Audio's Rule of Thirds

Ad Infinitum

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.

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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.