MUMBAI: Spotify is cranking up the volume on its advertising game in India, launching the Spotify Ad Exchange (Sax)  and unleashing its generative AI ads. This double-whammy aims to give advertisers a programmatic playground and AI-powered audio ad creation, all while tapping into Spotify’s legion of engaged listeners.

" Sax is a new programmatic offering that will give advertisers in India easier access to Spotify’s high-quality inventory and more opportunities to reach our highly engaged audience at scale,” declared Spotify sales head India Arjun Kolady. “We aim to make it easier for our client and agency partners to include Spotify as a part of their programmatic always on audience strategies. Globally, over 5,000 advertisers have tested Sax, and with the official launch, our goal is to ensure that all programmatic players can plug into it”. 

Sax, fresh from a successful US and Canadian pilot, integrates with Google DV360, The Trade Desk, and Magnite, allowing advertisers to bid for ad space via real-time auctions. This means full addressability and measurement across audio, video, and display ads, with podcast ads soon to join the party. Spotify is also boasting a partner framework to help advertisers track their results across the wider digital ecosystem. 

Quipped Kolady. "We’re streamlining media strategies, boosting efficiency, and giving brands access to high-impact formats."

But that’s not all. Spotify is also leveraging its AI chops to launch generative AI ads, which allows advertisers to create audio ads – scripts, voiceovers, and background music – in a matter of minutes. This is a significant leap from the current multi-day process, and it comes at no extra cost.

"We want to make it easier for advertisers of all stripes to create top-notch audio ads," Kolady explained. "Gen AI Ads will help them stay topical, relevant, and reach a massive audience."

Spotify's move is a clear shot at dominating the Indian audio advertising space, blending programmatic prowess with AI-driven creativity. With Sax and Gen AI Ads, the team is  betting big on making Spotify the go-to platform for advertisers looking to make some noise.