Branded Podcasts vs Podcast Commercials

Traditionally, businesses purchased ad spots on radio and podcasts, but nowadays, brands are creating their own branded podcasts as a marketing strategy to further connect with their audience. But where exactly can we draw a difference between branded podcasts and podcast commercials? And how do they affect the audience differently?

Covered in this article: 

Branded podcasts for promotional purposes 

Branded podcasts are marketing strategies conducted by a brand that are not strictly promotional, but closely connected to the brand’s purpose and the message it wants to convey.  

In simple words: branded podcasts are podcasts created by the brand itself. 

A branded podcast is especially appealing to the audience as it dives into a specific topic or story related to the brand’s purpose, often featuring experts and relevant guests. It is important to note that advertising is kept to a minimum and the host company is barely mentioned. 

Podcasts can lend credibility to a brand and drive deeper customer engagement. 

Podcast Commercials and how they function

Audio commercials are paid advertisements that run on other people’s podcasts with the purpose of promoting a company’s products or services. In simple words: advertisements create a problem and then offer us a solution to it. There is a difference between host read ads, and pre-recorded ads. The classic host-read ad features the host speaking directly to the audience about the product or service. They are highly effective, because they come from a trustworthy source. Pre-recorded ads can either be fixed or dynamically added. Dynamic ad insertion reaches a podcast’s full audience, regardless of the episode they're on. 

Podcast commercials often employ a rather impersonal message to promote the brand and its products or services. 

Advertisements are repeated over and over again typically using the method of mass persuasion. Persuasive mass communication is intended to convince large groups of people of the importance and value that comes with the product. 

Comparison of Branded podcasts to Podcast Commercials 

Broadly speaking, it can be said that branded podcasts as well as podcast commercials follow the same purpose. Both aim to raise awareness of a brand, and moreover, create a positive impression about the brand in the minds of the consumers.

However they affect the audience in completely different ways. 

Branded podcasts create a loyal customer base by building trust and connection with the audience, whereas commercials are aimed at large target groups which are less engaged on an individual basis. 

Podcast commercials are strictly promotional and focused on the product, often presenting a distorted version of reality in order to appeal to the masses and possible consumers.

On the contrary, branded podcasts carry a message that is strongly tied to the brand’s purpose and are driven by a deep understanding of the audience’s values and what matters to them. 

Nowadays, marketing cannot solely focus purely on persuasion, because knowledge alone does not change the customer’s behaviour. 

More importantly, companies should make sure that every product or service they promote, and their way of advertising it, is in line with their values. Special attention should be given to the audience and what matters to them, as well as their needs and wants. 

Brands achieve the most success when the content they create for marketing is driven by purpose. Podcasts are the ideal medium for conveying this purpose, and as such, today’s business world increasingly relies on audio content for marketing.