With each major release of new functionality and improvements throughout NPR.org's responsive redesign project, NPR also launches innovative new digital formats for its corporate sponsorship partners, including Center Stage, Main Stage and Interactive Halo Units.
Today marks the culmination of this cross-platform effort with the launch of NPR.org's new audio player. In addition to improving overall site stability and user experience, the audio player establishes a robust audio sponsorship strategy for NPR's digital platforms and introduces new products - Supported Selections, Supported Podcasts and Mobile Audio Sponsorship.
Supported Selections & Podcasts
NPR's sponsorship team (National Public Media) has focused efforts on developing models for content alignment that remain true to our standards for journalistic excellence and sponsorship of substance.
Available in both the new NPR.org audio player and in NPR One, Supported Selections offers a set of existing NPR stories around a sponsor's campaign themes. Each collection is curated by NPR's sponsorship team, allowing NPR to feature timely and archival audio content that users may have otherwise missed, while offering more agility in sponsorship and revenue packaging.
Bringing storytelling expertise to bear for supporting brands and audiences, these collections are presented to users through an audio promo as they are listening in the new player. Users will have the option to play these stories immediately or to add the stories to their queue.
The NPR.org audio player and NPR One will also feature Supported Podcasts. As with Supported Selections, users will be presented with a sponsorship promo for specific NPR podcast episodes. Each promo includes additional recognition for the program's primary mid-roll sponsor.
Sponsor Recognition Includes:
Supported Selections:
Supported Podcasts:
Supported Podcasts Demo
Supported Selections are the audio extension of NPR's popular Halo Units, a digital sponsorship product that promotes an NPR series, collection or program.
Mobile Sponsorship
In addition to these custom sponsorship products, the NPR.org audio player will add new mobile audio sponsorship opportunities. On mobile, the sponsorship product will consist of a 15-second audio sponsorship message and a branded, tappable image. As with all of NPR mobile sponsorship products, images will be high resolution and optimized for mobile devices.
What's Next
NPR's digital audience is growing and as NPR develops new digital platforms for its content, NPM's Sponsorship Product Team will continue to create products that bring value to both sponsors and users with design that respects NPR's journalism and the site's award-winning user experience and aesthetic.
To find demos and more information about these new sponsorship products, visit NationalPublicMedia.com.
Erica Osher is the Director of NPR's Sponsorship Product Team (SPT). This team works in close collaboration with NPR Digital Media to design and develop new recognition opportunities for NPR's corporate sponsors. SPT also designs and builds all custom sponsorship creative to bring value to NPR's sponsors while adhering to NPR aesthetic and guidelines.
Updated March 30, 2016 with new demos and clarification on the format of Supported Selections and Podcasts.
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