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Strategy
11/4/2025
Which sectors can benefit from immersive podcasting?
Dior, Microsoft and General Electric have all launched branded podcasts. Other brands from all sectors have joined the audio content adventure. However, not all these brands have produced the same branded podcast. Sometimes it's the format that's different, the editorial angle or the guests. With the Calliopé team, we set out to find out what works, and have selected 4 examples of branded podcasts that we consider successful.
Ready to discover them? 1, 2, 3 scrollez!
1. Gatorade: The Secret to Victory
Presented by Dominique Foxworth, the podcast "The secret to victory" is a misnomer. In fact, the Gatorade brand is more about the reality behind defeat than the experience of the world's great athletes.
Gatorade interviewed some of the world's most successful sports personalities, including :
- Serena Williams,
- Peyton Manning,
- Eli Manning,
- Matt Ryan,
- J.J. Watt,
- Karl-Anthony Towns Jr,
- Kyle Schwarber
This classic interview format flies in the face of the logic that would have us talk only about these athletes' successes. Instead, we talk in depth about the athletes' ability to bounce back, their mental strength and the fear behind defeat.
Why does this format work?
Gatorade started with what works... associating the brand with popular athletes (like Nike, for example). The Secret to Victory combines the entertainment value of hearing larger-than-life celebrities in person, with inspiring messages that listeners can apply to their own lives.
2. Expedia - Out travel the system
Expedia could very well have focused on the beauty of travel, the travelers or the history of the destinations. But no! That would have been too simple! In its podcast Out travel the system, Expedia took the lead during the pandemic and quickly rolled out its podcast. The aim is to offer relevant, concrete and up-to-date information to help travelers organize their trips.
In fact, during the covid it was extremely complicated to know where :
- The evolution of restrictions,
- Destinations open to tourism,
- The cost of visas
We therefore found answers to questions such as :
- How do you plan your trip to destinations like Hawaii and Japan?
- How can you satisfy your love of food while staying safe?
- Family travel during covid?
Presenter Nisreene Atassi, takes the podcast a step further by evoking personal stories (and those of her guests) to give listeners useful information.
Why does this format work?
Expedia's podcast responds to concrete requests from potential users. During the covid, travelers were desperately looking for information on how to organize their trip. It's an excellent way for Expedia to support travelers in their quest, and above all... to justify its expertise!
3. BMW - Hypopolis
Like some of its competitors, the German brand could have opted for a podcast with a classic interview format. We follow the story of Hope Reiser, who awakens from a 30-year slumber in 2063, after being convicted of murder. As the story unfolds, the listener discovers that this character is convinced of her innocence and suspects that the real murderers are waiting for her to wake up and are watching her.
It's easy to get caught up in the game and, unlike our competitors, the product placements are extremely discreet.
Why does this format work?
BMW is banking here on the idea of transporting fans of its brand into a fictional story rather than pushing its products. It's a clever move, as the listener naturally comes to imagine a future world where BMW is still naturally present.
4. Ford - Bring back bronco
We all know the story of Ford's founder and his impact on :
- The auto industry
- The city of Detroit
- Work optimization
But few of us know the little stories that have marked the life of this pioneering automotive company. This bi-weekly podcast aims to do just that, with the story of "The Ford Bronco". Presenter Sonari Glinton goes on the road with this brand and explores why Ford abandoned this model. But above all, how Ford employees, fans of this model, did everything in their power to bring it back to life.
Why does this format work?
Here, Ford isn't trying to sell a new model, but, on the contrary, is surfing on the history of its brand. We're no longer dealing with content that tells the story through the eyes of an iconic brand and its employees. The brand's image, anchored in time, is all the stronger for it.
