Global's DAX Signs Sounder to Provide Automated Brand Safety Verification for Podcast Advertisers

Sounder, an audio intelligence platform that builds powerful data solutions to unlock podcast monetization, brand safety, contextual targeting, and discoverability for audio content, today announced it will provide its automated brand safety technology to DAX, the pioneering digital advertising exchange created and operated by Global, the Media & Entertainment group.

Global will leverage Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud and its best-in-class brand safety solution to ensure advertisers in the US can confidently and transparently invest in the expansive catalog of diverse content on DAX which reaches more than 110 million listeners every month.

Sounder’s brand safety solution will enable advertisers to purchase media across DAX’s robust podcast portfolio, including shows from Breakbeat Media such as Top Billin’ With Bill Bellamy, all backed by the assurance that they adhere to brand safety guidelines, including those outlined by the IAB and GARM.

Global also plans to share Sounder’s brand safety information with its network of creators and their editorial teams to help them shape future content.

“We’re thrilled to be providing a trusted brand safety solution for DAX’s advertisers, helping unlock more inventory and increasing the value of DAX’s audio content,” Sounder CEO and Co-founder Kal Amin said. “With Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud, we’re integrating a layer of data that is crucial for advertisers to feel confident taking advantage of the world’s high level of engagement with podcasts.”

Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud leverages proprietary speech recognition technology and powerful AI/ML models to enable large publishers to quickly gain access to auto-generated episode ratings, full transcripts, keywords, summaries, topics, and more across vast libraries of content. This actionable data allows publishers to maximize the value of their content catalog.

“Advertisers want to make educated audience buying decisions about what content is right for their brand and their customers,” said Les Hollander, CEO of DAX US. “Sounder’s brand safety solution lets us provide this information automatically, transparently, and at scale across our entire catalog. Automated brand solutions are now at the forefront of verifying the suitability of content and making podcast audience buying easier.”

As part of this partnership, brand-safe podcast inventory on DAX will be made available to the programmatic marketplace including The Trade Desk, the leading demand-side platform (DSP) used by many Global and DAX clients.

“Brand safety controls are critical components that our advertising clients have waited for to ensure they can safely invest in the programmatic podcasting marketplace,” said Tomas Rodriguez, Director of Audio Inventory Partnership at The Trade Desk. “With this technology we will be able to bring a wide array of brand marketer demand into podcasting, resulting in a better experience for listeners and more revenue for content creators.”