Horizon Media has inked a data partnership with the nation’s No. 1 owner of radio stations and the most commonly known audio streaming app including broadcast AMs and FMs in the U.S.
The arrangement allows iHeartMedia to integrate its respective data platforms for audio targeting in a manner that may provide increased visibility into total audience impressions for Horizon clients.
It will also enable Horizon clients to better offer brand managers data-based audience planning optimization across iHeartMedia’s broadcast and digital platform.
“This level of data integration will provide Horizon Media and their clients with unique insight into audience targeting and propensity and have a significant impact on campaign effectiveness and the ability to drive better business outcomes for Horizon clients,” said Horizon.
“Horizon continues to be ahead of the curve with their programmatic audio offerings and we are excited to partner with them on this innovative integration,” noted Justin Nesci, EVP of Advanced Audio and Data Revenue for iHeartMedia. “This partnership allows them to continue to advance their capabilities for data-driven planning, activation and measurement for broadcast campaigns – and this data integration will be the first time iHeart has mapped an agency’s full identity graph within our SmartAudio platform.”
The integration partnership combines iHeartMedia’s SmartAudio platform with Horizon’s connected marketing platform, blu., used to identify “high-value targets at an individual level and where to best reach them.”
The platform has a 90% household penetration, licensed directly from TransUnion, Horizon claims.
Specifically, Horizon uses blu. to build audiences and pinpoint those individuals (blu.IDs) that present the highest potential value for clients. “The combined data from these two platforms will provide Horizon Media with greater visibility into total audience impressions for audiences built within the blu. platform. and the opportunity to optimize broadcast radio plans with those audiences,” the company says.
SmartAudio Audiences will be available for buyers within the Jelli demand-side platform for planning purposes.
In 2015, Horizon Media conducted a pilot test of the first-ever live programmatic transaction for spot radio with Jelli. Horizon Media then partnered with Jelli’s demand-side platform SpotPlan as the first media agency to power all of its programmatic radio ad buying operations for several of its clients agency-wide.
