by Bryan Barletta, Partner, Sounds Profitable
This Spring, Amazon Music has been bringing podcasts to the most popular out-of-home advertising venue in the U.S.: Times Square in Manhattan. And it’s making an impact, as I regularly see pictures of the billboards from proud publishers, podcasters, and fans posted on social media. From early March through April podcasts like Happier with Gretchen Rubin, Assembly Required, and Dateline have appeared on a massive digital billboard wrapped around the corner of 7th Ave and W. 47th St.
In an effort to spotlight this multi-story marketing effort, I spoke to Emi Norris, Head of Spoken Word Operations at Amazon Music. Let’s get into it!
Bryan: When I think of billboards advertising podcasts, I immediately think of Amazon Music. Can you share the story behind how and honestly why Amazon Music became the leading force placing amazing podcasts in the big lights of Times Square?
Emi: Thank you for noticing! We share the billboard with other Amazon Music content and talent and have been standing up promotions for podcasts since early 2024. While we’re all used to seeing movies and TV series, concerts, and product releases on billboards, podcasts are rarely featured on out-of-home advertising despite being a global phenomenon, and we felt it was only right that they get their place in lights.
Bryan: Amazon overall has so many originals through Wondery and Audible, but these ads are for companies all across podcasting. How do you determine who to collaborate with and promote on these billboards?
Emi: Wondery and Audible are sister com
panies and close partners, but Amazon Music is a go-to audio entertainment service for top podcasts and podcast networks globally. With Audible now included in several countries on our premium tier, Amazon Music Unlimited, and the most ad-free top podcasts available to both Prime and AMU customers, we aim to offer a superior spoken word listening experience for customers and partners alike. We collaborate across our own Amazon teams as well as with external network partners like NPR, ABC, and Lemonada, selecting content that we know is both a priority for them and will resonate with our listeners as well.
Bryan:I always see excited podcasters sharing their photo with their Times Square ad on social media, but the goal of the billboards overall is to drive more awareness and hopefully more listenership. How do you help the podcasters track that and any notable results from this project?
Emi: Podcasters are able to view their listenership on Amazon Music directly through their hosting platform, and we have various tools through which we track reach and attribution. As you say though, our primary goal is overall awareness of the service, celebration of the wide variety of content we offer, and the unique collaborative promotional opportunity with our partners.
Bryan: What’s the criteria for podcasters to be featured in these ads? Is there a process that they can apply to, or a goal they can try to achieve to catch your attention?
Emi: Billboard placements are managed through our teams, however any podcast network or independent podcaster can submit a request for in-app featuring in collections by emailing our podcast promotions team at podcastpromo@amazon.com.
