As podcasts grow in popularity, they are becoming an important addition to every brand and publisher’s media mix and can help them grow their audience as well as build trust with listeners. One example of a magazine that has seen success in podcasting is PodPod’s sister title Campaign, which has now launched a new podcast under its Media Week brand, led by media experts across the industry.
Industry recommendations this week include representatives from brands that have also seen an advantage in podcasting such as HSBC UK and Puffin, having invested into the space via branded podcasts and sponsorships.
What’s in the industry’s ears?
Jimmy McLoughlin OBE - Host, Jimmy’s Jobs Of The Future
I’m currently listening to My First Million; once you get past the ‘tech-bro’ nature of the podcast, there are some fascinating nuggets of conversation. Last week’s episode focused on how individual people can build £50 million-plus businesses - inspiration for solo podcasters everywhere!
Nic Newman - Journalist and Reuters research associate
The one that I've been listening to a lot recently is People vs Algorithms. It’s hosted by Brian Morrissey, Alex Schleifer and Troy Young, and it's partly the relationship they have. It's very high quality; you’re really learning and thinking through some of the really key issues around digital media.
Sarah Mayall - Head of brand marketing, HSBC UK
I listen to a few podcasts on rotation depending on my day and what I am doing. The last podcast I listened to was Today In History with The Retrospectors. I generally listen to podcasts on my commute but as I was working from home this morning, it was a dose of history in 10 minutes before I started work.
Sarah Maclean - Brand marketing manager, Puffin
I’ve been listening to No Such Thing As A Fish from the Qi researchers. I think it was initially recommended to me by someone who I used to work with, and it was just the perfect light-hearted show. You also pick up some really strange, fun facts from it too, but then I ended up listening to it just for the hosts and their chemistry with one another - I think you can tell that they are really great friends.
DJ Billy Andrews - Co-host, The Gossip Gays podcast
I listen to This Might Get Weird. It's about two friends and they just talk about their lives. They were YouTubers back in the day, and then that has kind of dwindled away and now they’re podcasting. I just really love their energy - they’re always fun, they always make me laugh and I do listen religiously every week.
Freshly Dropped
True Spies
Spyscape’s popular true-crime podcast True Spies returned for its latest season on Monday this week, with Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley as the new host and narrator. The new season is titled The Oswald Project and tells the story of the alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, played by Fight Club actor Edward Norton.
Media Week Podcast
After a successful pilot episode, Media Week has officially launched its own podcast created “for media people by media people”. The Media Week Podcast, which launched on 12 July, is hosted by Wavemaker global account director Bukky Moekmeke, MiQ agency director Charlie Bolton, Publicis global account director Harriet Davis, and Craft Media group planning director Jack Winter.
Everything You Never Knew About Whaling
Freakonomics Radio has launched a special three-episode miniseries on the history of whale-hunting, which remains active to this day. The first episode, hosted by author and journalist Stephen Dubner, is titled ‘The First Great American Industry’ and went out 12 July on all podcast platforms. The next two episodes of the Everything You Never Knew About Whaling podcast will continue to come out weekly on Wednesdays.
Chanel Connects
Branded arts and culture podcast Chanel Connects made a return for its third season on 11 July, and features host and Chanel’s global head of arts and culture Yana Peel in conversation with global change makers including actress Penélope Cruz, architect Frida Escobedo, entrepreneur Jon Gray, designer Yinka Ilori, composer Kelsey Lu, and digital artist Sarah Meyohas. The first episode premiered on Tuesday and will continue to be released weekly.
They Like To Watch
Comedian Sara Barron and her husband radio presenter Geoff Lloyd are the hosts of a new podcast under the Acast Creator Network, titled They Like To Watch. The podcast, which is a spinoff from Succession companion podcast Firecrotch & Normcore, features the couple in conversation with well-known guests about the latest shows on TV including Black Mirror’s Charlie Brooker & Bisha K Ali in episode one, which launched 11 July.
