7 Audio Out-of-Home (AOOH) Solutions to Watch in 2022

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Audio out-of-home (AOOH) advertising has become an ad industry darling, offering brands a creative way to connect with consumers in real-time as they move toward the point of purchase. By inserting ads into audio content, like podcasts, streaming music, or the overhead speakers in a retail store, brands are reaching on-the-go consumers and driving conversions. 

Consider, for example, a beverage company that buys AOOH ads in supermarkets to reach shoppers near the point-of-sale, or a cosmetics brand that runs ads on a streaming music channel that plays in hair salons and spas. Audio advertising can be as simple as a retailer running ads over storewide speakers, or it can involve sophisticated targeting using programmatic technology to run personalized podcast ads at scale. With retailers like Target and Lowe’s rolling out their own media networks in 2022, more startups are developing AOOH solutions for brands and agencies looking to capitalize on the momentum.

Here are seven AOOH providers to watch in 2022.

1. Vibenomics

Clearly a leader in the AOOH space, Vibenomics recently closed on a $12.3 million Series B round led by Panoramic Ventures. Vibenomics helps retailers monetize customers’ in-store attention, while also giving advertisers a way to reach shoppers near the point of purchase. Vibenomics has positioned itself as the first programmatic digital AOOH solution for advertisers, having introduced a number of demand-side platforms in 2021. Vibenomics works with brands like Truly Vodka, VOSS Water, and Starbucks.

2. The Trade Desk

The Trade Desk gives advertisers a way to programmatically purchase audio inventory from outside networks, using tools to reach audiences by inserting messages programmatically before or during streaming music, news, and podcasts. Advertisers have the option to show companion display ads while their audio ads are playing. The Trade Desk expanded its omnichannel demand-side platform (DSP) to support AOOH through partnerships with Vistar Media and Vibenomics. The Trade Desk’s audio partners include Spotify, Pandora, SoundCloud, and iHeartMedia.

3. DAX

DAX is a digital advertising exchange that connects brands with audiences across audio and outdoor. The UK-based programmatic ad platform targets podcasts, music streaming, and radio for its audio placements. Advertisers can run dynamic audio ads or “spatial audio experiences.” By combining location sync with outdoor audio advertising, DAX is capable of delivering ads within a 1 kilometer radius of any road, attraction, restaurant, railway, or retail site. The company’s outdoor inventory comes from DSP partners like The Trade Desk, Vistar Media, Mediamath, and Hivestack.

4. Quotient

Quotient‘s marketing tools help brands target, optimize, and measure campaigns. Thanks to a partnership between Quotient and Place Exchange, Quotient’s advertiser and retailer clients have access to a digital in-store audio network that reaches more than 16,000 stores nationwide using Place Exchange’s supply-side platform. That means brands working with Quotient can programmatically deliver ads to consumers at the point of purchase at major grocery chains, like Albertsons and Safeway, and drug stores, like CVS and Rite Aid. AOOH ads are targeted using Quotient’s proprietary data and measured alongside other digital media channels to track average brand spend per impression and return on ad spend.

5. Stingray

Stingray is a music, media, and technology firm that provides curated D2C and B2B services, including access to in-store music, digital signage, and streaming radio. In 2021, the company partnered with the DOOH ad tech company Hivestack and agreed to integrate its proprietary streaming media player into Hivestack’s suite of supply side technology. As a result, brands can now work with Stingray to produce and dynamically insert retail-based digital audio ads across the company’s streaming music network, while also leveraging the Hivestack Ad Server for hyper contextually-relevant brand messaging that compliments the in-store shopping experience.

6. AudioGO

A self-serve advertising platform for audio formats, AudioGO gives brands a way to quickly create audio campaigns that run on smartphones and smart speakers. Targeting capabilities allow advertisers to personalize their messaging to reach listeners of a specific age, gender, language, or music genre. Advertisers can target listeners based on location by using designated market area (media market), zip code, city, county, or state. The company’s publisher network has more than 100 million unique monthly listeners in the U.S. Real-time performance monitoring is available, so advertisers can learn how their audio campaigns are performing and make adjustments on the fly.

7. Genius Monkey

Genius Monkey offers programmatic audio advertising with advanced attribution, tracking and performance measurement. The company works with advertisers to define their ideal audiences based on location, demographic, or offline behavior, and then generates ads designed to target those consumers in a variety of audio, OTT/CTV, video, and display ad formats. Genius Monkey uses audio data insights to pinpoint specific genres, trends, or listener demographics to align ads with. It also provides brands with a way to run audio ads alongside companion banners, for the added benefit of retargeting.

Stephanie Miles is a senior editor at Street Fight.

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Stephanie Miles is a journalist who covers personal finance, technology, and real estate. As Street Fight’s senior editor, she is particularly interested in how local merchants and national brands are utilizing hyperlocal technology to reach consumers. She has written for FHM, the Daily News, Working World, Gawker, Cityfile, and Recessionwire.