Acast
Acast is a Stockholm-based startup company that markets paywalled content and dynamic ad space on a podcast hosting platform which can target advertising based on location, time, and any personal data they have, on any listening device. Måns Ulvestam, the founder and CEO, wrote, “So, if McDonalds want to advertise at lunch-time in New York, we can sell that same slot, on the same RSS-feed, to Burger King in LA when it is noon there.”[1] Acast was co-founded by Karl Rosander and launched in April 2014.[2] The company also has an office in New York.[citation needed] The platform distributes content for publishers like Buzzfeed and the Financial Times.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page). As of May 2015, the service had 1 million users and 12 million streams per month.[3]
Acast currently hosts 50% of commercial podcasts broadcast in the UK, including content from xfm, Naked Scientists, Spectator, ASOS, and The Guardian.[citation needed] The platform enables producers to host podcasts for free and monetise them via its ad-supported platform.[citation needed] Clean advert breaks can be inserted to ensure the flow of an episode is not disrupted.[citation needed] The platform enables digital publishers to easily insert ads targeting niche audiences.[4]
On May 23, 2016, Acast launched a premium, ad-free paywall strategy called Acast+.[5][6] As opposed to traditional methods in which direct-response ads are embedded in the podcasts, Acast+ lets podcast creators sell content directly to their audiences. Creators can set their own price and split revenue with Acast. For a recommended $2.99 to $6.99 per month, listeners can purchase a monthly show pass with additional content, though they can purchase one-offs as well. Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
In May 2015, Acast closed a $5m Series A funding round, led by Bonnier Growth Media. This was supplemented by an undisclosed follow-on investment from early-stage VC firm MOOR, which is owned by serial entrepreneur Kaj Hed, majority owner of Rovio Entertainment, creators of Angry Birds.[7][citation needed]
In 2014, just four months after launch, Acast was named Start-up of the Year by IDG magazine, Internetworld, and ‘Most innovative media service’ at leading mobile industry awards Mobilgalan.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "Stockholm Startup Acast Solves Podcasters' Advertising Problem". 2015-06-12. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
- ^ Telegraph, April 2015 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/11513025/How-Serial-shook-up-the-podcasting-industry.html
- ^ Reuters, May 2015 http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/18/us-acast-funding-idUSKBN0O314O20150518
- ^ The Independent, May 2015 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/podcast-boom-in-serials-wake-sees-acast-record-5m-funding-10257029.html
- ^ "Hot Pod: We now have new, free rankings to show how podcasts stack up against each other". Retrieved 2016-09-21.
- ^ "Podcast paywall: Stockholm-based podcasting platform Acast launches a premium, ad-free service". Retrieved 2016-09-21.
- ^ The Independent, May 2015 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/podcast-boom-in-serials-wake-sees-acast-record-5m-funding-10257029.html