Podcast Upfronts 2022
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Podcast advertising is booming. In 2021, advertisers’ investment grew by a huge 61% - so how is the market evolving to meet demand? And what new opportunities should advertisers take note of to make an impact with listeners? Hot on the heels of Gaming Upfronts, Podcast Upfronts returned IRL on Wednesday 19 October. We joined leading podcast producers - Acast, Audioboom, Fresh Air, Global and Podfront - as they debuted upcoming product launches, cutting-edge insight and plenty of top talent.
This year’s speakers included comedian Katherine Ryan, Love Island winner Amber Rose Gill, and hosts of ‘The News Agents’ Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall.
Podcast Upfronts forms part of our month-long Digital Upfronts programme and is available to stream back on demand.
Agenda so far...
Acast session
Acast was founded in 2014 and is the world’s largest independent podcast company.
A pioneer in the open podcast ecosystem, Acast’s strategy is to become the world’s largest marketplace for podcast monetization by connecting podcast creators, advertisers and paying listeners with its technology.
Acast hosts 47,000 podcasts, supplying their content directly to hundreds of listening apps, and generating and monetizing more than 400 million listens every month. If you’re listening to an Acast-connected podcast and hear an ad, it’s Acast delivering that ad behind the scenes and sharing the revenue with the podcast creator.
Podcasters come to Acast to reach and grow as large an audience as possible, and to monetize those listens to their full potential — including through paid subscriptions using Acast+. Advertisers use our advanced targeting capabilities to reach these hyper-engaged audiences in the most effective ways.
Podfront session
Podfront UK offers brands and advertisers access to +350 podcasts with 512 million global monthly listens. Backed by Wondery and Stitcher, Podfront UK is the home to premium podcasts in the UK. We enable UK and EMEA brands and agencies to reach UK and global audiences with integrated messaging at ease. Our network exclusively represents premium hit podcasts like Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations, I Weigh With Jameela Jamil, Freakonomics, On Purpose with Jay Shetty, British Scandal, 99% Invisible, My Favourite Murder, Bill Burr's Monday Morning Podcast from publishers such as Amazon Music Podcast Originals, NBC, NPR, SSPN, Off the Ball and many more!
Audioboom session
A global leader in podcasting, Audioboom’s shows have been downloaded more than 126 million times by 34 million unique listeners around the world. Our original production unit 'Audioboom Studios' has recently expanded its scope in the UK; currently producing the official Formula 1 podcasts F1: Beyond The Grid and F1 Nation, plus the recently launched Devils in the Dark - with six original shows in development. Audioboom’s ad tech and monetisation platform underpins a scalable content business that provides commercial services for a premium network of 250 top tier podcasts, with key partners including ‘Casefile True Crime’, ‘No Such Thing As A Fish’, 'Redhanded' and ‘The Cycling Podcast’.
Why build your own podcast with Fresh Air Production
The time has come to think beyond renting space in someone else’s podcast. Fresh Air will share why it’s better to grow your own kinder, better podcast channel. Hear from the cast behind Amazing Starts Here from the National Lottery, including the amazing Amber Rose-Gill on how and why you should make your own podcast
How can brands lean into news commentary podcasting?
If music be the food of love, then current affairs podcasting is the hidden chef’s special. Without realising it, brands and advertisers have been missing out on a buffet of quality podcast content.
How can current affairs podcasting – a gourmet environment for brands – grow to be as popular as entertainment and CSR-focused podcasts?
Where news is unpredictable, there is a requirement for structure. Now advertisers need a reliable recipe to navigate current affairs and reach valuable audiences. In this session, Global sets out the new rules of engagement through original research on audience behaviours in news commentary podcasting.
Join experts from Global’s Podcast team, The News Agents host Jon Sopel and producer Dino Sofos, as they discuss the nation’s appetite for current affairs and news podcasts. Using Global’s vast news and politics podcast portfolio as a test bed, this discussion will lay out a new current affairs podcasting framework, empowering brands and advertisers to grab a seat at the table.
After Party from 17.00
Speakers so far...
Amber Rose-Gill
TV personality and AuthorAmber Rose-Gill
TV personality and AuthorAmber Rose-Gill is best known for winning Love Island in 2019, after which she amassed over 2.5 million Instagram followers and became one of the show’s most famous alumni. This year, Amber released her debut romance novel ‘Until I met you’, and has not been afraid to speak out on social issues including mental health and the “Black Lives Matter” movement. In June, she presented ‘Amazing Start Here’ – a brand new podcast series for The National Lottery, exploring lottery-funded projects around the country and highlighting the everyday superheroes who walk among us.
Katherine Ryan
Presenter, Comedian and ActressKatherine Ryan
Presenter, Comedian and Actress
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Emily Maitlis
Host of The News AgentsEmily Maitlis
Host of The News Agents
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Jon Sopel
Host of The News AgentsJon Sopel
Host of The News Agents
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Lewis Goodall
Host of The News AgentsLewis Goodall
Host of The News Agents
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Danni Howard
Host of Devils in the DarkDanni Howard
Host of Devils in the DarkDanni Howard hosts the Audioboom Studios show 'Devils in the Dark' with her best friend Helen Anderson. Together, Helen & Danni explore some of the most infamous true crime cases in history. With almost 1 million listens from their first season and a #1 ranking on Apple and Spotify's true crime charts, it's one of the biggest and best new additions to the true crime genre. Danni will talk about the creation of the show, how they bring some much needed lightness to the dark subject matter and why brand safety and listener engagement go hand in hand.
Mike Wooller
Head of DAX Content Partnerships, GlobalMike Wooller
Head of DAX Content Partnerships, Global
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Sarah Ray
Head of Podcast Sales, GlobalSarah Ray
Head of Podcast Sales, Global
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Charlotte Mitchell
Account Manager, PodfrontCharlotte Mitchell
Account Manager, PodfrontCharlotte begun her media career as a Media Executive at Global Media and Entertainment which is where her love for audio began. Charlotte was responsible for planning the audio strategies across brands such as ASDA, British Gas, Shop Direct, Lionsgate Films, GOV and Amazon across airtime, DAX and Sponsorship and Promotions. Charlotte joined Podfront UK in 2021 and now manages many key accounts and direct response advertisers such as Beer52, Brilliant.org, Amazon Publishing, The Economist and Betterhelp and Athletic Greens.
Oli Walters
Head of UK Sales, PodfrontOli Walters
Head of UK Sales, PodfrontOli has 20 years in advertising working at leading radio groups including Global Radio, Bauer Media and Absolute Radio in London. After a successful career in radio, Oli decided to focus on emerging platforms such as music streaming start up Blinkbox Music, which paved the way for him into Podcasting. Oli successfully led the sales team at Audioboom before stepping in as Head of Sales at Podfront UK which is a joint venture between Wondery and SXM Media. Podfront has quickly become one of the fastest growing podcast advertising networks in the UK representing inventory from Amazon Music, Wondery, Art19, All Things Comedy, NPR and NBC.
Neil Cowling
Founder, Fresh AirNeil Cowling
Founder, Fresh Air
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Michaela Hallam
Director of Content, Fresh AirMichaela Hallam
Director of Content, Fresh Air
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Richard Blake
Director of Marketing and Growth, Fresh AirRichard Blake
Director of Marketing and Growth, Fresh Air
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Raj Pander
Senior Producer, Amazing Starts HereRaj Pander
Senior Producer, Amazing Starts Here
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Dino Sofos
Executive Producer, The News AgentsDino Sofos
Executive Producer, The News Agents
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Alex Jueno
Producer, AudioboomAlex Jueno
Producer, Audioboom
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Chris Browning-Brant
Lead Postcast Editor, Formula OneChris Browning-Brant
Lead Postcast Editor, Formula One
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Mike Newman
VP, AudioboomMike Newman
VP, Audioboom
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Marvin Abbey
Host of 3 Shots of Tequila PodcastMarvin Abbey
Host of 3 Shots of Tequila PodcastLorna Byrne
Group Business Director, AcastLorna Byrne
Group Business Director, Acast
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Lizzy Pollott
SVP, Marcomms & Brand, AcastLizzy Pollott
SVP, Marcomms & Brand, Acast
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Miles Phillip
Key Account Manager, AcastMiles Phillip
Key Account Manager, Acast
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Jay London
Capital DJJay London
Capital DJ
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James Chandler
Host & Chief Marketing Officer, IAB UKJames Chandler
Host & Chief Marketing Officer, IAB UK
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Rich Knight
UK Head of Podcast Content for Wondery / AmazonRich Knight
UK Head of Podcast Content for Wondery / AmazonRich Knight is UK head of podcast content for Wondery/Amazon Music. He was previously BBC Radio 4’s factual commissioning editor, editor of the BBC’s current affairs audio department and a producer and executive producer of documentaries, news programmes and podcasts including Tunnel 29, Fatwa, The Inquiry and many others. He started his career on Today, working in the studio and with reporters on news stories all over the world.
Zeze Millz
TV Presenter and Host of The Zeze Millz show and +44 Podcast'Zeze Millz
TV Presenter and Host of The Zeze Millz show and +44 Podcast'The award-winning and MOBO-nominated Zeze Millz has become the 'go to' name for interviewing your favourite personalities in the world of entertainment. The two-time UK Entertainment Awards' winner has carved out a niche - and social commentary platform - that showcases her fearless ability to cut through the noise with her self-titled YouTube talk show, The Zeze Millz Show - guest interviews have included Ed Sheeran, Wiley, Big Narstie and DJ Cuppy.
Podcast Upfronts partners
Acast was founded in 2014 and is the world’s largest independent podcast company. A pioneer in the open podcast ecosystem, Acast’s strategy is to become the world’s largest marketplace for podcast monetization by connecting podcast creators, advertisers and paying listeners with its technology. Acast hosts 47,000 podcasts, supplying their content directly to hundreds of listening apps, and generating and monetizing more than 400 million listens every month. If you’re listening to an Acast-connected podcast and hear an ad, it’s Acast delivering that ad behind the scenes and sharing the revenue with the podcast creator. Podcasters come to Acast to reach and grow as large an audience as possible, and to monetize those listens to their full potential — including through paid subscriptions using Acast+. Advertisers use our advanced targeting capabilities to reach these hyper-engaged audiences in the most effective ways. "
A global leader in podcasting, Audioboom’s shows have been downloaded more than 126 million times by 34 million unique listeners around the world. Our original production unit 'Audioboom Studios' has recently expanded its scope in the UK; currently producing the official Formula 1 podcasts F1: Beyond The Grid and F1 Nation, plus the recently launched Devils in the Dark - with six original shows in development. Audioboom’s ad-tech and monetisation platform underpins a scalable content business that provides commercial services for a premium network of 250 top tier podcasts, with key partners including ‘Casefile True Crime’, ‘No Such Thing As A Fish’, 'Redhanded' and ‘The Cycling Podcast’.
Fresh Air grew out of years making shows for national radio, with a mission to bring broadcast-quality production values into podcasting. We help brands to create podcasts which people genuinely want to listen to, harnessing the power of audio to achieve measurable success with this exciting medium.
Global’s long-standing audio heritage paves the way to bring the most exciting and engaging podcasts to mainstream audiences. We multiply ideas with infinite media possibilities on-air, on Global Player and outdoor. Through these platforms combined, we entertain and reach 51.7 million individuals across the UK every week.
Podfront UK offers brands and advertisers access to +350 podcasts with 512 million global monthly listens. Backed by Wondery and Stitcher, Podfront UK is the home to premium podcasts in the UK. We enable UK and EMEA brands and agencies to reach UK and global audiences with integrated messaging at ease. Our network exclusively represents premium hit podcasts like Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations, I Weigh With Jameela Jamil, Freakonomics, On Purpose with Jay Shetty, British Scandal, 99% Invisible, My Favourite Murder, Bill Burr's Monday Morning Podcast from publishers such as Amazon Music Podcast Originals, NBC, NPR, SSPN, Off the Ball and many more!
What to expect...
Catch up on the highlights from 2021's Digital Upfronts with our short film.
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