Hivestack, the Montreal-based company that’s quickly emerging as leader in the programmatic out of home space, is partnering with Stingray to integrate the music, media and technology company’s streaming media player into Hivestack’s offerings, including its ad server and supply-side Platform, enabling audio out-of-home (AOOH) inventory to be available programmatically for the first time in Canada.
AOOH generally refers to audio heard in retail environments, covering music played to programmatically served ads, and is now measured through COMMB.
With the partnership, Stingray will produce and dynamically insert retail-based digital audio ads across its streaming music network, while leveraging Hivestack’s ad server and COMMB measurement. The brand messaging is complementary to the shopping experience, informing consumers of products they might be interested in while providing advertisers with an undiluted share of voice within a retail environment.
“It was a natural fit to combine our technology’s precision targeting, ad serving and measurement tools with this emerging channel,” said Andreas Soupliotis, CEO and founder at Hivestack. “We are expanding the definition of digital out of home, adding new formats and opportunities to reach audiences across the country.”
Stingray wasn’t able to provide exact numbers on its retail network, but as a snapshot, shared that the new offering will be enabled within over 250 grocery stores in Ontario, expanding to over 300 more grocery locations in early 2022.
The partnership will result in a new AOOH channel that has the “ability to inform, inspire and influence lower funnel decision making at point of sale,” Hivestack said in a press release. Additionally, the partnership provides Stingray with the opportunity to monetize digital audio inventory through Hivestack’s SSP, which will enhance yield management capabilities and diversify revenue streams.
“Retail-based digital audio advertising can help brands reinforce their omnichannel message when consumers are shopping, literally aisles away from their products,” said Ryan Fuss, SVP of global media solutions at Stingray. “We are now able to activate location-specific digital audio advertising in real time, enhancing the shopping experience by providing contextually relevant experiences for the consumer, and greater targeting abilities for the advertiser.”