WWOne, XappMedia Partner To Enhance Voice Activated Marketing

Appearing Monday on an Advertising Week panel in New York City, Suzanne Grimes, EVP Marketing for Cumulus Media and President, Westwood One, announced that Westwood One, America’s largest audio network, and XAPPmedia are launching a new program to help national brands enter the fast-growing voice enabled ecosystem.

Working with national brands and agencies, Westwood One will collaborate on content, build and distribute the voice app, provide significant launch and ongoing promotional support, and track and optimize results. To enrich the program, Westwood One offers the opportunity to bundle voice apps with a massive multi-platform radio, streaming, and podcasting audience that is ripe for voice discovery, across parent company Cumulus Media.

XAPPmedia will leverage their industry leading technology and voice design expertise, as well as support post-launch monitoring and management. The goal of this partnership is to help brand marketers enter, build, test and learn in the voice-technology space with voice experiences that deliver conversational audio engagement, consumer interaction and a call to action.

“Emerging audio platforms are among the greatest opportunities for brands and publishers to engage with consumers. Voice will be the easiest way to directly reach and interact with consumers — and it will be on their terms,” said Suzanne Grimes, Executive Vice President, Marketing for Cumulus Media and President, Westwood One. “It’s important to understand how this new marketplace dynamic redefines commerce and advertising strategy. Now is the time to build a sound strategy, and we have the experience, tools, and audience to help brands achieve success.”

“The partnership we are announcing is perfect for marketers that want to use voice-activated technology to supercharge their audio campaigns,” said Pat Higbie, CEO, and co-founder, XAPPmedia. “This digital touchpoint not only extends a brand’s marketing messages, it also establishes a voice presence to engage consumers, drive seamless conversions, learn, and optimize their omni-channel strategy.”

To learn how your brand can leverage voice apps please contact Mark Wildman, Executive Vice President of Audio Active Group at Westwood One, at MWildman@WestwoodOne.com or (212) 419-2978.