How OSEA Measured the Incremental Impact of Programmatic Podcast Ads Across Shopify, Amazon, Ulta, and More

Skincare staple OSEA wanted to test whether programmatic podcast buys could drive incremental revenue for their business. As an omnichannel brand selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) as well as through Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, Amazon, and other retailers, it was essential to measure the impact of paid media across all sales channels. To better understand this new channel’s impact on revenue, they partnered with their podcast agency, Ad Results Media, and Haus to test its viability.

OSEA designed a 2-cell new channel lift test in Haus that would run for two weeks, along with a two-week post-treatment observational window. They focused the experiment on their primary KPI, net new revenue, but additionally measured the impact on Amazon, Ulta Beauty, and Nordstrom revenue. 

Although spend on programmatic podcast ads was small compared to OSEA’s primary channels, the tactic proved highly efficient and drove significant incremental revenue. The incremental return on ad spend (iROAS) on Shopify alone exceeded their goal by 54% — while total omnichannel iROAS was even 4X their business goal. 

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While the primary objective was to drive new customer revenue on Shopify, understanding the impact across all sales channels helped OSEA determine how programmatic podcast advertising fits into their media mix. Given the strong results, OSEA is increasing its investment in programmatic podcast advertising with greater confidence. They are also making strategic creative optimizations to further amplify omnichannel growth, knowing this channel contributes meaningfully to overall performance.