Spotify and Trade Desk to bring programmatic ads to APAC
Music streaming service Spotify has partnered with The Trade Desk to bring programmatic advertising to the APAC region. Following successful beta trials, brands can target their "audio, video and display ads" to users' tastes and habits, however, premium users will not be affected. The Trade Desk’s senior vice president, Matt Harty said, "streaming is booming across the region" he believes the flexibility of audio inventory for users makes it an ideal marketplace for programmatic advertising. Spotify has 100 million listeners worldwide.

Advertisers marketing the APAC region are now able to programmatically buy audio inventory on Spotify as a result of a partnership with The Trade Desk, in wake of an IPO for the buy-side platform in September.

Live across the region following beta trials with a number of agencies, the partnership allows advertisers to target audio, video and display ads based on user profiles and consumption habits. That includes things like music genre and specific playlists, as well as ‘moments’ such as “commute, workout, and party”.

Earlier in the year, news of AppNexus tieing the programmatic knot in the US with the music streaming service took headlines, although The Trade Desk’s announcement marks a first for targeting its users in Asia-Pacific.

Talking on the opportunity, The Trade Desk’s senior vice president, Matt Harty, claims the move comes as a result of the increasing popularity of music platforms such as Spotify.

“The Trade Desk offering will enable agency trading desks to access Spotify music advertising inventory across the Asia-Pacific region, which includes their valuable audience data. Music streaming is booming across the region and we are already seeing big brands jump on board,” said Harty.

Audio on the up?

Harty added the belief that audio inventory will make “one of the fastest” transitions to programmatic of any medium, owed to its mobility and the ability to “curate your own experience”, which lead into the precision nature of programmatic advertising.

Spotify’s Asia-Pacific head of business marketing, Joanna Wong, agreed, adding: “This added offering of programmatic inventory will definitely enhance the listener’s ad-supported listening experience and the partnership [with The Trade Desk] will help brands use our platform to tell their story.”

Spotify currently fronts some 100 million active users across the globe, and advertisers on the publisher have the ability to reach users without competing for attention, as well as the added perk of ad-blocker immunity, although advertisers will be denied access to the site’s premium users.

Before its move towards automation, Spotify previously sold audio on an exclusive and fixed-price basis and served them manually.