The Brief:

The global broadband service market is expected to be worth $419 billion by the end of 2022, with a 9.6% annual growth rate.¹ Facing such a saturated space, it was important for BT to get innovative with their advertising approach.

The leading telecommunications brand wanted to showcase their Hybrid Broadband product, which combines fixed-line broadband with a mobile internet backup to create one of the most reliable and advanced offerings on the market. Since digital audio tends to be a popular medium among tech-savvy listeners, BT viewed podcast advertising as an opportunity to connect with their target audience during meaningful and memorable moments.

The Solution:

Having worked with Spotify on other creative telco advertising campaigns in the past, BT already knew the ins and outs of engaging with their target audience. BT was selective about where their message would be heard, knowing that 53% of podcast Super Listeners say their opinion of a company is more positive when it's on a podcast they regularly listen to, up from 49% last year.²

Research suggests³ that host-read ads lead to a greater emotional connection with listeners, which means they're often ideal for introducing a new brand or product for the first time. With this in mind, BT partnered with some of Spotify's most popular podcasts, pushing out host-read ads on top titles including Brydon & and JaackMaate's Happy Hour. The brand also deployed voice-talent ads created by Spotify's in-house production team via the Spotify Audience Network, our audio-first advertising marketplace that connects advertisers with listeners using audience-based targeting tools, to reach listeners at scale.

Leveraging Spotify's brand-new CTA card format allowed listeners to easily click through to the Hybrid Broadband product page directly from the ad.

The Impact:

The effort drove impressive results, especially from ads on Spotify Original podcasts like Brydon & and Who We Be TALKS. Listeners overall were more likely to recognize BT's "unbreakable WiFi" offering, and consider the brand's Hybrid Broadband for themselves. Success was measured in percentage points (pts) by comparing a group of listeners who were exposed to the campaign, against a control group who were not.

The Takeaway:

Spotify's CTA cards can be an effective tool when your goal is to get listeners to visit a product page or learn more about a new offering. Paired with compelling messaging, this feature can help give your brand's message a much-needed boost.