Lightbulb Moments: Key Takeaways from Programmatic IO 2024

It’s been a busy year—we’ve been leaving a global footprint, making sonic waves at Cannes Lion, Podcast Movement, and most recently, Programmatic IO. The ad tech industry came together in September in the heart of New York City to discuss all things programmatic—CTV, the upcoming election, brand safety, data privacy, measurement, and so much more. As programmatic grows, industry conversations have evolved tremendously to cover larger umbrella topics that span the advertising industry. These conferences have shifted from a focus on programmatic to adtech. 

The future might be AI, but do we need eight sessions on it? Audio has notably been missing from these conferences for the past few years, and this year, we decided to take matters into our own hands (or shall we say ears).

How We Showed Up

SiriusXM Media sponsored a first-of-its-kind breakfast roundtable two days in a row, covering how to make the most of digital audio. Did you know? Consumers spend 31% of their media time with audio, but audio only accounts for 9% of media budgets. In true SiriusXM Media fashion, we decked out the table with swag, food, and a whole lot of insights. 

Key Soundbites: What Advertisers Should Remember 

Take a Step Back and Focus Less on Audiences

The conference started with a boom as Vinny Rinaldi, Head of US Media at Hershey’s, declared that as an industry, we need to stop focusing on the who and start focusing on the where, what, and how. Given his role and expertise, he’s focused on finding creative solutions that bring the audience joy—stating that creative moments are what deliver results for a brand.

It’s a here-and-now moment for podcasts and streaming audio—your key storytelling moments allow advertisers to emotionally connect. And thanks to our in-house creative team, Studio Resonate, SiriusXM Media can help you tell a brand story, in addition to running the creative across engaging streaming audio and podcasts. 

Everyone Can Benefit From Learning About Fundamentals 

One of the most attended breakout sessions throughout the conference was Steven Golus', CEO of Steven Golus Consulting, where he covered connected TV (CTV) fundamentals. Golus held a highly interactive, classroom-style session about the basics of CTV, one of the fastest-growing media in the programmatic space. 

It’s an especially exciting time, with the recent additions of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video ad-supported options. Plus, there’s been many terms to keep up with. With so many high-level conversations around data privacy and AI, it was refreshing to step back and define CTV, the nuances, and growth in the space. 

This session is a reminder that discussions on fundamentals should be replicated across other growing media, including audio, podcasts, retail media networks, and social media, to educate buyers on innovative opportunities for brand storytelling. 

The News Isn’t Scary, Don’t Run Away From it During Election Season

We’re in the thick of an election season, so there was no better time for Jana Meron, Vice President of Revenue Operations & Data at The Washington Post, to discuss brand safety and suitability in election cycle news advertising. Meron debunked all of the myths driving the fear of news advertising, especially during a polarizing election year. 

Meron shared statistics proving that ads running alongside politics on The Washington Post have received heavy attention, with a 55% higher CTR, according to AdExchanger. By turning off news content during the election season, advertisers are inadvertently decreasing reach as 10.9M election readers are engaged and going to sources like The Washington Post to inform their political decisions and so much more. 

With the SiriusXM Podcast Network being home to popular political shows like What a Day, The ReidOut with Joy Reid, and others, advertisers have no shortage of avenues to get their brand message across this election year—especially now that the narrative is changing. 

Don’t Discount the Open Internet 

The topic of the open internet took to the main stage twice. One session was a POV from Wall Street and the other was a panel discussion on its future. Both Wall Street and the panelists agreed on the importance of having an accessible range of inventory sources with greater transparency and performance-tracking, praising The Trade Desk for their strategy. 

The Possibilities Are Endless with Audio 

That’s a wrap on Programmatic IO 2024! We never turn down an opportunity to have exciting conversations about programmatic audio or learn from industry thought leaders. While programmatic and ad tech continue to evolve and the buzzword of the day changes, one thing is clear—audio is the way forward. Until Vegas!

Want to learn more about programmatic audio? Chat with us.