Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company, announced the acquisition of Wonder Media Network (WMN), the full-service, award winning creative studio.

WMN will combine with Acast’s existing creative team to form a new devision, Acast Creative Studios. The group will provide advertisers with integrated campaigns and branded content solutions from ideation through to production and campaign delivery, to reach engaged audiences across audio, video, social, live events, and more. It will also include WMN’s existing original content arm which will continue to produce premium original podcasts.

WMN is a female-founded, audio-first creative studio based studio in New York City that works with leading global brands on storytelling in audio and beyond. Founded in 2018 by former award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan and Shira Atkins, WMN produces audio, digital, experimental and social campaigns for clients including Nike, Pfizer, GE and Mercedes Benz. The new devision will be led by Kaplan and Atkins and include existing talent and resources already providing Acast’s partners with creative services across multiple channels.

“This acquisition significantly expands our US operations with the introduction of a highly experienced content studio — in both original and branded, empowering advertisers to create even more impactful campaigns across audio and beyond,” said Acast CEO Ross Adams. 

“Acast Creative Studios provides a complete solution, tapping into the growing demand for innovative, omnichannel campaigns. This not only opens new revenue streams for creators but also enables deeper relationships to bring bigger, bolder ideas to life. Together, Acast and WMN have established an industry-leading group with unrivaled creative service and production capabilities. This, coupled with Acast’s scale and established network, creates a dynamic ecosystem where brands, creators and audiences can all benefit.”

“WMN’s mission is so tightly aligned with that of Acast — bringing important and change making stories to the world,” said WMN CEO Jenny Kaplan. “Together, we will allow both creators and advertisers to reach new audiences, build successful businesses, and shape the future of audio.”

About Acast

Since 2014, Acast has been creating the world’s most valuable podcast marketplace, building the technology which connects podcast creators, advertisers and listeners. Its marketplace spans more than 135,000 podcasts, 2,700 advertisers and c.1 billion quarterly listens.

Crucially, those listens are monetized wherever they happen — across any podcasting app or other listening platform. The company operates worldwide and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Acast is listed on the Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market (ACAST.ST).

Acast, the world’s leading independent podcast company, announces the grand opening of its new UK headquarters in the hart of London’s Old Street. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to be the ultimate home for podcasters and advertisers, as well as Acast’s 100-strong UK-based team.

The new London HQ boasts a ground floor designed exclusively for creators, featuring four cutting-edge multimedia studios equipped for both audio and video production, including state-of-the-art cameras for large-scale video podcasts as well as a photographic studio with infinity wall. 

The studios will serve Acast’s rick network of UK podcasters which includes The Fellas, Off Menu, Katherine Ryan, and Help! I Sexted My Boss as well as every major UK news publisher. Acast’s in-house brand team has infused the space with a warm, inviting atmosphere, complete with stunning murals and a living wall, creating a welcoming, home-like environment.

“This is real moment for the UK podcasting community,” said Josh Woodhouse, Managing Director for Acast UK & Ireland. “We’ve designed a space with the aim of fostering real creativity between creators, advertisers and our own team. By brining everyone together under one roof — our home — we aim to accelerate even more innovative and impactful podcasts and advertising campaigns that fully embrace audio, video and beyond.”

A highlight of the headquarters is its commitment to nurturing new talent. In collaboration with Amazon Music, one of the studios will be named Amazon Music Studio, and will be available for free and brand new creators — providing them with access to professional-grade cameras, microphones and resources to launch and support their podcasting journey.

“The team at Amazon Music and I are delighted to close this year by further collaborating with Acast,” said Megan Bradshaw, Amazon Music’s Head of Podcasts EU, ANZ, IN. “In addition to Amazon Music’s ad-free offering with Acast, our new studio aims to invest in our companies’ shared vision around elevating podcast creators, and making he medium more accessible to all.”

“This is our biggest ever investment in creators, with a real focus on the omnichannel future of podcasting. Creators will work alongside us in a shared space, designed to foster true collaboration and creativity,” said Sam Shetabi, Acast’s Executive Content Director, UK. “Our new London headquarters is a testament to our commitment to empowering podcasters and advertisers, and driving the industry forward.”

Key Features of Acast’s New London HQ:

Creator-First Design: Dedicated ground floor exclusively for creators, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

State-of-the-Art Studios: Four multimedia studios equipped for audio and video production, including setups for large-scale video podcasts. Broadcast solutions provider CVP is Acast’s technology partner, with microphones from audio technology specialists Lewitt and iconic imaging giant Canon providing all visual tech.

Homely Atmosphere: Thoughtful interior design with living walls, comfortable furnishings, and inspiring murals.

Amazon Music Studio: One studio available for free to small and new creators.

Collaboration Hub: Designed to bring podcasters and advertisers together to create innovative campaigns.

The space was officially opened on Thursday last week with creators including Adam Buxton, Pete Wicks and Elizabeth Day attending the launch party.

It’s official – podcasting has firmly established itself as a dominant force in advertising, outpacing traditional channels such as radio. New data from Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company and Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data, and analytics, reveals that an impressive 42% of the British public have listened to a podcast in the past week and 21% listen at least once a day – highlighting the medium’s growing influence and reach.

Podcasting has matured into a crucial platform for advertisers seeking to engage with a captive and diverse audience. This surge in podcast popularity reflects changing consumer behaviours, where on-demand content is increasingly preferred for its convenience, variety, and accessibility.

Podcasts are a media channel that has seen one of the most substantial increases in consumption in the past six months (43% increase for listening to podcasts, 39% increase for watching podcasts), with listeners citing many reasons such as self-development and mental health as reasons for their increased consumption.

Podcasting’s Unique Appeal To Advertisers

Podcasts offer advertisers a unique environment, combining audio content’s intimate and personal nature with sophisticated targeting capabilities. The data shows that podcast ads are perceived as one of the least intrusive (ranked second least intrusive behind cinema), and the British public trust podcast hosts twice as much celebrity ambassadors (45% vs 20%).

This combination allows for highly effective and personalized ad placements, resonating more deeply with listeners than traditional, broad-spectrum advertising methods like radio. In fact, 25% of monthly podcast listeners do not listen to the radio.

Multichannel Approach

Video podcasts cannot be ignored. Over half of monthly podcast listeners (51%) have watched a video podcast in the last seven days, and 37% of listeners in the UK actually prefer podcasts that include video.

Podcasts’ immersive experience helps form strong listener relationships, making podcast advertising an invaluable tool for brands aiming to increase their reach and impact. Video podcasts allow listeners to enjoy visual engagement and see the hosts’ facial reactions or body language.

Josh Woodhouse, Regional Managing Director, UK & Ireland, notes, “Podcasting has transitioned to a mainstream media channel in an incredibly short time. Our latest findings underscore the importance of podcasting as a popular entertainment medium and a powerful advertising platform. It’s clear that podcasts are not just keeping pace with traditional media but setting new standards for how content and advertising an interact in a digital age.”

The full 2024 Podcast Listener Landscape report from Acast is available by emailing sales.uk@acast.com.

It’s official — podcasting has firmly established itself as a dominant force in advertising, outpacing traditional channels such as radio. New data from Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company and Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data, and analytics, reveals that an impressive 42% of the British public have listened to a podcast in the past week and 21% listen at least once a day – highlighting the medium’s growing influence and reach.

Podcasting has matured into a crucial platform for advertisers seeking to engage with a captive and diverse audience. This surge in podcast popularity reflects changing consumer behaviors, where on-demand content is increasingly preferred for its convenience, variety, and accessibility. 

Podcasts are a media channel that has seen one of the most substantial increases in consumption in the past six months (43% increase for listening to podcasts, 39% increase for watching podcasts), with listeners citing many reasons such as self-development and mental health as reasons for their increased consumption.

Podcasting’s Unique Appeal to Advertisers

Podcasts offer advertisers a unique environment, combining audio content’s intimate and personal nature with sophisticated targeting capabilities. The data shows that podcast ads are perceived as one of the least intrusive (ranked second least intrusive behind cinema), and the British public trust podcast hosts twice as much as celebrity ambassadors (45% vs 20%).

This combination allows for highly effective and personalized ad placements, resonating more deeply with listeners than traditional, broad-spectrum advertising methods like radio. In fact, 25% of monthly podcast listeners do not listen to the radio.

Multichannel Approach

Video podcasts cannot be ignored. Over half of monthly podcast listeners (51%) have watched a video podcast in the last seven days, and 37% of listeners in the UK actually prefer podcasts that include video. Podcasts’ immersive experience helps from strong listener relationships, making podcast advertising an invaluable took for brands aiming to increase their reach and impact. Video podcasts allow listeners to enjoy visual engagement and see the hosts’ facial reactions or body language.

Josh Woodhouse, Regional Managing Director, UK & Ireland, notes, “Podcasting has transitioned to a mainstream media channel in an incredibly short time. Our latest findings underscore the importance of podcasting as a popular entertainment medium and a powerful advertising platform. It’s clear that podcasts are not just keeping pace with traditional media but setting new standards for how content and advertising can interact in a digital age.”

The full 2024 Podcast Listener Landscape report from Acast is available by emailing sales.uk@acast.com.

Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company, announced a strategic partnership with Initium Media, a leading digital media outlet targeting global Chinese-speaking communities across Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe. 

This collaboration makes a significant step forward for Acast in expanding its footprint across the dynamic and growing Chinese-speaking podcasting markets.

Initium Media’s strong brand recognition and deep understanding of the Chinese-speaking audience will be instrumental in helping Acast and its advertisers reach new audiences in these regions. Initium Media has been a digital media company for nine years and currently has over 21,000 active subscribers and more than 100,000 unique visitors per week.

Earlier this year, Initium Media launched its first news podcast Initium Reports 端传媒音頻 targeting Mandarian-speaking audiences and featuring in-depth discussions on major news stories and ideas, with a focus on narrative journalism and storytelling. This is Initium Media’s first step into audio journalism with plans to expand into investigative reporting and long-form series in the future. The partnership with Acast will unlock opportunities for this existing and future podcasts and brands alike.

“Initium is a media powerhouse with a proven track record of engaging the Chinese diaspora,” said Megan Davies, Acast’s MD for International. “This collaboration aligns very neatly with our global expansion strategy and will enable ups to offer our advertisers unparalleled access to a new, highly valuable audience.”

“Partnering with Acast empowers our storytelling and allows our team to ficus on what they do best — engaging with our audience. As more and more Chinese speakers incorporate podcasts into their daily lives and news consumption, we are pushing boundaries and setting new standards in Chinese-language journalism podcasts,” says Yi Yang, Director of Audio at Initium Media.

“Acast offers a diverse range of monetization tools, making the partnership the first significant move for Chinese-language podcasts in exploring new revenue streams,” Yang adds.

By combining Acast’s industry-leading podcast technology and advertising capabilities with Initium Media’s strong regional presence — especially in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the US – the partnership aims to accelerate the growth of the Chinese-speaking podcast ecosystem.

Acast, the world’s leading independent podcast company, announced a new partnership with the Pionaire Network. As part of the deal, Acast will be responsible for the hosting, distribution, and monetization of all Pionaire Network podcasts, including the top ranking comedy podcast The Bert Show.

“Since The Bert Show first launched as a radio broadcast more than 20 years ago, the show and broader Pionaire Network have grown massively to reach new audiences and adapt with the evolving audio landscape,” said Bert Weiss, Host of The Bert Show and Co-Founder of Pionaire Network. 

“In searching for a new ad sales partner, we knew we needed a team like Acast that shared our understanding of the history of the podcasting industry as much as they could anticipate the future of the space. Especially for a show like ours that shares a radio and podcasting audience.”

The Bert Show is an award-winning daily publication that is a blend of lifestyle advice, national entertainment news, and celebrity interviews. The show is hosted by Pionaire Network Co-Founder Bert Weiss as well as radio personalities Kristin Klingshirn, Moe Mitchell, and Abby Murphy. Past guests of The Bert Show include Michelle Obama, Zendaya, Usher, Adele, Justin Bieber, and more.

In addition to the Pionaire Network’s iconic The Bert Show, Acast will also now be home to the network’s other podcasts including The Breakup Breakdown, In The Moement, and others.”

“The Bert Show has been a pillar of the audio industry for more than two decades. That addition, along with the entire Pionaire Network, to Acast goes beyond the content as it brings with it incredible knowledge of the space and a dedicated audience base for our advertising clients,” said Tim Ruggeri, US Creator Network Director at Acast.

To begin advertising on The Bert Show and other Pionaire Network podcasts, please contact sales.us@acast.com.

Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company, announced the continued expansion of its self-serve podcast advertising platform with real-time campaign planning tools for both advertisers and podcasters.

This latest innovation from Acast focuses on improving efficiencies in the media planning process by allowing advertisers to see up-to-date inventory availability for host-read sponsorship campaigns. Through a new feature called Availability Calendar, advertisers can now see all of the host-read sponsorship inventory available across Acast’s entire marketplace at that exact moment as well as the price of each podcast to ensure that it fits their campaign budget. 

This increased transparency significantly reduces the time that it currently takes advertisers to plan and book host-read sponsorship campaigns as well as makes it easier to distribute ad spend across multiple podcasts at the same time.

These new tools also give podcasters more control over their monetization potential through the recently launched AdCollab feature. Within AdCollab creator portal, podcasters can now instantly see a list of all the brands interested in working with them. The portal also now enables podcasters to instantly accept or reject brand proposals and allows them to connect directly with advertisers to immediately begin planning the production. With this improved visibility, podcasters can easily identify and act on more opportunities to earn money and grow from their craft.

These real-time media planning and collaboration tools follow a series of innovations to Acast’s self-serve platform since launching last year. In June, Acast made host-read sponsorships available on the platform, which provided advertisers access to the largest marketplace of podcast influencers. Soon after, Acast announced AdCollab, which enabled advertiser and podcaster collaboration for the first time. AdCollab also introduced automation into the host-read sponsorship buying process and has effectively reduced the time to book host-read campaigns by 85%.

“In launching our self-serve advertising platform and bringing AdCollab to market, Acast has made it easier than ever to book and produce podcast advertising campaigns. Now, we are helping advertisers to improve the efficiency of their campaign planning,” said Senior Director of Product at Acast Milly Botes. “Globally, podcast ad spend is inadequately distributed to the largest shows, but by improving planning and discoverability tools for advertisers, Acast is increasing the scalability of their brand message while also making it possible for each of the more than 100,000 podcasters on Acast to earn money from their craft.”

This news comes on the heels of Acast’s third quarter earning results. Globally, Acast saw a 32% increase in net sales growth and celebrated the milestone of having paid more than $300 million directly to podcasters since 2014.

Since launching in November of last year, Acast’s self-serve podcast advertising platform has grown to service organizations of various sizes and industries, from small to medium sized businesses, to household brand names, and even to podcasters themselves. In that time, nearly 40% of advertisers booked repeat campaigns.

To begin booking your host-read sponsorship campaigns through Acast’s self-serve advertising platform, please visit: https://apply.selfserve.acast.com/apply.

Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company, released the results of a new research study that shows podcasts are a highly trusted medium among US consumers. According to the study of US consumers, 64% of podcast listeners actively seek out podcasters and create time for their content – the most of any other tested media personality – making the time spent with podcasts highly engaging and intentional.

These findings come at a time when trust in the US media has hit an all time low, with half of Americans reported to believe that national news organizations deliberately mislead them, according to research from Gallup and the Knight Foundation. In this era of skepticism and misinformation, podcasters are emerging as the trustworthy figures of the media industry.

In fact, according to Acast’s research, half of podcast listeners trust podcasts, the most of any other tested medium. The second most trusted is YouTubers, with 44% of YouTube consumers saying they trust these media personalities. Notably, with YouTube emerging as a leading platform for podcast consumption, many of these sought-after YouTube personalities are also podcasters.

“Trust in US media has been deteriorating in recent years as a result of socio-political unrest and conflicting coverage by new outlets on the same events. As US consumer have lost confidence in traditional media, they have increasingly turned to podcasters as a source of truth,” said Acast Director of Research and Insights Tommy Walters. “During times of hardship and uncertainty – like the start of the pandemic and the beginning of the war in Ukraine – at Acast we have consistently seen audiences flock to podcasts for deep conversations and analysis over clickbait headlines. When it comes to product endorsements, we have also seen audiences be more trusting of podcaster recommendations than any other form of media.”

For advertisers, podcasting is ripe with opportunity as US consumers say they seek out podcasts above all other media personality types when looking for product endorsements. According to this study, 75% of podcast listeners say they have listened to a podcaster for a product endorsement, compared to the 62% of social media users who have sought out social media creators and just 55% cable viewers who have considered cable TV personalities.

Importantly, this study also revealed that podcasters give quality product and brand endorsements. According to the research, 73% of US consumers who have acted on a podcast endorsement said the podcaster gave a good endorsement and they were happy with what they received.