iHM Adopts Unified ID 2.0 to Enhance Audio Advertising

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, December 11, 2024

iHeartMedia

In a move to enhance audio advertising capabilities, iHeartMedia has announced its adoption of Unified ID 2.0 (UID2), an open-source identity framework developed by The Trade Desk. This integration aims to provide iHeartMedia's advertising partners with improved targeting, measurement and attribution tools that prioritize privacy.

iHeart Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne highlighted the initiative's benefits, stating, "With UID2, we are enhancing the way brands connect with our listeners through more relevant, personalized, and privacy-safe methods."

The adoption of UID2 comes at a time when audio consumption is increasingly commanding a larger share of consumer media time, making scalable identity solutions more crucial. UID2 will allow advertisers to use authenticated user data to improve addressability and transparency on iHeartMedia's platforms, including its extensive podcasting network and digital streaming services via iHeartRadio.

This advancement also aims to streamline cross-platform measurement, thus enabling advertisers to gauge and optimize the impact of their investments across various formats. This move is part of iHeartMedia's broader strategy to make nearly 70 percent of all ad-enabled audio consumption-primarily broadcast listening-fully programmatic and addressable.

The Trade Desk Vice President of Inventory Development Verna De Jesus commented on the collaboration, saying, "iHeartMedia's adoption of UID2 marks a milestone in the evolution of digital advertising, offering advertisers enhanced precision and scale necessary to effectively reach their target audiences."