Page 53 - Adnews Magazine January 2022

Meet the Team
DAISY SMITH•AUNZ HEAD OF AUTOMATION
What attracted you to Acast?
Besides the obvious attraction to podcasting — both as a platform for storytelling and
as a unique opportunity for advertisers — Acast has been pioneering programmatic for the podcast industry since 2017 so I
really wanted to be part of that drive forward as we continue to develop the automation of podcast ad buying for clients.
What goals do you have for the next 12 months?
My role is all about helping our buyers understand how effective programmatic advertising can be within podcasting, and creating a more meaningful dialogue between the buyer and Acast, to build a more efficient and sophisticated offering. Our goal for 2022 is to educate the market on the intricacies
of the podcast ecosystem and to build trust in the programmatic ad buying process through maximising delivery and execution.
What do you think will be
the most challenging part
of your role?
The biggest challenge for
our industry is trying to solve measurement as the basis of media buying, especially in programmatic. While the open podcast ecosystem in which we distribute our content provides a level of scale unrivalled by other listening platforms,
it also presents challenges around measurement and fragmentation. We know how important attribution is to our clients and we have established partnerships with key vendors to continue to work towards better measurement and transparency.
TOM ROACH•AUNZ STRATEGY AND CREATIVE LEAD
What’s your favourite part of your role?
My favourite part of my role has to be collaboration. I get to work with some amazing people — both at Acast and externally — whether that be with our podcasters or advertiser partners. From team brainstorms, workshops and presentations, to producing effective campaigns, creative integrations and branded podcasts — all that work involves many individuals coming together to make the magic happen.
What does a typical day look like to you?
I love starting the day by getting a coffee with my wife at our local cafe (shout-out to Wolf in Paddington).
If I’m working from home, I’m relegated to the spare room for the day or it’s an easy light-rail trip into Acast HQ during the non-COVID-19 months. Then I throw myself into everything creative, campaign or strategy related, with my teammate, Kat — and at knock-off, it’s a couple of Carlton Draughts at the world- famous Madison Hotel.
What goals do you have for the next 12 months?
2021 was an incredible year for the Acast Creative team. We launched Australia’s largest independent podcast report, Acast Sounds Smart; introduced the market to Sponsored Stories; produced some amazing and effective creative
campaigns; and released one of our largest branded podcasts ever with Samsung. In 2022, we’re planning to keep that momentum going with some new hires and even bigger campaigns — all further establishing Acast as the leading podcast creative partner for advertisers.
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