iWorld
Triton Digital and VTION Digital demonstrate effectiveness of podcast in new study
Mumbai: The global technology and service provider to the digital audio and podcast industry, Triton Digital, has unveiled the results of their “Podcast Advertising Effectiveness Study,” commissioned with VTION Digital Analytics, a leading digital consumer behaviour intelligence platform.
The survey highlights the strong growth of podcast listening in India and the effectiveness of podcast advertising to drive brand and product recall.
According to the study, on an average, audio content consumers in India listen to podcasts three to four times per week. In metro cities, this rate is even greater, with 70 per cent of respondents listening to podcasts weekly and 30 per cent listening daily.
He added, “Our study further demonstrates a high brand recall in the region and a willingness to receive additional advertisements, setting the medium up for a long future of success.”
Additional key findings of the study include:
Podcast listeners are willing to listen to ads. In fact, out of the total respondents who have reported ever hearing a podcast ad, 42 per cent had no issues with hearing ads in the middle of podcasts that are free.
Advertising frequently leads to purchases. 80 per cent of listeners who have heard of a product are interested in learning more about it, with 29 per cent claiming to have bought the product they heard advertised.
Podcast advertisements catch people’s attention. 40 per cent of listeners state that ads in between podcasts always or often capture their attention, with 40 per cent of these listeners saying they trust these advertisements.
“We are grateful to be commissioned by Triton Digital to study the state of podcast listening in India and measure the effectiveness of podcast advertising in the region,” said VTION Digital Analytics chief executive officer Manoj Dawane.
“Podcasts are clearly becoming a popular medium in India. It is great to see listeners respond positively to podcast advertisements as well,” he concluded.
The report surveyed 354 VTION panellists who defined themselves as podcast listeners between 1 August and 7 August. Triton Digital will be sharing these results at Radiodays Asia, 6-7 September in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Check the full report here: (Embed Link) https://info.tritondigital.com/podcast-advertising-effectiveness-survey
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
