The Push & Pull of Audio: Voice, Music, and the Magic of Sound

Much of the conversation focused on the currently pervasive topic of podcasting and its power to connect us Ironically where technology was meant to bring us closer according to panelist Gayle Troberman chief marketing officer of iHeart Radio quotit has actually created a situation where humans are starving of personal connection in a world of selffocused tweets and anonymous rantsquot People are craving oneonone connections and audio is the beneficiary Listeners enjoy the connections they make listening to podcast hosts discuss their passion topics as well as to music artists and the rabid fan community that energizes the ecosystemTroberman noted that the quotbiggest shows amp8212 such as Ryan Seacrest Breakfast Club Big Boy and Elvis Duran amp8212 on iHeart actually play only three songs per hourquot which differs greatly from the commonly held perception that audio is mostly musicPanelists explored several other important themes during the discussion identifying the most notable opportunities and challenges ahead for the world of audioEmotional ConnectionThe intimacy of listening to a podcast augments the emotional connection between the listener the host and the story Certainly this had led to a surge in the growth of podcast listening in the US with more than half of the 12 population having ever listened to a podcast and 62 million Americans listening each weekImportantly for advertisers this audience is receptive to ads with 78 percent of podcast listeners stating that they don39t mind ads or sponsorship messages Most listeners recognize ads as necessary to support the free content according to WARC In fact the Acast Audio Intelligence Report in 2018 showed that podcast ads perform well in terms of engagement and responsiveness So podcasts have proven to be an effective vehicle for reaching more elusive customer segments Panelist Bryan Moffett chief operating officer of NPR noted that quotthe top advertisers are not direct response companies as you would expect but actually Fortune 100 brands that see audio as an important branding vehiclequotAudio companies such as iHeart Radio are able to manage rich ad creative ensuring customization by feel tonality and voice to ensure an organic and seamless integration into its podcast content In iHeart Radio case 58 percent of ads are reportedly integrated into its contentGiven the proliferation of different podcast genres amp8212 from crime mystery news and science to comedy family and tech amp8212 consumers have a smorgasbord of choice depending on their interests mood and listening objective being entertained educated or informed So advertisers have more opportunity than ever to connect with consumers based on their passionsVersatility of Audio in a Multitasking WorldMany consumers get screen weary This is another driver for the boost in audio listening across devices such as IoT devices smartphones smart speakers and importantly automobiles iHeartMedia made several announcements at CES including the BMW ConnectedDrive and General Motors integration which provide an enhanced audio experience that allows listeners to safely and easily tune in to iHeartRadio39s artist radio live radio playlists and podcasts Additionally iHeartRadio will be releasing a new standalone version of its app including the abovelisted features which will enable Android Automotive OS integration for vehicles powered by Android with the Google Play store builtinTroberman highlighted that across these platforms quotconsumers want audio in the car that is easy to access search and enjoy and voice search technology continues to improve as we accelerate commerce create better consumer experiences and use data for more precise targetingquotThese apps and integrations allow for a personalized listening Pravir Gupta senior director of engineering at Google talked about the type of personalized experiences listeners are seeking where content is ondemand relevant searchable and allows user multitasking versatility amp8212 from listening in the car during the morning commute to listening on an app during an evening exercise routineBut he emphasized that both the quotinput and outputside of audioquot are continually evolving This is especially true he said with the role speech recognition technology is playing as an input variable where quotadvances today enable voice recognition capabilities as good as humansquotImmersive Experiences ampamp Consumer ChoiceThat level of voice recognition is allowing more and more consumers and brands to use audio as a tool for unique experiences as evidenced by several promotions leveraging skills on the Alexa platform HBO39s Westworld for example worked with Dentsu Aegis Network39s 360i and conversation design studio Xandra to develop the Alexa immersive gaming experience quotWestworld The Mazequot The game uses Alexa to lead users through an immersive interactive story that allows players to traverse their own personalized questDespite these innovations there is still quotconsiderable friction in the marketplace caused by a mismatch between what listeners want and the type of content currently available at scale and conveniencequot said NPR39s Moffett He shared that NPR is addressing this by focusing on shortform searchable content that incorporates choice across device genre host and story He believes that it is important to quotreinvent radio from the inside outquot reminding attendees that it39s an exciting time for the audio businessThe Sound of the FutureAs we look ahead the name of the game will be content as more entertainment companies across not just audio but also film publishing and video enter the media and entertainment arms race to create the next blockbuster story franchise Intellectual property will be the most important bargaining chip amp8212 far more important strategically than ad revenue and even shortterm subscription revenue It will be about maximizing the story value chain across customers devices format global markets release windows and technologyBoth the push and pull of audio are going to be critical pull captured by consumers requesting what they want through sophisticated audio content indexing and new discovery technologies and push with smart algorithms and AI predicting and recommending content that is contextually relevant and personally meaningful to the listener at the right time and in the right placeIt is evident that the audio ecosystem is going to reward the players with the boldest creative aspirations the audacity to believe they can satisfy the voracious appetite of consumers and the relentless focus to dominate an exciting new marketplace for attentionTo read more about audio and voice at CES check out our additional coverage hereClick the social buttons to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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The Push & Pull of Audio: Voice, Music, and the Magic of Sound

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Raquelle Zuzarte

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