For example, AdsWizz’s Predictive Audiences, a cookie-free targeting capability, utilizes podcast content consumption to identify over 300 audience personas, ensuring ads connect with the intended audience.

Brand Safety Solutions

AdsWizz enhances brand safety by providing advertisers control over ad placements to match suitable content and audiences. This technology ensures ads align with audience interests and brand values using advanced tools to analyze podcast content for relevant keywords, topics, and sentiments. The platform integrates Comscore data for precision and has partnered with HUMAN Security for Invalid Traffic Filtering (IVT), preventing ad fraud by ensuring ads reach real people, protecting investment, and optimizing ROI.

“At Podcast Movement Evolutions, building buyers trust and balancing brand suitability were top of mind for presenters and attendees. Podcasters understand that these are no longer nice to haves, but rather table stakes for a show or network to grow and succeed in today’s modern podcast ecosystem.”

-Justine Benjamin, Head of Global Marketing

The Power of Context: Brand Safety, Measurement, and Verification in Podcasting

Our very own Maria Breza joined industry leaders for a panel to discuss how the industry can bring more transparency to podcasting with brand safety and suitability verification solutions and, with them, help bring the audio ad marketplace into parity with video and display.

Panelists included:

• Bryan Barletta – Partner at Sounds Profitable (Moderator)
• Caleb Mansfield – VP, Partner Success at ArtsAI
• Tamara Zubatiy – Co-Founder and CEO at Barometer
• Maria Breza – VP of Ad Quality Measurement & Audience Data Operations at AdsWizz and SiriusXM Media

Top Takeaways from the Panel

Opportunity Gap in Podcast Advertising

Although podcasting accounts for 31% of media consumption, it attracts less than 9% of advertising dollars, revealing a vast area for expansion. Our industry should frame this discrepancy not as a grievance but as a pivotal opportunity for strategic investment.

From Show Sponsorships to Sophisticated Audience Targeting

The podcast advertising industry faces scalability and brand safety challenges. Large brands are moving towards audience-based buying rather than specific show sponsorships, necessitating content verification for safety. This shift toward advanced audience targeting leverages cutting-edge content analysis tools and integrates CRM tools for precise targeting, moving beyond traditional sponsorships toward scalable and efficient advertising strategies.

Nuances of Brand Safety and Brand Suitability

The panelists differentiated between brand safety (content unsuitable for any advertiser) and brand suitability (content that may or may not align with specific advertiser preferences), underscoring the importance of tools and standards that allow for nuanced content alignment and advertiser-specific targeting.

Real-Time Verification and Campaign Adjustment

The discussion highlighted the critical role of real-time data in making campaign adjustments, underscoring that instant feedback mechanisms allow advertisers to refine their strategies according to performance metrics and content suitability, fostering a more dynamic and effective approach to podcast advertising.

Maria Breza on the Evolving Issue of Brand Safety and Content Suitability

“Part of the pleasure of podcasting is feeling like you’re having a conversation with a friend instead of consuming mass-produced content. It is a powerful environment for an advertiser to meet the consumer with their message. But if the advertiser insists on having perfectly clean content with no profanity of any kind, they’re really cutting off a whole bunch of reach. So my question to them would be: have you truly thought about the podcast medium, and is that what you want to be doing? It comes up a lot as well with true crime and violence. So many brands often say no violence, no guns, no arms, no ammunition…and then they don’t run on any true crime, and that may not have been their intent..”

Looking Ahead

Podcast Movement Evolutions 2024 was an exceptional opportunity that allowed us to deepen our connections within the podcasting community and further empower brands to succeed in their podcast advertising endeavors.

Did you miss us at Podcast Movement Evolutions? Contact us today to learn more about our offerings or to schedule a meeting with our team. 

by Daniel Einhorn, Senior Manager, Content Marketing

The post Podcast Movement Evolutions 2024 Recap appeared first on AdsWizz.