Podcasters are letting software pick their ads — it’s already going awry
Summary
The Verge has identified multiple examples of programmatic advertising going wrong, according to sources who asked to remain anonymous over concerns of fraying industry relationships. Ads are showing up in places they shouldn’t, signaling not so much a death knell for the effort, but more of a warning that if the trend continues, early trust between podcast networks and tech companies could fall apart. A Megaphone support agent, the platform that powers SPAN, told the science podcaster that BP’s ad was filed under the “other” category while Exxon’s was under “elections,” for example. After the Sex Lives of College Girls incident, APM opted out of Spotify’s programmatic network for both its kids and adult programming, a source familiar says. Taken together, these incidents might not sound all that damning — some ads showed up in places they shouldn’t have — but in an industry famous for its close ties between advertisers, hosts, and listeners, it’s a problem.