Pandora Media, the streaming audio company that lifts the veil on its Q4 2017 results following Wednesday’s Closing Bell on Wall Street, is ready to test its highly anticipated “premium marketplace” designed to allow advertisers to purchase Pandora audio inventory programmatically across mobile and desktop devices.
The pilot program is launching with Volkswagen. It will expand to include additional advertisers and partners in the coming months.
“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,” said Pandora Chief Revenue Officer John Trimble. “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.”
Pandora adds that the programmatic platform gives advertisers the option “to apply their own data-sets effectively bid on premium inventory” across Pandora’s audio, video and display ads through a private marketplace.
VW SVP/Marketing Jim Zabel commentes, “Cars and music both have a way of eliciting an emotional connection. At Volkswagen we’re always looking to effectively reach drivers consumers in ways that move them while maintaining scale in a brand-safe environment. By working with Pandora for its programmatic audio pilot we’ll now have the opportunity to efficiently reach a large base of listeners with the quality first-party data that our campaigns require.”
The Volkswagen campaign was facilitated by Omnicom Media Group shop PHD, Volkswagen’s media agency of record.
The campaign will use demand-side platform (DSP) The Trade Desk.
Specifically, Pandora is making its audio inventory available through deals with The Trade Desk, AdsWizz’s AudioMatic and MediaMath during the pilot, and will include additional DSPs in the future. The marketplace is powered by AdsWizz’s AudioMax audio programmatic platform.
Pandora aims to continue the growth of its suite of programmatic solutions and dynamic audio capabilities in 2018. The company also plans to allow automated and streamlined access to its premium inventory through direct sale, private marketplace and self-serve solutions, including a specialized private marketplace for broadcast radio buyers.
