Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) has used its annual audio showcase event HEARD to announce the launch of a unified digital audio ID.

The CRA Audio ID will simplify the way marketers buy digital audio with inventory from local broadcasters ARN, Nine, Nova and Southern Cross Austereo.

The unified digital audio ID will enable additional capabilities alongside CRA members’ existing programmatic offerings and is designed to deliver cross network campaign optimisation through improved management of reach and frequency and enhanced targeting capabilities enabling marketers to achieve greater scale and enhanced efficiency in their digital audio strategy.

Speaking at HEARD, CRA CEO Lizzie Young, noted the explosive growth in audio and said the announcement was another sign of the medium’s focus on digital transformation and making the medium easy to access for brands.

“We are in the midst of a digital audio boom across the Australian market,” said Lizzie Young, CEO of CRA. “We have our highest audiences in the last twenty years, the shift to digital consumption continues to grow as a portion of the overall audience but our revenue is yet to match our audience.

“According to the latest Infinite Dial research five times more Australians are listening to radio than ad-supported Spotify yet we know we underperform in the total addressable digital audio ad market.

“This unified digital audio ID will make it easier for advertisers to achieve a more seamless buy, unlock better targeting and superior campaign results across Australia’s local and biggest ad supported audio players.”

The CRA Audio ID will launch in June with streaming audio, podcasting will follow along with additional data partnerships.

Young noted CRA’s strategy to develop solutions which leverage worldclass technology to make audio easy to buy as a key driver in developing the new unified digital audio ID solution along with considerations around privacy.

“We believe the launch of the CRA Audio ID is an important milestone in our digital transformation. It will enable better outcomes for marketers and sets a course for audio’s future as an effective and easy to buy medium.”

Partnering with GfK has also ensured seamless integration with their Radio 360 audience measurement system and provides the foundation for the industry to leverage new technology capability to improve the way audio is traded for the benefit of brands and customers.