Do your podcast ads draw your target audience in or leave them out in the cold?
There's more to getting a perfect match with podcast advertising (aka podcast sponsorship) than you might think. As well as partnering with an appropriate show, the ad copy should resonate with the listeners. Otherwise, that podcast ad spend is a waste of money and time.
One of the best ways to learn is to study the masters. We've selected four top podcast advertisers who've mastered the art of designing ads to match a podcast and its audience.
Let's dive into their campaigns to see how they match their podcast advertising with each audience. We can't know how effective the ads were on each podcast, but our analysis show what we think worked based on how these factors interact:
- Niche
- Target audience
- Messaging
We'll learn from some of the most popular podcast sponsors and see how Rephonic helps you discover great partners for your next podcast advertising campaign.
Manscaped
Arguably one of the best podcast sponsors in its industry, Manscaped sells grooming products designed for men's "most delicate parts." Products include the "Weed Whacker"(shaver), the Crop Preserver (deodorant) and anti-chafing boxers, to name a few.
Their brand messaging is bold, humorous and high-end, featuring gold and black colors, and names like "The Perfect Package". It's no surprise that Manscaped's top genre in podcast advertising is the comedy category.
Manscaped podcast ad example:
Host-read ads work particularly well when the podcast host injects their personality into the mix. In the Valentine's Day ad below, Nick Viall uses his tone of voice and well-timed pauses to sound humorous and natural.
Rephonic's podcast data indicates that The Viall Files' audience is highly engaged and skews female. The script speaks to that audience with lines like: "Valentine's Day's coming up and ladies if you're looking for the perfect gift for your man..."
The entire advertisement exudes authenticity and genuineness. One notable humorous yet relatable point is Nick's line, "instead of him having to use your razor or clippers - which they do!" Ali and Amanda chime in to support this statement, further enhancing the ad's humor and relatability. Nick's endorsement as a male offers validation, while his co-hosts provide a feminine perspective by emphasizing the convenience of purchasing the platinum bundle, which eliminates the hassle of decision-making.
Overall, the ad seamlessly connects with The Viall Files' engaged and predominantly female audience, making it both entertaining and relatable.
BetterHelp
Also one of the top podcast advertisers, BetterHelp is an online therapy company aiming to make professional therapy affordable and convenient. Their team of trained professionals is there to help anyone who struggles with life's challenges or wants to become more self-aware.
Their brand messaging often centers around happiness: e.g., "Personalized Therapy for a Happier You" and "You deserve to be happy." Perhaps that's why Magellan AI listed the comedy genre as BetterHelp's most-used advertising category in 2022, as comedy makes us laugh.
BetterHelp podcast ad examples:
The Moth is a storytelling podcast in the Arts category, so it's no surprise that the host-read ad below starts with a story. The host's tale of spontaneously deciding to walk to work made her realize how happy she was—and how she missed such simple pleasures during the 2020 lockdown. The script links seamlessly to therapy leading to self-awareness and the online brand.
Rephonic shows related podcasts as a dynamic 3D graph. Selecting a podcast icon connects you with their Rephonic page. If your business or brand's target customer clicks with The Moth, this 3D graph could easily lead you to podcasts with similar audiences.
According to Rephonic's data, The Moth's audience skews female. So, this ad uses a female voice, and the story talks about friendship, small moments and self-awareness in a way that will likely resonate with listeners.
Next we analyzed another BetterHelp ad. At first glance, a sports podcast like the Fantasy Footballers - Fantasy Football Podcast might not be an obvious ad choice for an online therapy company. You'd think that wellbeing shows would be a better fit.
But audiences of wellbeing shows are probably already well aware of therapy's benefits and are arguably more likely to have already started that journey. This ad targets an audience where therapy may not be so common and normalizes the idea, benefiting from the host's ability to connect with listeners.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh is another one of the most well-known brands that advertise on podcasts. A meal kit delivery offering food boxes, recipes and meal plans, HelloFresh delivers straight to your door. The company calls its customers to "take the stress out of mealtime," reminding them that HelloFresh represents convenience, fun, togetherness, and developing good health through quality food.
HelloFresh podcast ad example:
Consider This episodes feature one daily news or culture story with the podcast's audience skews male, according to Rephonic's data.
In keeping with the factual nature of news, this pre-recorded ad mentions surveys and stats: "According to a recent HelloFresh survey, 43% of people said they've ended relationships if their partner was a bad cook."
The fact reflects the formal nature of news but it has a sense of humor to it and the voiceover draws inspiration from text-to-audio AI features on social media that HelloFresh's target audience of millennials will be familiar with.
Listening to episodes should always be part of the drill when assessing the suitability of a podcast and producing an effective ad, so click the blue Listen button when viewing a podcast page on Rephonic to play recent episodes.
Athletic Greens
Athletic Greens (now called AG1) is a nutritional product offering "comprehensive nutrition and gut health benefits in one daily scoop." In keeping with its focus on optimum health and performance, AG1 often focuses its ad spend on podcasts in the sports category.
Athletic Greens podcast ad examples:
Tim Ferriss is a celebrity and famous for books like 'The Four Hour Week' and 'The Four Hour Body.' In The Tim Ferriss Show, he interviews an eclectic mix of world-class performers and speaks to an audience that's always on the lookout for tips to improve their own performance.
The host-read ad below is a complete endorsement of the product, with Tim showing that he's a long-time fan of AG1. This personal touch appeals to his fans and lends weight because of his proven high-performance celebrity status. He backs up his opinion with many reasons why AG1 is a worthy nutritional supplement.
Rephonic shows that Tim Ferris has over five million followers and subscribers on social media, so his endorsement is likely to be hugely influential. Social reach is therefore another important factor to consider when lining up podcast sponsorships.
Next we looked at an AG1 ad on The Huberman Lab. Huberman may not have the same celebrity status as Tim Ferriss, but as a Stanford Professor, he lends academic and scientific weight to his recommendation of a health product. The Huberman Lab podcast features many equally distinguished guests who discuss how our brain and organs affect our perceptions, behavior and health. It's a natural fit for AG1 which also broadcasts a 'look after your body' message.
The host-read ad includes a personal endorsement right up front—Huberman himself has taken AG1 since 2012—and goes on to explain how the ingredients help your gut health, particularly addressing the importance of pre-and pro-biotics. This clinical approach fits with a scientific podcast.
Final thoughts
So... what have we discovered in our deep dive of some of the most popular podcast advertisers?
Niche, target audience and messaging are closely intertwined.
We've seen that it's important to think about the niche or topic. It doesn't always have to be the obvious ones—think BetterHelp and its sports podcast ads.
And it's vital to consider your customer demographics. Are your target customers male? Female? Young? Middle-aged? Retired? Understanding the demographics will help guide both the choice of podcasts and your ad messaging.
How can you package your message so it has the most impact? Think Manscaped and its 'buy a gift' ad content that uses the male and female hosts' humorous yet genuine perspectives.
Looking to advertise on podcasts?
Rephonic is used by podcast sponsors to find shows in your niche and filter by listener numbers, gender skew, social reach and lots more. You can listen to previous podcast episodes on the platform and get the contact emails you need to reach out.
