SOUNDCLOUD LAUNCHES AI MOOD TARGETING FOR ADS

SoundCloud is rolling out an AI-powered tool for advertisers to serve ads to users based on the mood of the music they most prefer. Mood Targeting for Ads was launched last month in the U.S. and is now available across the European Union.

Advertisers can select from combinations of nine distinct moods (angsty, celebratory, chill, energetic, focused, happy, soothing, love and relaxed) based on analysis by SoundCloud's unique AI on a given listener's tastes. "This alignment increases ad relevance and significantly enhances the listener's experience, making ads feel less intrusive and more in tune with their current state of mind," the company said in a statement.

The initiative comes on the heels of recent SoundCloud partnerships with Fadr, Soundful and Voice-Swap to allow users to upload AI-created songs directly to the platform.

"Mood Targeting is a unique way to provide ad targeting without looking at personal data. It's our first step in unlocking SoundCloud's unique service to increase ad relevancy on the platform, ensuring that advertisers reach the right audiences and that our community receives ads that are relevant to them," said Aron Pettersson, VP of AI and machine learning at SoundCloud.

Added SoundCloud Principal Product Manager Lukas Pauka, "Luxury automotive brands could be looking for a soothing and relaxed feel to match their car and brand aesthetics, whereas sportswear brands looking to capture the attention of Gen Z could focus on energetic and focused moods. The possibilities are exciting."

We're pretty sure most folks feel nothing but creeping dread when partnering with us, so maybe SoundCloud could integrate that mood next time around?