10 Branded Podcasts to Fuel Your Brand's Podcast Journey
“Podcasting is a great way to reach a highly targeted and engaged audience, and to build relationships with your listeners.” – Pat Flynn
Why Branded Podcasts?
🎙️ U.S. Podcast audience nears landmark 100 million weekly listeners and branded podcasts are becoming a favourite tool for businesses looking to connect with their audience. Here’s why they’re growing so fast in popularity:
Authenticity:
Podcasts let brands tell real, relatable stories that showcase their personality, creating a stronger bond with listeners.
Engagement:
The immersive nature of podcasts means listeners spend more time with the content, leading to higher engagement compared to other media.
Brand Loyalty:
Offering valuable and entertaining content helps brands cultivate a loyal following that feels personally connected to them, boosting customer loyalty and advocacy.
Wide Reach:
Podcasts are easily accessible on various platforms, helping brands reach a diverse and broad audience.
Thought Leadership:
By sharing insights and expertise, brands can position themselves as industry leaders, building credibility and trust.
Cost-Effective:
Podcasts are a more affordable way to engage an audience compared to traditional advertising, offering a high return on investment.
With that said, here are 10 of our favourite branded podcasts that are proof of the effectiveness of podcasts!
1. Duolingo Spanish Podcast
Brand: Duolingo
Description:
“True stories for English speakers learning Spanish. From the makers of Duolingo, the most popular language-learning app, comes a new podcast that delivers fascinating real-life stories in easy-to-understand Spanish with English narration. These are not language lessons; they’re life lessons through language.”
💡 Why it works: It's like sitting down with a friend who speaks Spanish fluently and hearing engaging stories unfold in a language you're learning. It makes you feel connected to the culture and more motivated to continue your language journey with Duolingo.
2. #LIPSTORIES
Brand: Sephora
Description:
"Presented by the Girlboss Radio Network in partnership with Sephora Collection, #LIPSTORIES is guided by our charismatic and friendly host, Kristina Zias, who will be joined by a rotating cast of guests for relaxed, fun, and honest chats about self-image and how we can all be a little more confident. Guests recount their favorite memories—from childhood to today—where they felt beautiful, powerful, or like their best selves."
💡 Why it works: Imagine yourself at a gathering with friends, chatting openly about self-image and confidence over a cup of coffee. It's refreshing, relatable, and fosters a deeper connection with their audience beyond just beauty products.
3. Work in Progress
Brand: Slack
Description:
"Behind every working human, there’s a story. Work in Progress is a new show about the meaning and identity we find in work. Each week, hear stories of personal ambition and debilitating insecurities, great successes and abject failures, the plans we make and the luck that…happens."
💡 Why it works: It's as if you're listening to colleagues share their work stories over lunch, where the conversation veers from laughter to moments of vulnerability. It humanises the corporate brand and reflects Slack's values of empathy and understanding in the workplace.
4. Around the Barrel
Brand: Jack Daniel’s
Description:
"Stories always get better in the retelling. And in the case of Mr. Jack Daniel, the distillery that bears his name, and the world-famous whiskey that emerges from the hollows of Lynchburg, Tennessee, there is no shortage of stories to be told. Lucas Hendrickson hosts Around the Barrel as we set out to tell those stories. Your friends at Jack Daniel’s remind you to drink responsibly."
💡 Why it works: It's all about the storytelling tradition, passed down through generations, much like the craftsmanship behind Jack Daniel's whiskey. By sharing tales from the heart of Tennessee, it adds depth and flavour to the brand, making it more than just a drink and encouraging brand loyalty and appreciation for the product
5. Search Off the Record
Brand: Google
Description:
"Search Off the Record takes you behind the scenes of Google Search and its inner workings! In each episode, the folks from the Search Relations team will give you background info on the decision-making behind launches, feature prioritization in Search Console, and the projects Google Search teams are working on. They will share fun stories from the many conferences they attend as well as from their day-to-day working life at Google. They will also dive into the currently trending conversations in the SEO community at large. Have a listen!"
💡 Why it works: A backstage pass to Google's inner workings, where engineers pull back the curtain and who spill the tea on all things search-related in a laid-back, conversational tone. It positions Google as a transparent and approachable authority in the world of SEO, building trust with the audience.
6. Out Travel the System
Brand: Expedia
Description:
"Even when we’re not going anywhere, we’re planning our next adventure. As a global leader in travel, Expedia has created this entertaining podcast offering travel information and ideas so you can learn and get inspired. Before you embark on your next trip, join host Nisreene Atassi to swap tips with travel experts and industry insiders, as well as people just like you who have great travel stories to share. Subscribe today, and learn to navigate the online travel booking space and Out Travel The System."
💡 Why it works: By featuring travel experts and real travellers, it positions Expedia as a trusted resource for travel planning, enhancing brand credibility and engagement with the audience.
7. Know It All
Brand: Netflix
Description:
"Know It All is the Netflix podcast hosted by AsapSCIENCE Every other Wednesday, Mitch and Greg will look for the answers to all the questions that come up while watching Netflix shows."
💡 Why it works: It offers a fun and informative companion to Netflix shows. By exploring the science and trivia behind popular series, it deepens viewers' engagement with Netflix content while showcasing the platform's diverse range of programming.
8. IdeaCast
Brand: Harvard Business Review
Description:
"A weekly podcast featuring the leading thinkers in business and management."
💡 Why it works: It's like attending a high-powered business conference without having to leave your home or car (or wherever you listen to podcasts). It solidifies HBR's reputation as a trusted source of business knowledge, attracting a loyal audience of professionals and entrepreneurs seeking to stay informed and inspired.
9. Dior Talks
Brand: Dior
Description:
"Step inside the contemporary Dior mind with ‘Dior Talks’, a series of podcasts aimed at bringing together both the people who directly shape the creative direction of the House and those whose artistic, cultural or intellectual impact influence its narrative.
The sixth series, ‘Feminism’, focuses on the women who have inspired Maria Grazia Chiuri, both professionally and personally, and who have been involved in the bold collaborations with the House that the Creative Director of Women’s collections has orchestrated and championed since her arrival in 2016. These podcasts provide a stimulating outlet for the voices of these influential and empowered figures, who talk openly and honestly about their lives, their motivations, the challenges they’ve overcome and their hopes for the future."
💡 Why it works: It provides a glimpse into the creative minds shaping the iconic fashion house and adds depth to the Dior brand, positioning it as not just a fashion house but also a platform for meaningful dialogue, adding credibility.
The Sauce
Brand: McDonalds
Description:
"When a long-forgotten McDonald's sauce gets a surprise shout-out from a popular TV show, the company's team scrambles to recreate the old recipe that fans are ceaselessly demanding."
💡 Why it works: It capitalises on nostalgia and pop culture by revisiting a forgotten McDonald's sauce, creating buzz and anticipation among fans. The behind-the-scenes look at the sauce's revival adds intrigue and draws listeners into the brand's story.
Final Thoughts
As you've seen, each one works in its own way. Branded podcasts are undoubtedly a powerful tool for businesses, they’re a way for companies to show their personality and values without shoving products in your face!
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Inspired by these amazing examples? Take this quiz to help you find out if your business is ready to launch a branded podcast and provide actionable guidance towards making it happen. ⬇️