Deciphering the Alphanumerical Audio Soup: Distributing Your Audio Ad

There are your LUFs and dbs.

WAVs and MP3s.

Kbs and kbps.

Not to mention your Hawks, Stitchers, Octaves and DAXs.

“Say what???!” I hear you say.

Let me explain…

You and your team have done all of the right things that go into producing a great audio commercial - the consumer research, insight discovery, creative strategy, creative development, writing the scripts, fine-tuning the scripts, casting the VO talent, recording the script, crafting the sound effects and mixing of the music and voice over levels to perfection.

Et voilà(!), you’re in possession of an audio commercial that you KNOW is going to do the business. BUT…it won’t do the business if it’s not delivered to where it needs to be, on time and in the correct formats.

Exciting But You Don’t Want To Drop The Ball

The exciting evolution of audio advertising over the years means that in addition to the traditional commercial radio stations, we now have a whole host of other audio advertising platforms that brands can engage with potential customers through.

But, with this wonderful opportunity comes the need to understand the various requirements for each of the various platforms.

Suffice to say it’s a whole smorgasbord of different shizzle.

Gone are the days where one size would fit all. No longer can you put your audio commercial on cassette tapes and courier them to the various radio stations. (What’s a cassette tape?! Ask your mum…and if you’re Gen Alpha you’ll probably have to ask your nan!)

There are now more radio stations, and digital audio platforms – like DAX, Octave, Acast, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, Adelicious and AudioPlus etc. - than there are flavours of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.** And each platform comes with its own set of rules, volume requirements, formats, and maximum files sizes.

Keeping track of all of these variables could make even a seasoned commercial producer drop the ball. So, it’s important to have someone on the team who loves geeking out on this stuff. Someone whose heart skips a beat when they think of PPM levels.

 **(You’re welcome, Ben & Jerry’s, for the free plug. Feel free to return the f(l)avour by sending tubs of Caramel Chew Chew and Strawberry Cheesecake my way).

Not Shooting Your Bolt Too Early, Or Too Late

Different platforms have different delivery deadlines. Knowing exactly when the deadlines are can have a significant impact on the production process and therefore the quality of your commercial.

For example, knowing the correct delivery deadline could mean you’ve got more time for production than you originally thought so you CAN wait a day or two for your perfect voice over artist to be available, as opposed to recording sooner than is necessary and having to settle for your 2^nd choice voice over option.

Conversely, delivering the commercial after the copy deadline is, obviously, even worse because it’s very likely you’ll miss the airdate. And given that the cost of the airtime dwarfs the cost of creating and producing the commercial itself, missing the airdate is more than just a minor hiccup in the schedule.

If your ad doesn't air as planned, you're not just losing out on ad spots (that you won’t get back…unless your media agency has an unnaturally good relationship with the media owner) - you're essentially setting fire to a significant chunk of the budget…which is not a good look. Not to mention the fact that fewer people than intended will hear the commercial. So, in all kinds of ways, it’s pretty lame and should be avoided.

The Time-Sucking Vortex of Paperwork

Let’s face it, very few people get into advertising because of the admin. Drafting the necessary paperwork that accompanies commercials when they’re sent to the radio stations and audio platforms can be more tedious than watching the wettest of wet paint dry - especially if you’ve got loads of different commercials that are to be played as part of the same campaign but they all have different broadcast instructions. For example, you might only want certain commercials to only be played on certain stations (because they’re aimed at a certain demographic) or at certain times (because you want to talk to people on their way to work). 

To ensure everyone knows what should be played when and where requires each commercial to have its own unique identification code. Each commercial will also need its own unique copy compliance number from the Radiocentre. All of this info and the playout instructions need to be presented in a way that is as clear as possible to avoid mistakes being made at the radio stations/audio platforms. As you can imagine, doing this properly takes forethought and time.

So make sure the person in your team responsible for sending out the commercials has got enough time and confidence to handle this properly.

Pass On The Headache Of Audio Ad Distribution

Alternatively, if you’ve got the budget, get a 3^rd party distribution partner like AudioTrack (other 3^rd party distributors are available!), to send it out on your behalf. By doing this, you’ll buy back valuable hours to focus on the multiple other projects you’re undoubtedly juggling, and be able to spend your time on more creative endeavours and less on administrative drudgery.

Not only will they have your back, but it’s also painless to them. In fact, they absolutely love doing it…the freaks!