Programmatic is something both iHeartRadio and Spotify already offer advertisers, however, Pandora says it brings more to the table with its 73 million monthly active listeners. A pilot program will be launched with Volkswagen. Pandora will make its audio inventory available through deals with The Trade Desk, AdsWizz’s AudioMatic and MediaMath.
For the longest time Pandora executives were claiming they were going to take radio’s revenue. The company had been hiring local salespeople for years, even bringing on some radio sellers. That sort of shifted when upper management turned over last year and cuts were made, including layoffs.
Digital audio revenue continues to grow. Through the first six months of 2017, there was $603 million in digital audio revenue, an increase of 42% over 2016, according to the IAB. $448 million of that total came from mobile.
Chief Revenue Officer John Trimble says, “The launch of our programmatic audio marketplace will give advertisers the unique opportunity to efficiently reach Pandora’s audience—the largest set of listeners in the U.S.—in a targeted way, within a brand-safe environment. With the rise of voice-activated devices, the demand for quality audio inventory is rapidly accelerating. This offering positions us for growth by meeting the needs of our current buying partners and unlocking market opportunities in the near future.”
