AMPLIFY - Insights & Expert Talks for the Audio Industry

Willkommen zu Episode 4 von AMPLIFY. Unser Gast ist Björn Benna, Senior Digital Sales Manager bei RMS Radio Marketing Service – dem führenden Audiovermarkter in Deutschland.

Hauptthema

Wie sich Radio und Digital Audio 2025 perfekt ergänzen: von datengetriebenem Targeting (DMP) über Smart Speaker, In-Game und In-Car Audio bis hin zu KI-gestützter Spotproduktion – plus konkrete Budget-Hausnummern und Cases zur Wirkung.

Was wir besprechen (Kurzüberblick)

• RMS Audio DMP als Gamechanger: Präzises Targeting im Audio seit 2018 – Haushaltsnettoeinkommen, Interessen & Co. endlich auch fürs Ohr.
• Smart Speaker boomen: Rund 30 % der Nutzung laufen bereits über smarte Lautsprecher – mit neuen Interaktionsmöglichkeiten (z. B. Infos per Zuruf).
• Radio bleibt Massenmedium: Über 50 Mio. Hörer täglich – schnelle Reichweite, starke Regionalität, hohe Sendertreue.
• Voice Interactions & Utility: Von Versicherungsinfos „auf Zuruf“ bis zu dialogischen Erlebnissen, ohne das Programm zu verpassen.
• In-Game Audio: Werbeformate, die den Spielfluss nicht stören – optional mit Incentives (z. B. Coins/Level-Ups) und dezenter Banner-Bridge zur Landingpage.
• In-Car Targeting: Live erkennen, dass Nutzer im Auto sind – ideal für Tankstellen, Retail-Aktionen oder Urlaubs-Prompts; erste Integrationen u. a. via TuneIn in Nissan und Tesla.
• KI-Spotcreator von RMS: Skalierte Produktion, lokale Händler-Adaptationen & Geotargeting – Qualität „kaum vom Sprecher zu unterscheiden“.
• Wirkung & Forschung: Sales-Lift-Beispiel mit +36 % auf das beworbene Produkt und +22 % Strahlkraft auf die Range; mentale Verfügbarkeit & „Audio on Search Up“.
• Budget-Reality-Check: Einstieg ab ca. 20–25 Tsd. €, damit Tests messbar werden – Zielsetzung, Kreation & (Geo)Targeting bestimmen die Range.
• Ausblick: Qualität + Innovationsgeschwindigkeit + Schulterschluss der Gattung als Antwort auf Plattform-Dominanz.

Connect mit unseren Gästen & Host

Welcome to episode 3 of the AMPLIFY podcast!

Today’s guests are Pascal Hohmann and Gian-Marco Spinosa, the initiators behind the AMPLIFY initiative at DMEXCO - Europe’s leading digital marketing expo. Together, they’ve built a new platform for the business of digital audio, uniting podcasting, radio, tech, brands and agencies under one roof.

From fragmented value chains to AI disruption, and from overlooked inventory to international ambitions—this episode goes deep into why audio needs its own B2B summit.

Main Conversation:

We unpack how AMPLIFY is setting the stage for audio to take its rightful place in the digital marketing world—and why it’s long overdue.

What you’ll hear:

• The origin story of AMPLIFY: Why podcasting, radio, adtech, and agencies needed a shared space at DMEXCO
• “Making audio sexy again.” What it really means—and why agencies and brands need to think beyond Spotify
• AI’s real impact: Easier production, smarter targeting, and new inventory that benefits the entire ecosystem
• The global vision: How AMPLIFY will grow from Germany to a pan-European platform with always-on content
• What to expect at DMEXCO 2025: Live productions, international partners (Acast, Canon, Epidemic Sound), and 40+ talks and masterclasses across two days
• Why Canon is investing in audio: The rise of vodcasting and the B2B opportunity behind the camera
• The power of community and content: From side events and editorial partnerships to international meetups
• Future ambition: Turning AMPLIFY into a pull event where global audio leaders ask to join—not the other way around

Connect & Follow

Welcome to episode 2 of AMPLIFY!

Our guest is James Cridland, the Brisbane-based editor & publisher of the industry-leading daily briefing Podnews and a self-styled “radio futurologist” with 35 years in audio innovation. From launching the first mobile radio stream in 2005 to mapping tomorrow’s on-demand landscape, James brings deep insight into where podcasts—and radio - go next.

Main Conversation:

We explore how an audio-first mindset can keep podcasting distinctive while embracing new platforms, formats and revenue streams.

What you’ll hear

• James’ career arc – from award-winning radio producer and tech trail-blazer to the daily voice behind Podnews’ 7.2 bn-dollar industry coverage.
• “Something for your ears when your eyes are busy.” Why that simple test still defines a podcast—and why the word still matters.
• The video surge (and coming cooldown). Spotify, YouTube and creators chased higher CPMs; James predicts many shows will pull back once ROI reality bites.
• Business growing pains. Lay-offs, shuttered apps (RIP Google Podcasts) and big wins: Acast and Spotify hit full-year profit while ad spend tops $2.4 bn in the US.
• Niche power & community monetisation. From daily “Horses in the Morning” to B2B shows, tight audiences unlock premium sponsors, subscriptions and live events.
• Mainstream milestone. Monthly podcast listening now exceeds 50 % of adults in the US and UK, with steady global climb rather than a hype-cycle spike.
• Future bets. Stadium tours, branded merch—even SIM-card services—plus smarter pricing to avoid ad overload and keep skip-buttons at bay.
• Radio vs. podcasts. How European broadcasters thrive by treating “radio” as every channel, and why US AM/FM’s narrower definition should be a cautionary tale.

Connect & Follow

James Cridland

Welcome to episode 1 of the AMPLIFY podcast!

Our inaugural guest is Nina Wüst, Sales Director DACH at Acast, the world-leading podcast hosting, ad-tech and sales platform. Host Max Conrad, co-founder of Hypecast, guides the conversation from a cosy mobile studio parked at OMR Festival 2025.

Main topic

Nina and Max dissect the 2025 podcast landscape, spotlighting why an omni-channel strategy - audio, video, social, live events and merch - will define the medium’s next growth phase.

What we cover

• Nina’s route to Acast – from sports journalism and head-hunting to running sales for one of podcasting’s biggest players, and the hard-won sales lessons she still uses daily.
• The German market’s “education gap” – why brands still treat podcasts like radio, how sales houses differ from Spotify, and where dynamic ad-insertion fits.
• Video podcasts & live shows – when cameras add value, generational viewing habits, and sell-out arena events that prove fan loyalty.
• Omni-channel campaigns done right – host-reads, programmatic 30-second spots, social clips, rooftop product launches and custom-branded beer cans all working together.
• Programmatic & targeting – Acast’s dynamic ad insertion and Comscore/AI audience tools that make premium inventory as easy to buy as display ads.
• Niche riches – longevity, mental-health and other “sticky” verticals where brands like BetterHelp pour multi-million-euro budgets.
• AI’s mixed promise – brilliant for multilingual workflows, transcripts and smart ad-placement; still uncanny for synthetic host voices.
• Monetizing community – merch drops, exclusive clubs and why podcasts turn hosts into trusted influencers rather than CPM machines.

Connect with today’s voices