Acast announced the expansion of its Acast Creative offering to the US. Acast Creative is a pillar of the Acast Marketplace, helping brands navigate the rapidly evolving podcast landscape and elevate commercial messaging to its greatest potential.
Acast first launched Acast Creative in its European market in 2018, and has seen a 250% increase in branded content spend over the past three years. Now, Acast has expanded the offering across the Atlantic and tapped Shantae Howell as Creative Director of the Americas to lead the team and replicate the success of Acast Creative in this market.
As the podcasting landscape continues to explode, brands are flocking to the opportunities it offers and the top-notch creative talent at their disposal. Despite industry projections that podcast ad spend will balloon to nearly $2.5B by 2025, there is no rule book when it comes to podcast advertising – so Acast is pioneering these brand conversations by launching Acast Creative to push boundaries and consistently innovate for its partners.
The Acast Creative team works in tandem with sellers and production partners to offer new creative solutions that help to tell brilliant stories — through both short- and long-form content.
“As a storyteller, creative marketer and avid listener, I was drawn to Acast’s commitment to supporting creators in their efforts to grow and monetize, while ensuring the podcaster maintains creative ownership,” said Howell. “It’s a business model that benefits the podcasters we work with, the audiences they serve, and the brilliant brands whose stories we get to tell.”
As Creative Director of the Americas, Howell leads the creative vision and strategy execution for Acast’s brand partners in the region and plays an integral role in Acast’s growing global team. Prior to joining Acast, Howell was the Senior Audio Strategist and Producer for Vox Media, where she was central to the development of Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America, a podcast in partnership with Ben and Jerry’s that examines the lesser-known history of racial injustice.