This past week, Adthos introduced what it calls “the only free ad-serving technology built specifically for radio.” Athos Ad-Server is an ad sales application that replaces playout of ads by an existing automation system, allowing digital audio and radio “to be sold seamlessly within a single integrated campaign.”
We sought to learn more about it and emailed with Raoul Wedel, CEO of parent company Wedel Software.
[Read: Adthos Ad-Server Is Free Ad-Serving App for Radio]
RW: What prompted Wedel to launch this Adthos initiative?
Raoul Wedel: Our traffic and billing system can do live reconciliation. But when implementing it, we found out that it would require integration and development with each and every automation system provider. Instead of building dozens of integrations, we felt this was a better solution. And made it available for free.
RW: Why would a broadcaster wish to replace the ads in an existing automation system?
Wedel: For traditional ad playout, the Adthos Ad-Server comes already with maybe two dozen features that most small automation systems don’t have. Like live reconciliation, sending new logs live without intervention or integration with cloud storage systems for material management.
The future of audio advertising is dynamic, in scheduling or creative replacement. If terrestrial radio wants to keep up with digital they will need to move forward on those subjects. The Adthos Ad-Server is a simple, non-intrusive app that can be easily installed and managed. It allows for frame-accurate ad replacement. So an advertiser can play a McDonald’s spot on the radio but may replace the ad with a local franchise’s address.
RW: What are the main features and benefits of Ad-Server?
Wedel: It reconciles your schedules live. Logs can be sent without any intervention; material can be stored cloud-based.
Also it includes a streaming encoder compatible with Triton, AdsWizz, Icecast and Shoutcast. It enables dynamic scheduling and dynamic creative replacements.
And it gives advertisers and agencies a portal to view their schedules and listen to an aircheck of what has been played.
RW: Ad-Server is free, so how does Wedel Software benefit, i.e. how do you make your money from the service?
Wedel: We feel that the current state of technology of radio stations is preventing terrestrial radio advertising from moving into the digital space. This is our vision of a solution for the problem. And we’re putting our money where our mouth is. By laying this foundation it opens the door for other technologies and advances to truly gain broad acceptance in the market. It is a platform that we can build on.
RW: You said there are future integrations planned, what kind of additional features should we expect?
Wedel: There are three main releases of the platform, we call chapters. The second and third chapters are due after the summer and since the ad server enables dynamic scheduling and dynamic ad replacement, you’d have to think along those lines.
RW: What else should we know?
Wedel: That we have made it as easy as possible to convert to our platform. In a testing phase, the ad server can run in parallel with your current automation system. Even though it is free, we have staff dedicated to onboarding our first customers. Our platform comes with a preloaded list of U.S. FCC licensed stations and station owners, so it’s easy to start.
