| Recent
Articles |
Social Media Burying Marketers
Now that Chevy has demonstrated how an advertising campaign can work with some online tools and lots of user participation, the era of the high-priced ad agency account could be viewing a blood-red sunset.
Enterprise RSS Feeds
The Gilbane Content Management Conference - Although content management systems are based on XML technology, not many offer RSS feeds.
New GM Blog Launches
General Motors launched a new blog Wenesday, the FYI Blog. In an introductory post, GM's director of new media, Michael Wiley...
P&G Expands Word of Mouth Efforts
Using Tremor's hard-earned insights on word of mouth (WOM) marketing to teens, P&G is asking Mom to spread the word through its new WOM venture, Vocalpoint.
Microsoft Most Powerful Global Brand
Brand consultancy Millward Brown Optimor named Microsoft the most powerful global brand.
Castrol Gets Down with Podcasting
Call me silly, but I like this idea. Castrol Syntec has a podcast series on racing, music, and a little bit of motor oil. It's hosted by Funkmaster Flex.
Another Company Goes Blog Only
Bob Cagill sees a trend. First, Union Square Ventures
shed its Web site entirely in favor of going all blog.
Then, shocker of all shockers, an ad agency followed...
Get Down with the People
Today I participated in a meeting with a group of senior marketers from one of the largest global companies in the world.
Quote of the Week: Ev on MSN Branding
This made me laugh out loud... and then cry...
Training with the Perfect Integrated Marketing Machine
"Da Da Da. Da Da Da." Not to be confused with The Police song "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" from 1983's ZENYATTA MONDATTA album.
|
|
05.16.06
Building A Brand With Podcasts
 By
David A. Utter
Speakers at a morning session at the Syndicate Conference discussed ways to use one form of syndication, the podcast, to build and enhance a brand name.
Paul Gillin moderated the Build Brands Through Compelling Podcast Content session, and our Mike McDonald took in the podcasting love.
A few speakers accompanied Gillin in the discussion: Audrey Reed-Granger, Director, Public Relations, Whirlpool; Gretchen Vogelzang and Paige Heninger, Co-Hosts, MommyCast.com; and Scott Sigler, Director of Marketing, SNP Communications.
Their opinions varied on the planning involved with a podcast, and Sigler and Vogelzang both noted how the spontaneous approach has its place. "We had no planning at all. We feel like that sense of spontaneous happening has worked out very well for us," Vogelzang said of MommyCast.
Sigler noted how planning can run the gamut from no planning to satisfying the needs of multiple partners on projects when coherence of the message is much more important.
He also reflected on the importance of production quality. When working with C-level executives, Sigler said they do pre-interviews. This gives them material to use to get the podcast done quickly and more efficiently.
Reed-Granger said she felt Whirlpool's listeners appreciate a mix of polish and spontaneity in their productions, and that helps with brand management.
MommyCast focuses on integrating the marketing message into the content. Vogelzang said 30-second spots in the middle of a podcast aren't as effective. She also cited the NPR method of announcing "this show is sponsored by..." but still feels the content integration works best.
| Discover the most powerful way to achieve direct
response and brand marketing results. Learn
More |
|
Vogelzang said their site began drawing sponsors through the presence of a traditional bit of promotional material: the press kit. Her husband placed one online for Mommycast, and their first sponsorship came to them after listening to the show.
Despite having a recognizable brand name, Reed-Granger said listeners to the Whirlpool podcasts tend not to find them from Whirlpool's homepage. Instead, positive word-of-mouth has built their listenership. For Sigler's clients, the corporate websites drive traffic from their networks.
When asked about editorial standards versus sponsor messages, Vogelzang said, "We are very up front with our audience. We know that moms will see right thru an ad. We don't accept sponsorships from any sponsors we dont feel like we can stand behind 100%. Our sponsors actually look forward to the kind of feedback that our podcast will generate."
The speakers differed on the length of podcasts, from 25 to 45 minutes. Generally, the length tends to depend on the topics discussed, guest interviews, and getting the message out in the time it takes to do so.
About
the Author:
David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering
technology and business. |
|
