Spotify Warner Bros. Discovery podcast ad deal

Photo Credit: Luther Yonel

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced a new distribution and monetization partnership with Spotify regarding its podcasts.

Podcasts from WBD brands including CNN, HBO, and Max will join Spotify’s Megaphone platform. Spotify will also serve as one of WBD’s podcast monetization partners through its Spotify Audience Network. The move will make it easier for Warner to monetize its podcasts through Spotify’s audio-first advertising marketplace.

The Warner Bros. Discovery podcast umbrella includes ‘All There Is with Anderson Cooper,’ ‘The Assignment with Audie Cornish,’ ‘The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon,’ the ‘Succession Podcast,’ Turner Classic Movies’ ‘The Plot Thickens,’ the sports-focused ‘The Steam Room’ and many more.

Podcasts from HBO, Max, CNN, Bleacher Report, WBD Sports, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, and truTV will be hosted and distributed by Megaphone.

The Spotify Audience Network makes it possible for advertisers of all sizes to connect with listeners across a broad range of content. Available in over a dozen markets across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

The network gives podcast creators scaled access to advertisers who can access unsold inventory. Spotify says over the last 12 months, advertiser participation in the SAN has grown 45%, while podcast publishers who have opted-in has increased more than 70%.

The Spotify Audience Network was born from the acquisitions of Anchor and Megaphone. When it acquired Anchor in 2019, it was powering 80% of all new podcasts on Spotify. In December 2020, Spotify acquired Megaphone—which was already an advertising juggernaut for enterprise podcasting. The SAN supports confirmed ad impressions, audience-based buying, streaming insights, native ad placements, and third-party brand lift measurement for podcasters.

Spotify’s confirmed ad impressions help podcasters measure the impact and reach of their audio ads, while still targeting specific audiences based on demographics and behavioral data collected by Spotify. The Warner Bros. Discovery podcast move will help solidify Spotify’s move to being an audio-first company, rather than focusing on music alone.