Author Tom HornPosted on Categories Content Marketing, Digital Marketing, Online Reputation Management, Podcast, Public Relations, Video ProductionIn the last decade, podcasting was often described by marketers as a ‘boom’, or ‘trend’. But things have evolved: these days, it’s as important a part of the media landscape as TV, radio, or newspapers. Podcasting is no longer a fringe industry full of eccentrics – there’s a whole sector built around producing and marketing them.
Naturally, every brand wants in, with business leaders keen to appear on others’ shows and even host their own. It’s understandable: podcasting is now one of the hardest platforms to break into as it’s so crowded, but it offers some of the biggest and best returns, with podcast audiences listening for longer and engaging more than with any other medium.
In other words, if you build a loyal podcast following, you build a highly engaged community around you and your brand.
Cutting through
It’s tough for brands to build a podcast which can break through when it’s up against the likes of Emily Maitlis, Romesh Ranganathan, and Gary Lineker.
So how do you balance brand messaging against making an entertaining show people actually want to listen to?
One show has rewritten the rulebook on how to build a successful branded show: Waitrose’s Dish.
Dish: The recipe for success
A chat show hosted over a meal and a drink, the podcast has become a monster success. Waitrose’s parent company, John Lewis, claims it’s the “world’s most successful branded podcast”, with over one billion downloads, views and listens since 2022.
It’s no surprise: the show has two stellar hosts in BBC presenter Nick Grimshaw and Michelin Star chef Angela Harnett, and has attracted top guests including Tom Holland, Kiera Knightley, and Gordon Ramsey.
But there’s far more to it than that. The show has a distinctly ‘Waitrose’ feel that’s premium but friendly and accessible – a highly listenable offering without deviating from the brand’s identity.
It gives listeners another touchpoint to connect with the brand and its values, and a great platform for Waitrose to push its key messages.
By centring the show around cooking a meal, there are plenty of natural opportunities to showcase Waitrose’s food knowledge and expertise, and natural opportunities to push a new or seasonal product by including it in that week’s recipe.
The results speak for themselves. 78% of listeners said that Dish had encouraged them to shop more frequently at Waitrose. Research also discovered that the more episodes listeners engaged with, the more likely they were to associate Waitrose with helping them discover new products, food trends and cooking skills.
So, by creating a fun and engaging show consumers wanted to listen to, Waitrose drove sales, boosted new product launches, and built a stronger brand listeners felt they could connect with. Win, win, win.
How to make something people want to listen to
- Content first, brand second – The first question you ask yourself should be ‘what do people want to listen to?’, not ‘what messaging do I want to push?’ You need to build a loyal audience before you push your brand.
- Build a show that’s a natural fit – Find a topic and a format which feel like a natural fit for you and the audience you want to reach. This will make brand mentions and communicating key messages feel less jarring.
- Follow your audience – When podcast consumption shifted from audio-first to video-first, Dish followed, upping the production values and creating a visual-first show. This kept growth sustainable, as audio-first offerings declined in popularity – know what your audience want and give it to them.
- Invest in marketing – It might seem counterproductive to market a marketing tool, but in a crowded field it’s become an essential. Investing in your podcast means investing in building a loyal, engaged community around your brand.
If you’d like support with starting or marketing a branded podcast, visit: Podcasting Agency Leeds | Podcast Production | Prohibition PR
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