Podcast Ad Spending Hits 11-Year High Among Brands

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, June 30, 2025 | 2:29pm CT

Cumulus Media and Westwood One

Marketer and agency interest in podcast advertising has surged to its highest level in more than a decade, according to the latest annual study from Advertiser Perceptions commissioned by Cumulus Media | Westwood One's Audio Active Group.

Conducted in June 2025 among 302 marketers and media buyers, the study reveals a dramatic rise in podcast ad engagement and intent. Currently, 78% of agencies and advertisers are actively running podcast campaigns -- up from just 10% in 2015, when the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) launched its first Podcast Upfront.

Podcast ad consideration is also at an all-time high, with 74% of respondents saying they are likely to invest in podcast advertising, and 69% confirming they plan to do so within the next six months. That's a sevenfold increase from 2015, when only 10% reported similar intentions.

"Podcast advertising has gone from experimental to essential," said Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer at Cumulus Media. "But despite the growth in participation, investment levels remain low relative to the opportunity."

Indeed, the study warns that while more brands are active in podcasting, many are still under-spending. A recent Q1 2025 report by Magellan AI shows that even among top 500-ranked shows, average brand spend was only $300,000 per month. Meanwhile, the 1,024 new podcast advertisers that quarter averaged just $42,100 -- enough for only about 2.1 million impressions, far below the 5 million needed to conduct effective brand impact studies.

The report cites legendary BBDO media executive Arnie Semsky's "5% solution" as a guidepost for growth. Semsky once advised brands to allocate at least 5% of their digital media budgets to emerging platforms -- in his era, cable; today, podcasting.

"Brands may be dipping their toes into the podcast waters," the blog notes, "but it's time they dive in with real commitment."

Read the entire blog post here.