IAB Australia’s Audio Council has released an Audio Creative Best Practice Showcase for marketers and advertisers, partnering with insurance brand Choosi, to bring their recommendations to life. Launched last week at IAB Australia MeasureUp, the Showcase and audio examples are available online.
According to Ralph van Dijk, Founding Creative Director of Eardrum and member of the IAB Audio Council, a brand’s audio identity should be designed to be as meaningful and coherent as its visual identity and marketers need to be aware that there is no one-size-fits all approach to audio.
“Each audio platform is consumed in a different way and has its own nuances which need to be considered. Just as you wouldn’t put a long copy print ad on a billboard, you shouldn’t simply put your radio ad in a podcast, for example. The creative message needs to be tailored to suit each medium to ensure relevancy,” said van Dijk.
Simon Hovell, CMO of Greenstone Financial (and Choosi) commented: “With this suite of creative assets, we’re now able to look at the opportunity that radio and other audio platforms present with greater confidence.”
Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia, said: “If advertisers make the effort to develop creative which maximises the advantages of the different audiences and ad products on offer, they will be assured they are getting the best ROI on their audio campaigns.”
Richard Palmer, co-chair of the IAB Audio Council and Director of Market Development (APAC) at Triton Digital said, “This showcase is an excellent example of the collaborative nature of the work undertaken by the Audio Council. Our members are drawn from all sides of the audio industry from radio to podcast, CRA to tech vendors and this combined expertise has enabled us to deliver a valuable resource for marketers.”
The Audio Showcase outlines the process that brands should consider to adapt the same message for nine different audio platforms, starting with the need to establish a consistent brand voice which matches the essence of the brand and develop an audio sonic logo which incorporates music, voice or sound effects.
The platforms in the Showcase includes:
Spotify - Targeted audio ads. Because Spotify listeners are often curating the content themselves, they have higher levels of engagement. But because they have a sense of ownership to what they’re listening to, advertisers need to work harder to avoid being seen as an unwelcome interruption. This is achieved by making the message more relaxed, conversational and relevant to the playlist and the daypart.
Spotify - Active Ads. Noting that Spotify allows advertisers to accompany their audio with video and display ad formats, the Showcase recommends encouraging the audience to “click the banner” or “watch the video” in the call to action to continue the conversation.
iHeartRadio - ShakeMe. With some digital audio platforms like iHeartRadio, ShakeMe technology is available, which means when a listener shakes their mobile, an interaction such as making a call or opening a website is triggered. This allows listeners to respond to an ad immediately and simply making it ideal for direct response messages.
Podcasts - Host Read Pre-roll. Much like a live read on radio, a host-read message at the start of a podcast needs to be in-keeping with the host’s regular style and ideally made relevant to the podcast subject matter.
Sponsored Podcast. Noting that podcasts are the perfect medium for special interest subjects and niche audiences, the Showcase notes that any link to its product or service will need to be very subtle.
Radio - Commercials. Radio listening is usually habitual, with audiences tuning into the same station at the same time of day and in the same place. If you tailor your message to match the daypart it is broadcast, you will increase cut through and relevance.
Digital Home Assistants. Smart speakers are making it easier for consumers to navigate and search online using their voice, but the Showcase explains this makes it harder for brands to have the same presence they had when appearing in sponsored search results on a screen. The Showcase recommends that advertisers should consider creating useful apps and skills that are relevant to their category which will benefit their customers, such as guestimate voice app allowing customers to obtain a ballpark quote without having to enter detailed information on a website.
IVR Messaging. The Showcase notes that given callers spend between 10-20 minutes on hold each and every week, brands would be wise to use the time to reference its charitable activities or entertain them by playing its branded podcast, but should not try to sell to customers who are made to wait.
The IAB Audio Council includes members from ABC, ARN, Commercial Radio Australia, Eardrum, Macquarie Media Limited, Nova, Omni Studio, Rubicon Project, Southern Cross Austereo, Spotify, The Trade Desk, Triton Digital and Whooshkaa.
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About the Interactive Advertising Bureau
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Limited www.iabaustralia.com.au is the peak trade association for online advertising in Australia. As one of over 43 IAB offices globally and with a rapidly growing membership, the role of the IAB is to support sustainable and diverse investment in digital advertising across all platforms in Australia.
The IAB Industry Charter, which was announced in October 2018, details the organisation’s focus on helping marketers and agencies understand how digital advertising can deliver on their business objectives. Foundation elements of the IAB Industry Charter include a renewed focus on standards that promote trust, steps to reduce friction in the ad supply chain; and ultimately improve ad experiences for consumers, advertisers and publishers.
Beyond the IAB’s continued focus on content and ad measurement, the Charter outlines four additional areas of activity: digital ad effectiveness, data and data privacy; standards and guidelines; and improving the digital value chain.