Whooshkaa shows Aussie brands HowStuffWorks

Here’s some Stuff You Should Know: America’s record-breaking HowStuffWorks podcast network has teamed up with Whooshkaa to open an advertising audience of millions in Australia and the Pacific.

The partnership announcement comes as the network’s flagship show, Stuff You Should Know, became the first podcast to surpass 500 million downloads according to Apple Podcasts.

Globally, the network boasts more than 50 million downloads a month, a figure which grew 40% in the last year. At least two million of those monthly downloads are in Australia and New Zealand, creating six million ad impressions.

The alliance agreed by HowStuffWorks President and CEO Conal Byrne and Whooshkaa Founder and CEO Rob Loewenthal is rooted in HowStuffWorks’ ability to geotarget relevant host-read advertising, which will see more Australian brands take advantage of rising audience numbers, loyalty and targeted direct-to-ear consumption.

“HowStuffWorks presents more than 100 hours of new content each month, new releases every month and an evergreen back catalogue of almost 10,000 episodes,” Mr. Byrne said. “Our shows present deep-dive information in an entertaining format that has struck a chord with Australian audiences. All are shot through with our core values of the pursuit of knowledge and authenticity.”

“The podcast medium presents an incredibly intimate form of advertising. We’re excited to partner with Whooshkaa as the Australian podcasting landscape shows every indication of following the US industry’s growth.”

Whooshkaa’s Rob Loewenthal said the HowStuffWorks network opened globally successful shows such as Stuff You Should Know, Stuff You Missed in History Class and The Daily Zeitgeist to Australian markets.

“These shows are actively sought out and listened to by engaged audiences in Australia and New Zealand, driving two million downloads a month,” Mr. Loewenthal said. “Those numbers are rising every day and Whooshkaa is proud to partner with this iconic, leading network in the ramp-up phase of a fast-growing industry.

“The take-up of podcasting is growing exponentially. We’re seeing this on the Whooshkaa platform with unprecedented listener numbers being achieved by The Australian’s true crime investigation The Teacher’s Pet, which has surpassed four million downloads.”

Whooshkaa is currently in the market with a rare opportunity for one brand to sponsor the Stuff You Should Know podcast and its upcoming Australian and New Zealand tour.

Almost a quarter of all Australians aged 12-54 listen to podcasts monthly, according to recent polling by Edison Research and Triton Digital. Weekly podcast listeners hear an average of five shows a week. US research shows podcast audiences are loyal, affluent and more likely to have tertiary degrees and higher than average incomes.

HowStuffWorks is the leading for-profit publisher of entertaining and informative podcast content. With more than 30 brands, including Stuff You Should Know, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Atlanta Monster and Stuff Mom Never Told You, the HowStuffWorks team reaches a highly engaged fan base across multiple platforms and distribution partners and has amassed a library of almost 10,000 podcast episodes driving more than 1 billion downloads to date. With this expansive and awardwinning collection of audio podcasts, HowStuffWorks is ranked #2 in global downloads and streams. The company, founded in 1998, is headquartered in Atlanta and also operates studios and teams in Los Angeles and New York.

Whooshkaa is an industry leader in digital audio technology and groundbreaking, original, branded content, hosting small-scale podcasters to large networks. It delivers best-in-class technology for podcasters and radio networks, breaking new ground with content creation, delivery, dynamic ad insertion and text-to-voice technology.