Global

Global’s DAX Signs Sounder To Provide Automated Brand Safety Verification

~ jen

Sounder, an audio intelligence platform that builds powerful data solutions to unlock podcast monetization, brand safety, contextual targeting, and discoverability for audio content, announced it will provide its automated brand safety technology to DAX, the pioneering advertising exchange created and operated by Global, the Media & Entertainment group.

Global will leverage Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud and its best-in-class brand safety solution to ensure advertisers in the US can confidently and transparently invest in the expansive catalog of diverse content on DAX which reaches more than 110 million listeners every month.

Sounder’s brand safety solution will enable advertisers to purchase media across DAX’s robust podcast portfolio, including shows from Breakbeat Media such as Top Billin’ With Bill Bellamy, all backed by the assurance that they adhere to brand safety guidelines, including those outlined by the IAB and GARM.

Global also plans to share Sounder’s brand safety information with its network of creators and their editorial teams to help them shape future content.

“We’re thrilled to be providing a trusted brand safety solution for DAX’s advertisers, helping unlock more inventory and increasing the value of DAX’s audio content,” Sounder CEO and Co-founder Kal Amin said. “With Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud, we’re integrating a layer of data that is crucial for advertisers to feel confident taking advantage of the world’s high level of engagement with podcasts.”

Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud leverage proprietary speech recognition technology and powerful AI/ML models to enable large publishers to quickly gain access to auto-generated episode ratings, full transcripts, keywords, summaries, topics, and more across vast libraries of content. This actionable data allows publishers to maximize the value of their content catalog.

“Advertisers want to make educated audience buying decisions about what content is right for their brand and their customer,”said Les Hollander, CEO of DAX US. “Sounder’s brand safety solution lets us provide this information automatically, transparently, and at scale across our entire catalog. Automated brand solutions are now at the forefront of verifying the suitability of content and making podcast audience buying easier.”

As part of this partnership, brand-safe podcast inventory on DAX will be made available to the programmatic marketplace including The Trade Desk, the leading demand-side platform (DSP) use by many Global and DAX clients.

“Brand safety controls are critical components that our advertising clients have waited for to ensure they can safely invest in the programmatic podcasting marketplace,” said Tomas Rodriguez, Director of Audio Inventory Partnership at The Trade Desk. “With this technology we will be able to bring a wide array of brand marketer demand into podcasting, resulting in a better experience for listeners and more revenue for content creators.”

Global’s DAX Retains Exclusive Ad Sales Contract With SoundCloud

~ jen

Global’s market leading digital ad exchange DAX has retained its exclusive audio advertising contract with SoundCloud, the next-generation music entertainment company. This partnership, originally signed in 2016, has also been expanded and will now see DAX selling integrated campaigns, as well as artist and track sponsorship, events and customs partnerships in the UK. This is in addition to spot ads which have been available to advertisers via DAX for over six years.

Mark Halliday, Commercial Director – DAX, said: “SoundCloud’s audience is diverse, young, and highly engaged so I’m delighted to be able to offer fresh creative opportunities for brands to meaningfully connect with that vibrant community and interact with them in new ways.”

Jon Vick, Director, International Advertising Partnerships, SoundCloud said: “DAX enables brands in the UK to reach our audience of diverse music fans easily all from one place. It’s ideal for us to continue building upon our successful partnership by expanding our offerings for advertisers, so they can reach SoundCloud’s audience in new, more creative and customizable ways.”

DAX’s pioneering technology provides advertisers with access to over 130 million people listening to music streaming services, digital radio, and podcasts around the world. Global also recently added mobile gaming to its roster, having signed an exclusive ad sales deal with Odeeo – a tech start-up that delivers non-intrusive audio ads in mobile games.

Global Signs Leading Broadcaster & Producer Chris Stark

~ jen

Leading broadcaster and producer Chris Stark is joining Global, the Media and Entertainment group, this autumn. Chris joins as Creative Executive Producer and presenter on Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp. He also takes up a new role in Global’s growing podcast division, with the remit of developing sport content for Global Player.

Chris joins Global from the BBC, where he currently hosts shows with Scott Mills on Radio 1 and Radio 5 Live. He is a founding member and co-host of the popular and critically acclaimed That Peter Crouch Podcast and The Pirate Ship with Tim Kerridge and Chris Stark, and has fronted shows for Channel 4 and E4. Chris is also a successful live DJ playing major events and for brands across the UK.

Chris Stark said: “I couldn’t be more excited to be joining Global, working across a variety of amazing projects.

“I’ve known Roman a long time and often joked over a beer it’d be great to work together on something big one day – and now here we are! I cannot wait to get started on Capital Breakfast and in my Creative Executive Producer role. Let’s make some moments!

“And then to be asked to lead on Global Player’s sport podcast content is just the icing on the cake.”

Capital’s Managing Editor, Brent Tobin said: “Chris is a first-class broadcaster and producer, with a real talent for creating brilliantly entertaining content that audiences love. He will be a fantastic addition to the Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp team. We’re also excited to have his expertise on the Global Player team as we continue to grow our podcast slate at pace.”

Capital Breakfast’s Roman Kemp said: “Sian, Sonny and I are super excited to have Chris on board. I just know he’ll be a huge hit with our listeners, and I’m sure everyone will join us in giving him the warmest of welcomes to the Capital Breakfast family!”

Capital is the UK’s no.1 hit music brand with 7.5m weekly listeners across the UK. Millions of listeners start their day with Roman Kemp, Sonny Jay, and Sian Welby on Capital Breakfast. It is the second biggest commercial breakfast show (after Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden on Capital’s sister station Heart) with 2.5m listeners tuning in each week, and for the past three years, the nation has voted Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp as its favorite radio show at the Television Radio & Industries Club Awards.

Global Player is Global’s entertainment hub, which allows listeners to enjoy all of Global’s radio brands, award-winning podcasts, video content, and expertly-curated playlists, in one place in app, on web, and on smart speakers.

Capital is available across the UK on FM, DAB digital radio, on Global Player on your smart speaker (“play Capital), iOS or Android device and at capitalfm.com.

Global Appoints Ryan Ladisa as Vice President of Sales for DAX, Canada

~ jen

Global, the Media & Entertainment group, has announced the appointment of Ryan Ladisa as its new Vice President of Sales, Canada, for its pioneering digital advertising program, DAX.

Ladisa joins the DAX Canada team from Media.Monks where he served as SVP of Growth for North America driving digital transformation for clients across a breath of industries. A veteran in the Canadian advertising and technology business, Ladisa brings over 20 years of experience across outdoor, television, programmatic, and technology.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ryan as the new lead for DAX Canada,” said Jon Hales, Chief Growth Officer (CGO) of DAX North America. “His leadership and business growth experience will build on DAX’s solid tech foundation and unique publisher offering, all while helping advertisers increase their reach and connect with new audiences at scale via podcasts, online audio, streaming, gaming and audio video.”

Ladisa will be overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Canadian business as well as managing all DAX sales initiatives for the region.

“I’m thrilled join the skilled team at Global,” said Ladisa. “The world has transformed, and streaming audio has embraced the transformation with open arms. I’m excited to build upon the solid technology foundation DAX represents and deliver on the needs of advertisers with premium exclusive supply and unparalleled reach in the diverse audio landscape.”

Global Acquires Captivate

~ jen

Global, the media & entertainment group, announced it acquired podcast hosting, analytics and monetization platform, Captivate.

Captivate is a podcast hosting company based in Sheffield which hosts over 14,000 podcasts and has developed a range of innovative features to help podcasters with distribution, first-party attribution and podcast promotion, helping independent podcast creators to harness, grow and monetize their audio influence.

The Captivate platform, founded by Mark Asquith and Kieran McKeefery, who will be staying with the business, will be integrated into Global’s audio entertainment offering, Global Player, and podcast creators will be able to scale up monetizations opportunities with Global’s proprietary digital ad platform DAX (Digital Ad Exchange), the market leader in digital audio advertising and a pioneering platform in programmatic outdoor advertising.

Captivate co-founder, Mark Asquith, said: “Our vision for Captivate has always been clear: to proactively help independent podcast creators build up their audio brand and to deliver a diverse range of monetization options for them. Joining Global allows us to fulfill that vision by bringing DAX and Global Player to Captivate podcasters, while also providing more opportunities for the platform to positively contribute to the future of the industry.”

Stephen Miron, Group CEO at Global, said: “We’re delighted to be acquiring Captivate, a best in class self-serve platform for podcast creators, with access to market leading analytics and monetization. This acquisition will enable us to support all talent in the podcast community from the very largest to emerging new talent. We believe that this platform, combined with the massive scale and reach of Global Player and DAX will give all our podcast partners an unrivaled advantage.”

Global Player has experienced massive growth thanks to the rising popularity of smart speakers and increased digital listening. As well as streaming live radio, Global Player users can skip songs and go to playlists, watch video from guest interviews, listen to a wide range of podcasts including Global Originals like My Therapist Ghosted Me and Hunting Ghislane, and watch live streams of Global’s events, such as Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball with Barclaycard.

The acquisition of Captivate follows Global’s recent acquisition of innovative US- based next-generation digital audio content and technology start-up, Remixd. Now integrated into Global Player and DAX, Remixd technology means digital publishers can convert online written articles into audio content with targeted adverts inserted, as Global continues its focus on scaling digital audio.

Global Appoints Mark Halliday to DAX – Global’s Digital Ad Exchange

~ jen

Global, the Media & Entertainment group, announced that Mark Halliday will be joining the company as its new Director of DAX, the market leader in digital audio advertising and a pioneering platform in programmatic outdoor advertising.

Mark has over 20 years of experience, most recently as Chief Digital and Data Officer at Manning Gottlieb OMD, and prior to that he was CEO of Onmicom Media Group Performance, APAC. He’ll join Global in early 2022 and will work alongside Katie Bowden, Director of Commercial Audio and Chris Forrester, Director of Commercial Outdoor, all three reporting to Chief Commercial Officer, Mike Gordon.

Mike Gordon, Global’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “With Chris, Katie and Mark, we have assembled an expert team to maximize the growth opportunities across outdoor, audio and digital advertising. We work with brands who want to reach audiences creatively, and use data to make marketing investment more personal. Mark’s experience of data and mobile, combined with helping some of the biggest brands in the world, makes him perfectly placed to deliver the exciting opportunities presented by DAX.”

Mark Halliday added: “It was always going to take a really special opportunity to lure me away from MG OMD but with Global I believe I have fond a new home and role that seems tailor made for my skillset. Global has always had a reputation for being innovative and pioneering. Stephen and Mike could not have been more inspiring when talking about their ambitious plans to continue their trajectory to be globally best-in-class in their product offering and I’m thrilled to be given the opportunity to lead DAX’s proposition into the exciting data and tech-driven future.”