iHM Launches Podcast Brand Safety Tool from Sounder

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, February 27, 2023 | 12:26pm CT

iHeartMedia

iHeartMedia has launched new brand safety technology for podcast advertising powered by Sounder. iHM is the first to go live with Sounder's AI and Machine Learning (ML) technology, giving brands episode-specific safety assurance, a level of precision previously unavailable in podcast inventory, at scale. Sounder is the first to help advertisers deem if a podcast episode is brand safe before an ad runs, enabling advertisers to plan and execute campaigns with confidence.

"Audio had been without a truly operative brand safety tool that gave advertisers the ability to run without risk at a national scale. The process was labor intensive, fragmented, and often failed to deliver the level of protection brands truly needed," said iHeartMedia Chief Data Officer Brian Kaminsky. "We looked at every potential solution in the industry, and Sounder's technology is far ahead when it comes to brand safety and suitability. This new tool changes the future and opens up endless possibilities. Brands are now able to opt out of content they deem unsafe and inappropriate. Our partnership with Sounder has set a new benchmark for transparency in audio advertising that has been long overdue."

"At a time when brand-trust is eroding overall, marketers are excited about the power of podcast advertising to deliver authenticity, impact, and rebuild trust," added iHeartMedia Chief Marketing Officer Gayle Troberman. "With iHeartMedia's new brand safety capabilities, marketers can leverage the full power of human connection and contextual relevance that podcasts provide, without the fear and risk of unsafe inventory."

"Coming out of CES, marketer demand for podcast marketing is at an all-time high," added Troberman. "But they're not willing to accept unnecessary risk to do so. This tool solves this challenge by providing objective, third-party brand safety verification and unlocking access to more content that moves the needle for marketers."

With the tool, iHeartMedia can perform brand suitability analysis, topic analysis, content summarization and dynamic segmentation, ahead of an ad flight. Working in conjunction with iHeartMedia's podcast hosting platform Omny Studio, which is part of Triton Digital's audio technology suite, and powered by the Triton Advertising Platform (Tap), the technology interprets context and assesses risk for brands, from the biggest and most diverse shows in the network, to the rapidly growing number of up-and-coming creators.

"Sounder's brand safety and suitability solutions are here to usher in the next stage of growth for podcasting and audio advertising. Our technology provides the transparency needed for confident decision-making and transacting across publishers, agencies, and ad tech partners," said Sounder CEO and Co-Founder Kal Amin. "As a key partner and strategic investor in Sounder, iHeartMedia has recognized the need for new brand safety tools and standards across audio."