Ad Infinitum

Something different this episode: a stripped-down breakdown of four top-spending podcast ads pulled from Magellan AI, examined without a guest and put straight through the Audiolytics™ engine to see how they really hold up in the wild.

This week’s listen focuses on how major brands actually sound in-market right now, what’s working, and where even high-spend creative drifts into “fine” — the danger zone where attention slips and per...

What truly makes audio ads resonate with listeners? Join us for a deep dive into the world of audio advertising with Stew Redwine, the VP of Creative Services at Oxford Road, as he shares his invaluable insights from a live talk at Podcast Movement 2024 in Washington, D. C. Stew is a seasoned expert in the field of podcast advertising, known for his innovative approach to creative audio ads that captivate and convert. His experi...

What if the key to unlocking your brand's potential lies in the sound of your advertising? In the latest episode of Ad Infinitum, host Stew Redwine dives deep into the dynamic world of audio advertising alongside his insightful guest, Juniper—an innovative AI collaborator shaping the future of marketing. Together, they unpack the findings from Magellan AI's July 2025 report, revealing which brands are boldly increasing their inve...

What happens when the helmets come off in audio advertising?

At the 2025 Chief Audio Officer Summit, industry leaders gathered not to pitch, but to share—openly debating the toughest challenges in podcasting and audio. In this special episode, Stew Redwine sits down with Kraig T. Kitchin to unpack the insights, optimism, and candid conversations that defined this year’s CAO Summit at Terranea Resort.

You’ll learn:

• Why vulnerabilit...

In this special live edition of Ad Infinitum, Executive Creative Director Stew Redwine takes the stage at Podcast Movement 2025 to deliver the third installment of his talk: What Makes Audio Ads Work.

This time, Stew makes it practical. With stories, data, and a few unexpected metaphors (including his dog, Maverick), he breaks down six essential lessons every marketer, podcaster, and advertiser can put into practice immediately:

1. ...

What does it take to think on a higher creative plane—and still keep your feet on the ground?

In this in-person episode, Stew Redwine sits down with longtime collaborator Shelby Hayden Craig—aka “Shelby from the Future”—to unpack the mindset, methods, and muscle memory behind great creative strategy. From Sydney to Los Angeles, Shelby has been both literally and figuratively “ahead” on countless Oxford Road projects, pulling teams t...

What do British military strategy and great audio ads have in common? More than you’d think.

In this episode, Stew Redwine is joined by Oxford Road’s Steven Abraham and Giles Martin to explore the U.K.'s greatest export to the world of advertising: planning. Drawing a line from wartime intelligence to account planning to podcast briefs, the trio makes the case that disciplined strategy—not just clever copy—is what separates forgetta...

In this special episode of Ad Infinitum, Stew shares the full video version of his talk at Podcast Movement Evolutions in Chicago, 2025. From sonic branding and memory science to host trust and the rise of video, this talk explores what truly makes audio ads work today—and what we may need to let go of to make them work better.

You’ll hear about:

• The NBC chimes and the power of sound branding
• Why “I use this and you should too” ou...

Ever heard a Broadway ballad about bathroom fixtures? Or a devilish ditty about selling tires?

From the 1950s to the 1980s, America’s biggest brands—Ford, Xerox, American Standard—commissioned full-scale, professional musicals for their employees, not the public. These “industrial musicals” were staged at sales conventions, lavish one-night-only productions designed to inspire, educate, and entertain. And they worked.

In this special...

In Season 3 Episode 7 of Ad Infinitum, Stew Redwine is joined by Antonio Coronado—aka Agent 004, aka Antoniolytics™—and together, they delve a critical point in the history of Audiolytics™ - the proprietary ad grading and devopment framework developed and used by OXFORd - the early days of human grading, and what happens when AI takes the wheel.

As the ad industry hits an inflection point—with AI tools being mandated at major platfo...

Why does comedy work in audio ads—and why don’t more brands take the leap?

In Season 3 Episode 6 of Ad Infinitum, Stew Redwine is joined by improv legends Wayne Brady and Jonathan Mangum, co-hosts of Wayne Brady's What If?! with Jonathan Mangum, to explore the strategic (and often hilarious) role of humor in audio advertising. They unpack the data, riff on Stew's obsession with the comedic potential for life insurance ads, improvise...

In this brief bonus episode of Ad Infinitum, Stew Redwine shares a short audio story created for the Twenty Thousand Hertz “Sound Off” competition.

“The Sound of Falling” features original 1980s tape recordings of Stew’s grandfather, Herold Redwine, recounting his harrowing experience of being shot down in WWII, parachuting from a burning B-17, surviving as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft VI, and enduring the brutal 68-day ...

In this episode of Ad Infinitum, host Stew Redwine is joined by commercial director Jordan Brady and Amplifi Media CEO and NYU professor Steven Goldstein to confront a fast-growing threat in the world of advertising: AI Slop.

Used by Steven in a blog post earlier this year, “AI Slop” refers to the dull, generic content flooding our feeds—fueled by AI tools used without intention or craft. This episode pulls back the curtain on how t...

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, the...

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 ...

In Ad Infinitum Season 3, Episode 3 - "Sonic Justice," Stew Redwine is joined by legal entrepreneur, founder of 1-800-NOCUFFS, and audio ad icon Darren Kavinoky to explore how bold, memorable local radio spots can deliver attention, affinity, and action in a sea of sameness from many Brand (bland) advertisers.

We can all recite the jingles and often preposterous intonations and taglines of local radio advertisers. They are founders ...

In this episode of Ad Infinitum, host Stew Redwine explores the evolving landscape of brand safety and suitability in audio advertising—a critical challenge as brands navigate an ever-changing media environment.

Joining the conversation is Suzanne Rico, journalist and host of The Man Who Calculated Death, a podcast that dives into her family’s history and its resonance in today’s world. Together, they unpack the nuances of brand saf...

Ad Infinitum S3E01 | Audio is for the Children

Episode Summary:
In the Season 3 premiere of Ad Infinitum, host Stew Redwine explores the unique dynamics of audio advertising in fiction and kids & family podcasts. Joined by Deborah Goldstein and Jeremy Westphal from Gen Z Media, this episode unpacks the persuasive power of storytelling-driven audio ads and how they influence both young listeners and the adults making purchasi...

In the Season 2 Finale of Ad Infinitum, host Stew Redwine and guest producer Jeanna Isham explore sonic branding's evolution, impact, and future through conversations with everyone from the inventors of audio logos we all know and love to current audio alchemists helping shape the sonic strategies of blue-chip brands around the world:

• Colleen Fahey, US Managing Director at Sixième Son
• Steve Keller, Sonic Strategy Director at Siri...