Brand Podcasts
By Cliff Dumas
How effective is podcasting for Brands? Fast Company called branded podcasts “the ads people actually want to listen to.” But they’re not strictly advertising or promotional. The best branded podcasts still stick to the core of what makes a good podcast: great storytelling, compelling conversations, and content people want to hear.
Podcasts are an exceptional way to reach people who typically avoid ads. Podcasting, used correctly for brands, is a powerful storytelling tool. Effective Storytelling is not show business, it’s good business. The most fundamental challenge brands face in the “attention economy”: how do you capture people’s attention? How do you override the natural tendency for your audience’s mind to skip away from whatever you asking them to read, watch or learn? By telling stories. 93% of Podcast listeners listen to all or most of each episode!
Here is a list of brand driven podcasts featured in a blog from Backtracks.
1. “The Message” by GE
“The Message,” is a science fiction podcast in a journalistic style. In the podcast, scientists work to decode extraterrestrial messages using real technology developed and sold by General Electric. Currently in development is a new science fiction story from the same team titled “Life After.”
“The Message” and its follow up podcast series create engaging stories that listeners can enjoy while communicating the brand messaging about existing GE technologies. Listen to “The Message” here.
2. “The Sauce” by McDonald’s
McDonalds’ podcast production is unique, addressing a public relations problem created by limited distribution of a particularly popular sauce. Created in early 2018, the podcast follows the investigative format popularized by the popular podcast “Serial.”
The concept of addressing a PR problem directly through creative use of content marketing is an effective and unique strategy to rebuild a brand’s message. Check out “The Sauce.”
3. #LIPSTORIES by Sephora Collection
#LIPSTORIES, a podcast created by Girlboss Radio in partnership with Sephora celebrates a line of lipsticks and the women that inspire them. Each podcast episode features an influential woman telling her own #LIPSTORIES and seeks to encourage other female leaders, creators, and activists.
The #LIPSTORIES podcast takes a strong approach to content marketing, using a recognizable product to communicate an important and empowering message through engaging and uplifting stories. Listen to #LIPSTORIES on iTunes.
Why should you consider a podcast as part of your brand strategy? Podcast listening is growing exponentially. A 2020 IAB survey found that podcasts out-performed TV ads by 22% on measures of engagement, emotional intensity and memory encoding. Spotify is up 200%, iHeartRadio has experienced a 35% increase in podcast downloads in March alone. 51% of Americans and 36% of Canadians have listened to a podcast in the last month. Podcasting has emerged as the fastest growing way for brands to reach their audience with relevant and engaging content.
Discover more about Everything Podcasts turnkey podcasting solution for brands.