With the holiday shopping season getting underway, Magellan AI is showing which retailers are tapping into audio to get the most out of their year-end performance. The latest analysis of podcast advertising data for September reveals Amazon and BetterHelp as the top podcast advertisers by spend.
The rankings and insights were derived from a comprehensive analysis of data from the top 3,000 podcasts in the US. The company’s proprietary model accounts for various factors, including the number of ads, episode downloads, and CPM rates.
Amazon took the top spot, spending $7,097,800 on podcast ads, primarily focusing on sports-related content. BetterHelp followed closely with $7,023,900, also showing increased investment in comedy podcasts. Other major advertisers included T-Mobile ($5,564,400), Shopify ($5,083,900), and MGM Resorts International ($4,969,500), with most of these brands favoring sports podcasts.
The report indicates that brands across various sectors are seeing the value of podcast advertising, with several companies continuing to increase their ad budgets. Notably, advertisers like Toyota, State Farm, and The Walt Disney Company also made the top 10, each investing significantly in sports-focused shows.
Of the “Top Movers & Shakers,” Bose was the most striking example, increasing its spend by 157,950% to $632,200. Other brands like Workday (9121% increase) and 23andMe (363,900% increase) also demonstrated substantial growth. Canva surged by 11,986% from the prior month, indicating a strong interest in leveraging podcasts for brand awareness.
Betterment and Uber increased their spending by over 300%, showing confidence in the podcast medium’s ability to reach targeted audiences effectively.
The full rankings are available here.
