Furniture retailer Ashley assembles a podcast ad strategy for peak brand visibility
To truly connect with modern shoppers, today's retail ad campaigns need to have more than just legs—they need the whole sofa set.
Through 2022, home furnishings retailer Ashley leveraged the Spotify Audience Network (SPAN) to boost brand awareness and drive traffic both into stores and to their website. Their campaign highlighted that when it comes to effective ads, it's not just about the message—it's about measuring how that message sits with listeners.
Media mix:
Brand vertical: Retail
Objective: Awareness, In-Store Visits, Website Visits
Target audience: Listeners 25–54
Targeting used: Age, Device, Interest/Behavior, Language, Purchase Intent
Market: U.S.
Flight length: 01/01/2022–12/31/2022
Activation channel: Direct, Spotify Audience Network
Measurement: Podsights (now Spotify Ad Analytics), Foursquare/Placed
Format: Audio Everywhere, Overlay, Podcast Media, Sponsored Sessions, Video Takeover
The Brief:
Ashley had two main goals with their digital audio campaign: heightened awareness and a boost in both foot traffic and online visits. They hoped to use audio ads to reach listeners during pivotal life moments when they're most likely to be looking for furniture and mattresses, e.g. engagements, nesting into a new home, or starting a family.
The Solution:
Ashley crafted a series of music and podcast ads targeted to audience segments more likely to be in specific life stages, e.g. movers in the market for furniture, between the ages of 25 and 54. The campaign's creative messaging contextually aligned with seasonal tentpole moments like Memorial Day and Black Friday. Calls to action (CTAs) focused primarily on major sales events, helping shoppers find the best deals for big-ticket purchases both online and in stores.
Ashley leveraged Podsights—now rebranded and upgraded to Spotify Ad Analytics—to track site visits and purchases directly from their podcast ads, along with Foursquare to track foot traffic data. With these powerful analytics in play, Ashley was able to measure the campaign's impact, optimize ad delivery, and ensure their voice remained relevant to their target audiences.
Hear the spot for yourself.
🎧 Listen to the pre- and mid-roll podcast ad read by a voiceover artist.
The Impact:
The Ashley campaign furnished some impressive ROAS (return on ad spend), particularly during notable holiday weekends. The podcast ad campaign scored high in both reach and conversion metrics—and by further committing their podcast investment to the Spotify Audience Network in the fourth quarter, Ashley saw a surge in their conversion rate, peaking at 4.3%. This success was mirrored in the physical world, with Ashley's stores seeing a 31% increase in foot traffic as measured by Foursquare.
Campaign results:
- 131%
ROAS on online purchases
- +31%
increase in foot traffic to physical stores
(compared to a 6% benchmark) - 4.3%
Q4 conversion rate after shifting all podcast investment to SPAN
(compared to 3.8% in Q2 with a benchmark of 1.3%)
The Takeaway:
When the right message meets the right medium at the right moment, brands can get fantastic results. Ashley's decision to go all-in with the Spotify Audience Network during the fourth quarter amplified their reach, connecting them with key audience segments across the vast podcast landscape.
“Podcasts are easily a great way for us to connect with our consumers to drive brand awareness in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Not only did the Spotify Audience Network give us the tools to expand our reach into untapped audiences, it also drove a strong performance across our key metrics such as ROI and conversion rates."
— Chelsea Slater,
Sr. Manager of Integrated Media, Ashley HomeStore Retail