Ad Infinitum

In this special live episode of Ad Infinitum - brought to you by Sounds Profitable - host Stew Redwine assembles the Audio Avengers—Arielle Nissenblatt (Earbuds Podcast Collective, Pinwheel), Adam McNeil (Adopter Media), Amelia Coomber (Podscribe), and Paul Riismandel (Signal Hill Insights)—for an unfiltered, in-person conversation recorded at the Sounds Profitable Lounge at Podcast Movement Evolutions 2025 in Chicago.

Together, they tackle one of the industry’s most pressing (and polarizing) topics: the rise of video podcasting and what it means for creators, advertisers, and the future of audio. With YouTube’s RSS support and increasing pressure for creators to “be on video,” the group wrestles with where the medium is headed—and whether we’re entering a new era or still navigating the wild west.

From reflections on the evolution of Podcast Movement to hot takes on panel fatigue, discoverability, monetization, and how to actually serve creators, brands, and audiences better—the Audio Avengers bring real talk and practical ideas from across the podcasting ecosystem.

You’ll hear:
🎥 Why video is not a threat—but a tool (if used intentionally)
🎙️ How podcasting can grow without losing its audio soul
🧠 What’s broken about industry conferences—and how to fix them
🔁 Why the conversation around podcast advertising still feels stuck
💡 And how we can better align stakeholders—brands, creators, and listeners—to build a more vibrant future

This episode isn’t about buzzwords. It’s about what’s actually working, what’s not, and what the people shaping the future of podcasting want to change.
Whether you're a Chief Audio Officer, podcaster, marketer, or just audio curious—you'll want to hear what the Audio Avengers say.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

In 2025's inaugural Ad Infinitum episode, Stew gathers an all-star panel to dissect Amazon's multi-million-dollar podcast advertising strategy. Joined by Amelia Coomber, CMO at Podscribe; Adam McNeil, SVP of Client Services at Adopter Media; Paul Riismandel, President of Signal Hill Insights; and Arielle Nissenblatt, founder of Earbuds and podcasting advocate, the group dives deep into a series of Amazon audio ads and doesn't pull any punches.

From candid critiques to constructive insights, this episode gives several podcast professionals' POVs on how Amazon shows up in audio across its vast portfolio—including Audible, Whole Foods, Amazon Prime, and more; concluding with a challenge to the creative teams rooted in the resonant words: "With great power comes great responsibility."

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

In this episode of Ad Infinitum, host Stew Redwine is joined by Eric Molinsky—journalist, audio producer, and host of Imaginary Worlds—to explore how advertising creates universes of its own through storytelling, sound design, and the audience’s imagination.

Ads aren’t just persuasive messages—they’re narrative constructs. Just like great novels or blockbuster movies, audio ads have the power to build immersive worlds. Whether it’s the cinematic lore of Apple, the absurdist multiverse of Geico, or the familiar nostalgia of Coca-Cola’s holiday canon, brands are world-building. The question is—how do they make it believable?

Drawing on his expertise from covering sci-fi, fantasy, and fictional world-building, Eric helps unpack how those same principles apply to advertising. From the “theater of the mind” that makes audio so immersive, to the use of recurring characters, in-world logic, and even breaking the fourth wall—this conversation offers a crash course in ad storytelling for every creative and Chief Audio Officer looking to level up.

Then, in true Ad Infinitum fashion, Stew and Eric analyze real podcast ads from Rocket Money, Capital One, USAA, American Express, and Bank of America, as tracked by Magellan AI. How well do they construct imaginary worlds—and where do they fall short?

You’ll hear:
🌍 Why audio ads are the ultimate world-building medium
🧠 How fiction techniques help audiences suspend disbelief
🎭 When to break the fourth wall—and when not to
🛠️ What ads get wrong about storytelling (and how to fix it)

Whether you’re a marketer, a writer, or a brand trying to make a mark—this episode will reframe how you think about advertising. Because the best ads don’t just sell. They transport.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

Season 2 Episode 5 of Ad Infinitum is titled "Sound Business is Sound Business" and is all about B2B advertising in audio.
We discuss some of the best practices for B2B ad reads, why is audio such a good fit for B2B, particularly podcast, and then rank 4 recent B2B podcast ad spots with one of the best in the business of podcasting and B2B advertising; Hala Taha, CEO and Founder of YAP Media and host of the Young and Profiting Podcast.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.

In this episode, "Audio’s Rule of Thirds", Stew Redwine's guest is Mike Jensen, CEO of Rhapsody Voices and they discuss how brands can best connect with hosts, what the ingredients of a persuasive host read ad are, and rating some recent movers and shakers in the podcast space form Magellan.ai’s May 2024 report - MeUndies, Rakuten, IBM, and monday.com.

Audio is replete with threes: first, there’s production: voice-over, sound design, and music. Then, there’s the classic story structure of beginning, middle, and end. Of course, there are also timeless rhetorical appeals: pathos, logos, and ethos. And with Rhapsody Voices, Mike Jensen, focuses on three things to "deliver on the connectivity between the host, the sponsors, and the audience.”

Mike's three suggestions for CAO's who want to make the ads work better than ever?

1. Authenticity is key: Authenticity in host-read ads is paramount. A host should be able to demonstrate their genuine connection to the product—otherwise, why else are they reading it?
   
2. Simplicity: For Mike, authenticity goes hand-in-hand with simplicity. For example, if a Starbucks ad has 20 potential value propositions, the host shouldn’t try to highlight all of them; instead, they should key into one or two things, like the new summer drinks and caffeine-free options. That way, the host can expand on what they genuinely like about the products.
   
3. Clear call to action: Everyone knows an ad works best when it has a call to action. However, not all CTAs are equal. Triple down on having a clear, concise, and persuasive CTA, and triple-check the copy to make sure it’s solid. After all, a read is only as good as its copy.

Special thanks to Benztown Studio for providing the space to record this episode at their recording studio in Glendale, CA.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.