adStream is a journal of ad-stalking and interesting commercial sightings in streaming audio services.
Following our examination of native advertising growth for streaming audio, we were on the prowl for live campaign examples. We found two instances of a podcast campaign by Casper mattresses, and those two examples demonstrate the range of ad-libbing that is possible when a podcast host is responsible for the marketing presentation.
First, we heard the campaign in one of the world’s most successful podcasts, NPR’s Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, a perennial top-10 program in iTunes. Host Peter Sagal read the spot with a couple of careful (and possibly scripted) ad-libs:
Soon after hearing that spot, we captured another read in the Longform podcast, read by co-host Aaron Lammer. His freer style implies a personal relationship with Casper and the product, and represents the ideal of podcast native advertising: A direct recommendation from a trusted host. In this episode, Lammer’s co-host joins into the fun at the end.
Lex Friedman, who runs ad sales for Midroll Media, told RAIN News, ““It’s an intimate medium. When you listen to the podcast, it’s the host right in your ear. A kind of trust and respect develops for that host. The host can leverage that reputation with the listener.” That is exactly the promise Casper mattresses is betting on.
