The Wall Street Journal today has a story about the corporate world’s nascent use of podcasting to sell things, or at least build brand awareness. The piece opens with a scene from a podcast by teens, for teens, and it is has a not-so-subtle plug for contact lenses:
On one of their recent podcasts, high school seniors Heather and Jonelle bantered about guys, music and whether it’s acceptable to wear sweatpants to class. Heather also announced that she broke up with her boyfriend because they were "total opposites."
Right after a segment on the "hottie of the week" (a student named Harry, who plays the saxophone and likes "any girl with a great personality"), Heather paused before announcing: "Here’s a big shout-out to our sponsor: Acuvue brand contact lenses." Heather noted that Acuvue is offering a free trial pair of contact lenses, "while supplies last."
This kind of podcasting isn’t over-the-top advertising – it is about becoming part of a person’s life. That may sound creepy, but it’s the only way to break through the clutter of daily life. Podcasting is cheap and a good way to build a niche audience around a certain product, message or idea.
Advertisement
