Octave takes centre stage the IAB Podcast Upfronts
Tuesday 31 October 2023
Back for a fifth consecutive year, the Podcast Upfronts really brought it home and we were thrilled to be part of the event at The Steel Yard for an exploration into the magic of podcasting.
In our sessions we uncovered some big announcements, with Octave now being the exclusive UK partner for US and Australian podcast giants: SiriusXM, Stitcher, Pandora, NBC and Nova, bringing in 500 new shows to our network.
Our Podcast Lead Matt Rouse kicked it off sharing the news that Octave can offer host read sponsorships and branded content solutions across our most popular shows – like Pod Save The UK.
Nadia Holmes, our Head of Business development went on to set the stage, recognising the potential podcasting holds for advertisers. “50% of podcast listeners trust advertising more if it’s been endorsed by the host”.
The Octave team delve into some of our top shows such as “i Weigh” with Jameela Jamil. Her show started life as a Twitter thread and quickly became a safe space for conversations around social justice and mental health. However, we went straight to the source to share what the show is all about.
Moving into our panel session with Podcasters Coco Khan, Host, of Pod Save the UK, Chris Hewitt, Host of The Empire Film Pod and Octave’s Podcast Lead Matthew Rouse, explored ‘The Age of the Podfluencer’. These are different from your standard influencers who dominate your TikTok or Gram feeds.
Matt Rouse shared that “This kind of influencer has direct access to your eardrums and the unique ability to connect with you on a deeper level”. Supporting this he went on to say “Research has shown that nearly two thirds of audiences pay full attention to podcasts”
Coming from the world of print media, Coco Khan, prioritised speaking with authority. But the media landscape has shifted, and the traditional forms of news don’t hold the same appeal for younger generations, who’ve grown up with social media, influencers and podfluencers. “We’re in an age of authenticity”, she said. Increasingly, audiences want their news presented in an accessible way, with a human face and where appropriate, with a touch of humour. Successful podfluencers fully embrace this.
Similar to Coco, Chris shared the difference in his approach since moving from print to podcasting saying that “on the printed page you try to inject some personality but when you are on a podcast it absolutely allows your personality to blossom and so you are talking right in to someone’s ear”.
The Panel finished off discussing the opportunities around live audiences, Chris went on to say “you can really feel the love and the warmth from the listeners” with Coco sharing this is something “that is on the menu for Pod Save the UK”
and don’t forget Octave is the only place where brands and advertisers can access the UK listeners of shows like I Weigh and Pod Save The UK, get in touch with our podcast team to activate your campaigns in shows hosted by world-class podcasting talent.
Want to watch the session in full? Check out the video below: