Ad Infinitum – Details, episodes & analysis

In Ad Infinitum Season 2, Episode 9 - "Simulacrum Ex Machina," Stew welcomes Oskar Serrander (Co-Founder/CEO of Wondercraft) to talk about Wondercraft's origins and recent launch, how to think in audio, and the most important audio factor: Ryan Reynolds.

Plus–breaking down ~$20M in audio ads from Magellan.ai's Top Podcast Sepnders Breakdown, including advertisers BetterHelp, Toyota, Whole Foods, and Mint Mobile (Guess which one’s the best/hint: Ryan Reynolds).

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

Ad Infinitum is the only podcast solely focused on audio ads - the creatives who make them and/or the latest thinking that informs them how the space is evolving - AND, usually, a round-up of recent audio ads and analysis by host Stew Redwine and each episode's guest - BUT, this episode is a little different.

This is Season 2, Episode 9 of Ad Infinitum, and this episode's title is "Sonic Truths." It discusses the evolution of McDonald's sonic branding and its current and future audio recipes with guest JJ Healan, Vice President of U.S. Marketing, Brand Content, and Culture at McDonald's.

JJ is an expert on brand strategy, content creation, innovative marketing techniques, and a lot of fun! Enjoy listening to what has helped define McDonald's sound over the years: a focus on fan truths, striking the balance of freedom and constraints, and a commitment to collaboration by "sharing the pen."

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

Ad Infinitum is the only podcast solely focused on audio ads - the creatives who make them and/or the latest thinking that informs them, how the space is evolving, and a round-up of recent audio ads and analysis by Stew Redwine, VP Creative at Oxford Road, and each episode's guest.

The first season's episodes focus on individual Audiolytics™ Key Components and how they show up in the ads for some of the top spenders in audio.

Amanda DiMarco, VP of Client Success, at Veritonic, is the guest for Episode 6: titled "Why Now?", with a conversation focused on the power of Veritonic's platform and Audiolytics™ Key Components #6, 7, & 8 "Offer, Scarcity, and Path".

Why should the listener take action? By when? And where do they need to go? In short, Why Now?

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

Ad Infinitum is the only podcast solely focused on audio ads - the creatives who make them and/or the latest thinking that informs them, how the space is evolving, and a round-up of recent audio ads and analysis by Stew Redwine, VP Creative at Oxford Road, and each episode's guest. The first season's episodes focus on individual Audiolytics™ Key Components and how they show up in the ads for some of the top spenders in audio. Episode 5 is titled "Trust Factories or Illusions of Credibility" and focuses on Audiolytics™ Key Component #5, "Substantiation: Why should I trust you?".

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

Ad Infinitum is the only podcast solely focused on audio ads - the creatives who make them and/or the latest thinking that informs them, how the space is evolving, and a round up of recent audio ads and analysis by Stew Redwine, VP Creative at Oxford Road, and each episode's guest. The first season's episodes focus on individual Audiolytics™ Key Components and how they show up in the ads for some of the top spenders in audio. Episode 4 is titled "Demonstrated = Persuaded" and Focuses on Audiolytics™ Key Component #4, "Demonstration: How does it work?".

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

It's time for an unforgettable episode of Ad Infinitum, the only podcast that's all about how audio ads work (and how to make them work harder). This week, host Stew Redwine (Oxford Road's VP of Creative Services) welcomes unstoppable wordsmith Lucinda (co-founder and Head Hen of Moink), who is a positioning genius, Shark Tank veteran, and on a mission to save the family farm, one ethical meat box at a time. Episode 3, "Sirius Listening" isn't like the other episodes. We're seeing what makes a brand stand out from competitors and breaking down top-spending audio ads from Sofi, Ethos, Upside, and Progressive. Who's in pole position and who's trailing the pack? And of course, we're adding more power tools to our Chief Audio Officer's toolbelt.

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

Ad Infinitum is the only podcast solely focused on audio ads - the creatives who make them and/or the latest thinking that informs them, how the space is evolving, and a round up of recent audio ads and analysis by Stew Redwine, VP Creative at Oxford Road, and each episode's guest. The first season's episodes focus on individual Audiolytics? Key Components and how they show up in the ads for some of the top spenders in audio. This episode's guest is Phill Agnew. Phill is a senior product marketer at Buffer, product marketing ambassador at the PMA, and host of Nudge, the only podcast dedicated to consumer psychology where he interviews professionals in the business of persuasion like Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us & To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others.

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

Oxford Road VP of Creative Services Stew Redwine brings marketers a rare look into what makes the ads work on Oxford Road’s all-new podcast: Ad Infinitum.

The first season's episodes focus on individual Audiolytics™ Key Components and how they show up in the ads for some of the top spenders in audio. Episode 1 is titled "Starting Right" and Focuses on Audiolytics™ Key Component #1, "Setup: Why Should I Listen?". In this episode, Stew and Dallas Taylor, host of 20k Hertz and Creative Director at Defacto Sound, break down ads from four top spenders in Radio; ZipRecruiter, Progressive, The Home Depot, and Lowes.

About this episode's guest: Dallas Taylor is the host and creator of Twenty Thousand Hertz, the award-winning podcast revealing the stories behind the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds. He is also the Creative Director of Defacto Sound - the sonic source for the world’s most thoughtful brands, a TED mainstage speaker, a regular contributor to major publications (like the guardian, wired, the wall street journal, and more), and a respected thought leader on the narrative power of sound.

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

In this episode, Stew Redwine and guest Kraig Kitchin discuss the power of audio and its effects on emotions, memory, and perception.

They also review and rate top radio advertisers, including Lowe's, The Home Depot, Babbel, and Progressive.

The conversation highlights the importance of relevance, entertainment, and clear messaging in audio ads.

Special thanks to Premiere Studios for providing studio space in Sherman Oaks, California.

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

In this episode,  "Audio’s Rule of Thirds", Stew Redwine's guest is Mike Jensen, CEO of Rhapsody Voices and they discuss how brands can best connect with hosts, what the ingredients of a persuasive host read ad are, and rating some recent movers and shakers in the podcast space form Magellan.ai’s May 2024 report -  MeUndies, Rakuten, IBM, and monday.com. 

Audio is replete with threes: first, there’s production: voice-over, sound design, and music. Then, there’s the classic story structure of beginning, middle, and end. Of course, there are also timeless rhetorical appeals: pathos, logos, and ethos. And with Rhapsody Voices, Mike Jensen, focuses on three things to "deliver on the connectivity between the host, the sponsors, and the audience.” 

Mike's three suggestions for CAO's who want to make the ads work better than ever?

1. Authenticity is key: Authenticity in host-read ads is paramount. A host should be able to demonstrate their genuine connection to the product—otherwise, why else are they reading it?
   
   
2. Simplicity: For Mike, authenticity goes hand-in-hand with simplicity. For example, if a Starbucks ad has 20 potential value propositions, the host shouldn’t try to highlight all of them; instead, they should key into one or two things, like the new summer drinks and caffeine-free options. That way, the host can expand on what they genuinely like about the products.
   
   
3. Clear call to action: Everyone knows an ad works best when it has a call to action. However, not all CTAs are equal. Triple down on having a clear, concise, and persuasive CTA, and triple-check the copy to make sure it’s solid. After all, a read is only as good as its copy.

Special thanks to Benztown Studio for providing the space to record this episode at their recording studio in Glendale, CA.

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.