Throughout this year, Audible has set out to prove that its experience isn’t limited to the ear. The brand has embarked on a tour of tentpole festivals in the U.S., popping up with themed activations ranging from ski lodges to carnivals, while also taking part in international events and fan cons to reach new markets and audiences. Plus, Audible is looking at new ways to translate its exclusive Originals, audiobooks and podcasts into IRL, immersive spaces and experiences that aren’t limited or defined by genres or location.
James Finn, global head of brand and content marketing at Audible, sat down with us to share how the brand is using experiential to connect with its users and leaning into audio experiences that are amplified by special effects that envelop attendees and flood spaces. He also discusses how digital and social media intersect its event marketing strategy and where the team gathers inspiration from as they plan for 2025 and beyond.
Event Marketer: What have been some standout activation moments for Audible this year?
James Finn, Global Head of Brand and Content Marketing, Audible (Photo credit: Hussein Katz)
James Finn: What’s consistent with all of our experiential moments is that even though the execution and themes might be different, we want to show up and be familiar and relevant to our existing listeners, while also being inviting and curious to new listeners. And when we look at something like Sundance, which is really a premier cultural event that happens every year and attracts the entertainment industry and die-hard storytellers, it just felt like a natural place for us to be.
At the festival, we can showcase not only our ambitions and our focus on creating content with leading storytellers, but also be there on the cutting edge of that space to be part of that conversation. Honestly, you wouldn’t necessarily think of Audible as being a sponsor and a key attendee there. Once people entered and experienced our space, they got the connection and the relevancy. We had these listening gondolas that were a hit, and they were open to the public and during our private events for festivalgoers to come in and sample any of our content.
With SXSW, it’s such an adventurous place that’s tech-focused, entertainment-focused, and a lot of interesting cultural things are happening there, so we didn’t want to just show up. What’s important for us is to not just have a presence somewhere at one of these events, but to really be impactful and help unlock the imagination of our audiences. We created a whole carnival as a representation of one’s imagination and unlocking their ability to engage in different types of stories. Similar to the gondola inspiration, we had an amazing Ferris wheel, where each of the cars had a different listening experience. As you’re seeing this beautiful view of South by in the city, you’re also being immersed in this story that’s unique to that setup. (Agency: Civic)
EM: And you activated a global moment, too?
JF: We just had our one-year anniversary of starting our service for listeners in Brazil, and it was also the first time that Disney brought D23 to Latin America. We have this great project with Marvel called “Marvel’s Wastelanders,” and Disney invited us to be part of D23, which was incredible. The fact that we are still ramping up the ways we show up for customers in Brazil, and then we were able to partner with Disney in a really impactful way, I was really excited about it, and I think that’s a good example of us not just creating an event, but leveraging a moment where it’s a celebration of fandom.
EM: What were the top goals and key objectives around this year’s experiences?
JF: It’s exemplifying that experience of listening on Audible. How do we unlock the audience’s ability to imagine the possibilities of audio storytelling and then get immersed in that world? We want to keep the listening as the hero of the event. We’ve had special events and premieres at Tribeca Festival, where we’ve done an event and showcased part of an audio series. We brought that to life in a room with visuals and elements in the room, but it was still the audio that was front and center.
EM: What worked well, and what were some challenges from these events?
JF: We didn’t want to just show up and have a booth. We wanted to show up and allow people to have an experience. We were just part of CultureCon this year in celebration of a series we have called “The Wonder of Stevie.” Attendees could get immersed in the music of Stevie Wonder and these five albums he created back-to-back in the 1970s. We want them to have a lot of fun and be able to have some kind of a takeaway from their experience.
A lot of the posts on Instagram and on social for South by were just amazing, and people just felt like they were immersed in their favorite parts of what Audible is, whether it was a story or this whole concept of escapism. For us, it’s important to create a 360-degree view of the event—how do we extend it digitally? That’s always something that’s top of mind for those who are on-site and those who aren’t—how is this relevant for them, as well? People consistently approach us to tell us their stories and how Audible is relevant for them, how it’s a comfort to listen to as they go about their lives, which, for us, is gratifying.
EM: How do you keep your activations fresh? What kind of social listening or trendspotting is involved?
JF: Going to see what’s out there in the wild, I find, has been really inspiring to the team and thinking about how that translates. Is there anything that may influence how we show up in other places? I love doing that, and I live near New York, so I’m always in the city, checking out different exhibits that have that digital element to it.
Even beyond our experiential team, our collective team around the globe is always being mindful and looking out for the latest activation, innovation or things that are happening, whether it’s at a museum, Comic-Con or just a pop-up that we’re seeing maybe another company in the entertainment or media spaces is doing to get a lot of inspiration there and have a healthy sense of competition about it all, too. We really believe in finding new ways to tell the stories of Audible, and as a steward of the brand, I want to make sure we continue to show up authentically but also surprise and delight.
EM: What learnings are you taking from these in-person experiences to events in the future?
JF: We always want to be intentional, stay authentic to the brand and be relevant to the audience that’s there. We wouldn’t want to show up at one of these events if we felt like the content wasn’t relevant or that Audible itself was something that wasn’t going to resonate. We want to make sure that we’re there with impact. Right now, we’re in the throes of putting our finishing touches on 2025; I love it and think this is such a key part of our marketing efforts. Amplification and social are enormously valuable. We’re definitely broadening beyond the U.S., and we’re looking at some key moments internationally, as well, that we can share more on soon.
Photos: Courtesy of Audible
