iHeartPodcast Network Announces Influencer Summit For Creators and Brands to Discuss the Future of Podcast Ads

The iHeartPodcast Network announced today an industry-first Influencer Summit where some of the most successful podcast creators will open the mic and teach marketers the art of podcast advertising on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at the iHeartMedia executive offices in New York City. The hands-on educational event will feature diverse podcast authorities such as the wildly popular media personality and founder of The Black Effect Podcast Network, Charlamagne tha God; the woman behind the successful “Stuff You Missed in History Class” podcast, Holly Frey; and esteemed journalist, author and Co-Founder of Pushkin Industries, Malcolm Gladwell, joined with today’s biggest marketers to explain why podcasting is growing rapidly and how brands need to adapt, invest and create audio advertising that resonates with podcast fans.

“Podcasters are the most creative, fastest-growing, diverse wave of influencers to hit content and marketing in years – just as influencer marketing more generally was becoming a key new way to reach audiences. This event came together because our podcast creators are deeply invested in the brands and advertising that become part of their shows, that they asked us to give them a chance to sit down with marketers at scale and talk about what makes host-read creative work,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “What really differentiates podcasting and our iHeartPodcast Network from other mediums is that creators and fans expect the advertising to be endemic to the shows, often voiced by the hosts and authentic to the listening experience. This is a chance to roll up our sleeves and co-create, collaborate and showcase the simplicity, speed and creative potential of podcasting.”

The iHeartPodcast Network, the leading podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, is home to some of the biggest podcast creators with more than 800 iHeartPodcasts, all which are influencer-driven, across a wide variety of genres from business, sports, spirituality and technology to entertainment, family, comedy and true crime – and everything in between. According to eMarketer, in the past two years podcasts and influencers have been the fastest growing advertising channel for marketers. (68% and 58% ad spend growth respectively in 2023 vs. 2021.)

The event will feature workshops and provocative, forward-thinking discussions about the future of podcast advertising with iHeart’s most powerful podcast influencers and innovative leaders in marketing to bridge the gap between creators and brands. In breakout sessions, creators like Malcom Gladwell will connect with brands on how to understand his audience and create a spot that pulls listeners in; while host Holly Frey of the successful “Stuff You Missed in History Class” podcast will put on a masterclass in podcast marketing. Other topics will include how to do great audio influencer marketing, how to select creators, how to collaborate with podcast influencers, how to measure their impact on campaigns and more.

“If you can have talent such as Will Ferrell, Paris Hilton, Bethenny Frankel, Wilmer Valderrama and other influential hosts as your creative partner, imagine the possibilities and how powerful your podcast campaign will be,” said Gayle Troberman, CMO of iHeartMedia. “This will be a breakthrough moment for the ad industry to see why podcasting is the fastest growing medium with the lowest ad-skipping rates of any medium.”

“Audio storytelling has shown itself to be such a powerful medium over the past few years. At Pushkin Industries, in partnership with iHeartPodcasts, we’ve been able to be a part of that - developing and empowering some of the best creators at work today in podcasting,” said Gladwell. “Connecting those creators with exactly the right brand partners is the other side of the coin - a critical part of our role - and we can’t wait to focus hard on that as part of the iHeartMedia summit.”

“Podcasting has been such a great space for Black creators and the Black Effect Podcast Network to make an impact while retaining creative vision, especially when it comes to working with brands,” said Charlamagne tha God. “Across the past two years, while we’ve built the Black Effect, iHeart has always been an awesome partner, collaborating with us to help brands learn how to start conversations that are important to our listeners, and to find ways to uplift and inspire new, diverse audiences in this amazing medium.”

“One of the things that keeps me motivated is seeing how podcasting continues to rapidly grow and expand, while still maintaining the intimate experience for listeners. Collaborating with other iHeartPodcast creators and brands at this event to find the best ways to create compelling podcast marketing for those listeners is exciting,” said Frey. “I’m looking forward to sharing my experience of being part of the ‘Stuff’ team as it has reached new heights, as well as gaining fresh insights into how brands and creators can collaborate even more effectively to deliver incredible results.”

Marketers interested in joining the April summit at the iHeartMedia office in New York City can reach out to b2bmarketing@iheartmedia.com.