Be in the Know
- Panera has a contest giving away baguette-cut rings…in the cutest bread bowl ring box you ever did see
- Dr. Evil from Austin Powers is returning for General Motor’s Super Bowl ad (we hope there will be some freakin’ laser beams involved)
- Ulta Beauty released an “Ode to Black Beauty” with poet Jasmine Mans
- Meat and cheese company Dietz & Watson made “Emotional Support Dogs” to break out in case of a big game loss
The DOs and DON’Ts of Writing Host-Read Ads
The trick to podcast ads is to make them sound like a natural extension of the show they are listening to. But how the heck do you do that? Host-read podcast ads are a great way to add that layer of endorsement from the host, but it has to sound authentic.
SXM Media (the owners of Pandora, Sirius XM, and Sticher) gave all the things when it comes to host-read podcast ads. Let’s break them down:
THE BASIC STRUCTURE:
Intro + Overview + Personal Experience + CTA
- Intro: What is your product/service/brand? Any problems it solves?
- Overview: Why should listeners care? If you didn’t cover what solutions it can be in your intro, now is the time.
- Personal Experience: What did the hosts think about it? This is what makes a host-read ad so great!
- Call-To-Action: Where can you direct listeners?
THE DOS:
DO give your hosts plenty of broad bullet points that hosts can use, but don’t get too bogged down with details. Keep it to the essentials only.
DO fit the show. If you’re advertising on a true-crime podcast…read the room on how they approach their content. If it’s light-hearted, your ad can be, too. If it’s serious, avoid anything leaning too far into comedy.
DO remember the POV. Your ad is coming from the host, not from your brand directly.
THE DON’TS:
DON’T try to control the host(s)! Help your ad stay genuine by providing copy points that give hosts the framework to speak naturally.
DON’T shy from announcer-read spots. Announcers are still essential to a podcast and listeners expect them to be ingrained in the show as well. You just may need to switch from a first-person perspective for the reading.
Check out SXM Media’s full post for real copy examples!
Q for You
Pollfish
If you couldn’t tell from the Q’s we ask you guys daily, we’re big fans of polls. There are a lot of reasons to use surveys and polls, business intel being one of the biggest.
Pollfish makes it easy to design surveys, distribute them, and analyze results. By being able to poll your target audience and convert their responses into insights, you can make more informed business decisions. Check out their market research platform to see what you can learn about your audiences.
Work With Carney
You got the brand. We got the team.
Carney does sites, design, and everything in between.
Okay, we won’t list rhyming on our list of skills, but the list runs pretty long…
Hit us up to see what our team of creative, strategic, technical pros we can do for your brand!
Watch
What Kind of Texter are You?
Match.com released a series of ads part of their “Adults Date Better” campaign all about being your genuine self for online and in-person dating. This relatable ad is all about sending someone back to back texts and not “playing it cool” or trying to be chill. And that’s chill!
