IAS Announces AI-Driven Brand Safety and Suitability Solutions for Podcast Advertising on Spotify Audience Network
Rhea-AI Summary
Integral Ad Science (IAS) has partnered with Spotify to launch AI-driven Brand Safety and Suitability Features for podcast advertising on the Spotify Audience Network in the U.S. The solution provides podcast episode-level accuracy through AI technology that can classify audio content in 90+ languages. Key features include tailored brand safety targeting, pre-bid classification, and campaign-level reporting.
The partnership comes as U.S. podcast advertising revenue is projected to exceed $3 billion by 2027. The solution enables advertisers to set risk tolerance preferences, ensuring ads appear alongside content aligned with brand values. IAS's technology combines speech-to-text signals for content classification, offering advertisers greater control and transparency in podcast advertising.
Positive
- Partnership addresses growing podcast advertising market projected to reach $3B+ by 2027
- AI-driven technology enables content classification in 90+ languages
- Provides advertisers with episode-level accuracy and control over brand safety
- Expands IAS's product suite with new revenue opportunities
Negative
- None.
Insights
IAS's podcast brand safety solution with Spotify addresses a critical market gap, potentially accelerating advertiser adoption in the rapidly growing audio space.
This partnership represents strategic positioning by IAS in the podcast advertising ecosystem—a segment projected to reach
The technical achievement here shouldn't be understated. Audio content moderation presents unique challenges compared to text or image verification due to conversational nuance and contextual variability. IAS's AI-driven approach combining speech-to-text analysis across 90+ languages with episode-level classification brings podcast advertising closer to the verification standards available in more mature digital channels.
Four key elements make this development significant:
- Episode-level granularity: Provides precision previously unavailable in podcast targeting
- Pre-bid classification: Enables proactive rather than reactive brand safety measures
- Customizable risk tolerance: The four-tier system accommodates varying brand sensitivity levels
- Cross-platform functionality: Works across all apps where Spotify Audience Network podcasts are played, not just within Spotify
This solution directly addresses why some brands have limited podcast investment despite growing audiences. By bringing standardized verification metrics to audio—similar to what exists for display and video—IAS is helping remove a significant barrier to broader advertiser adoption while extending their verification capabilities across another major media channel.
Partnership Brings Enhanced Targeting And Measurement for Spotify Advertising
"This partnership between IAS and Spotify represents a pivotal step forward in providing podcast advertisers with the control and confidence that their messages will resonate with intended audiences," said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS. "Brands connect with consumers across diverse formats, and IAS is committed to driving omnichannel media quality. IAS's industry-first solution with Spotify demonstrates our dedication to ensuring advertisers can safeguard and scale their brands across all media."
Powered by best-in-class AI-driven technology, IAS classifies each podcast episode for actionable brand safety and suitability control at scale. These solutions arrive at a time when
As part of this launch, new features and functionalities will be available for advertisers across the Spotify Audience Network, including:
- Podcast Episode Level Accuracy: IAS's AI-driven Multimedia Technology combines speech-to-text signals to classify audio content in 90+ languages at scale in the
U.S. , and provides classification at the podcast episode level for brand safety measurement. - Tailored Brand Safety and Suitability Targeting: Advertisers can set their preferred risk tolerance within the Spotify Audience Network, ensuring their ads appear alongside content that aligns with their brand values, as scored by IAS.
- Pre-Bid Classification: IAS validates dynamically inserted podcast ad placements with daily, campaign-level reporting to ensure impressions appear next to brand suitable podcast content. Classification happens pre-bid and is aligned to industry standard categories with four custom Spotify Brand Suitability Targeting tiers tailored to advertisers' unique risk tolerance.
- Expansive Reach: Advertising inventory runs across any and all podcast apps where consumers play a Spotify Audience Network enabled-podcast. Measurement and Targeting run on Podcasts only—the Spotify Audience Network is
100% only podcast inventory.
"Our goal is to raise the bar on digital audio brand safety, and by partnering with IAS, we've established a much requested brand safety solution for podcasts," said Chloe Wix, Global Head of Product and Commercial Growth at Spotify. "Together, we'll ensure that we can deliver increased transparency and greater control for advertisers to connect with fans in our trusted environment."
This partnership expands IAS's innovative product suite, which also includes granular Viewability and Invalid Traffic reporting, available for video and display inventory, across in-app desktop and mobile devices. Currently available for the
About Integral Ad Science
Integral Ad Science (IAS) is a leading global media measurement and optimization platform that delivers the industry's most actionable data to drive superior results for the world's largest advertisers, publishers, and media platforms. IAS's software provides comprehensive and enriched data that ensures ads are seen by real people in safe and suitable environments, while improving return on ad spend for advertisers and yield for publishers. Our mission is to be the global benchmark for trust and transparency in digital media quality. For more information, visit integralads.com.
About Spotify
Since its launch in 2008, Spotify has revolutionized music listening. Our move into podcasting brought innovation and a new generation of listeners to the medium. In 2022, we took the next leap, entering the fast-growing audiobook market—continuing to shape the future of audio.
Today, more listeners than ever can discover, manage and enjoy over 100 million tracks, 7 million podcast titles, and 350,000 audiobooks a la carte on Spotify. We are the world's most popular audio streaming subscription service with more than 678 million users, including 268 million subscribers in more than 180 markets
Contact: press@integralads.com
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SOURCE Integral Ad Science, Inc.
FAQ
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