ENCO Teams Up With Benztown And Compass Media Networks

ENCO has joined forces with Benztown and Compass Media Networks to bring its SpecAI ad creation solution to an expansive customer base in the North American radio broadcast market.

The three companies will work together on strategic business development initiatives that emphasise how the technology can help broadcasters create spec ads for sponsors on demand, alleviating the time, energy, and costs of traditional production methods while accelerating the sales process and time to market.

SpecAI leverages generative AI models to create audio content and automate voice tracking for new spots. ENCO will demonstrate SpecAI at the NAB Show New York beginning tomorrow at Javits Centre, where the company will exhibit at Booth 517. Representatives from Benztown and Compass Media Networks will also share insights into their contributions, which include sales, marketing and product design responsibilities.

Compass Media Networks, who will lead the sales and marketing efforts, is among the fastest growing radio networks in North America, offering a large portfolio of branded audio programs that reach tens of millions of listeners daily on broadcast and streaming platforms. Their Yamanair division has been the leader in providing spec commercials and creative services to radio broadcasters over the past decade through their Specbyte and Cash by Creative product lines which currently serve thousands of radio stations. SpecAI will expand this portfolio for local radio sales teams.

"AI adoption has swiftly moved forward over the last few months, and as the largest player in spec commercials for over 10 years we recognised it was time to offer an AI solution for our clients," said Hiram Lazar, Chief Financial Officer, Compass Radio Networks. "Using Benztown's libraries, we can now give our clients the option to produce ads with an AI voice or a live voice to customise prerecorded spec commercials."

Benztown, a longtime ENCO partner, is a global leader in radio imaging, production library, programming, podcasting, jingles, and voiceover services with more than 3,000 affiliations on six different continents. Benztown will supplement Compass Media Networks’ sales and marketing efforts with an emphasis on international clients.

Benztown and Compass Media Networks have worked closely with ENCO’s engineering team on SpecAI’s development. Specifically, Benztown has added their sonic design expertise to the solution, including user-selectable music beds that run underneath the AI voice while Compass Media Networks added their user interface expertise from their Specbyte and Cash by Creative platforms.

SpecAI’s workflow is simple. The user, typically an account executive within a media organization, first answers a few questions to determine spot length (30 or 60 seconds), writing style (casual, humorous, uplifting), and sponsor details (company name, address), using a web browser or mobile device. SpecAI generates three scripts to choose from, which users can manually be edited or re-generated through phonetics to perfect the copy. The user then selects their preferred sound of the AI voice and music bed underneath before downloading the final down-mixed audio file. The process can be completed in seconds.

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