Programmatic Streaming

A mobile marketplace for buying and selling tickets to sporting events, concerts and other entertainment had long leaned on host-read and endorsement ads to drive performance across digital audio. While effective, the brand was ready to diversify its approach and explore whether streaming audio could offer comparable – or even stronger – results. Early tests with direct response campaigns showed returns, prompting the client to diversify its audio strategy to take full advantage of programmatic streaming formats.

More than just a shift in format, the brand also saw an opportunity to broaden its audience beyond its focus on sports fans by attracting a new segment: music lovers and concert goers. The challenge wasn’t only driving ticket sales – it was about expanding awareness and uncovering untapped potential in a high-interest, high-engagement environment.

We launched a one-month streaming audio campaign using Spotify’s Audience Network (SPAN). Our approach was grounded in ARM’s philosophy of outcome-based media. Instead of focusing solely on vanity metrics such as reach or CPM, we aimed to prove that streaming audio could be a bottom-funnel driver in the brand’s media mix, used to drive app visits and ticket sales. Expanding our performance-based ad strategy to additional channels beyond podcast and YouTube allowed us to test the potential of streaming audio in real time, setting a new benchmark for audience-targeted expansion.

But what made this campaign work wasn’t just the media – it was the methodology and execution behind it. The ARM team knows the streaming audio inventory landscape inside and out, from which levers to pull, to how to make the most of the platform’s targeting and optimization tools. With teams already in place managing multiple active buys, we were able to move fast, get creative live the same day, and make real-time decisions based on performance. Our focus went beyond campaign set-up, with teams actively managing, optimizing, pacing, and reporting every step of the way helping our client get more out of streaming audio from day one.

• 1,000+ verified ticket purchases in just one month
• Outperformed endorsed ads by 2x
• 1,000,000+ impressions across high quality streaming inventory
• Rapid creative turnaround, with ads live same day
• Correlated lift in music and concert purchases, revealing new opportunity in a core category

This success of the campaign not only validated streaming as a high-performance media channel but also opened up new capacity for the client to scale and optimize across more facets of audio beyond host-read inventory.

“For brands in these types of fast-moving industries, streaming audio isn’t just a channel – it’s a competitive edge. It puts your message in consumers’ ears during opt-in moments of excitement, anticipation, and action. When done right, it drives awareness, intent, and conversions. That’s exactly why we encourage our clients to double down on it.” – Gretchen Dubois, VP of Media at ARM.