Alternatve Media: Roles of Podcasts in Product & Brand Promotion

Chefs in hotels, cruise ships, and resorts, much like professionals in many other fields, constantly work around the clock to create new recipes that bring fresh flavors and wider options to their clients. While we’re not directly part of the hospitality industry, our footprint has been felt through event management services, signage solutions, and bespoke promotional items. At the same time, as chefs of our industry, we’ve never stopped exploring new ways to help our clients strengthen their promotional marketing efforts.

Recently, we returned to the drawing board. Not to move away from our core offerings; custom printing, packaging solutions, clothing manufacturing and many more—but to expand our portfolio with an exciting addition: a state-of-the-art podcast and photography studio for hire.

Why a Podcast Studio?
Podcasts have emerged as a powerful alternative form of media, serving many of the same functions as traditional mainstream platforms. In this blog, we’ll explore how podcasts fulfill facilitative, informative, and collaborative roles within the business and marketing landscape.

Facilitative Role:

Podcasts play a vital role in facilitating communication and interaction—not only between businesses and their customers but also among consumers themselves. Unlike traditional media, podcasts offer a more personal and accessible space for deeper connections. They create opportunities for in-depth conversations, interactive Q&A sessions, and community building, which help brands establish authentic and lasting relationships with their audiences.

Take Naked Insurance as an example. Most people recognise the brand from its billboards with bold, sometimes ambiguous messaging. While such campaigns succeed in sparking curiosity, they often leave unanswered questions in the minds of consumers. This gap presents the perfect opportunity for a podcast, where the brand can provide clarity, context, and engaging stories behind the campaign messages.

Imagine listening to a podcast episode that unpacks an advert like: “Thato got Naked in the casino.” A platform like this could reveal the creative process, introduce the minds behind the copywriting, and explain the inspiration behind such bold campaigns. In doing so, the brand not only answers long-standing questions but also builds a two-way dialogue with its audience; attracting potential customers while strengthening loyalty among existing ones.

Collaborative Role:

This role focuses on how podcasts can leverage brand partnerships to expand reach and increase audience engagement. By featuring a representative from a brand as a guest, podcasts provide an opportunity for direct interaction, allowing them to answer questions, share insights, and promote their products or services in a conversational and relatable way.

In some cases, companies integrate podcasts into their broader marketing campaigns by incorporating branded items into the setup, often displayed on tables in front of the host and guests. Through such collaborations, brands tap into the podcast’s audience base and benefit from its ability to attract large, engaged communities, turning each episode into a powerful communication and promotional channel.

Informative Role:

Podcasts often thrive by featuring knowledgeable influencers who provide audiences with insightful and trustworthy information. In South Africa, the rise of financial freedom conversations has taken the podcasting space by storm, with influential financial advisers frequently appearing across different platforms to share their expertise.

A strong example is the Mindset Profits Podcast, hosted by Ntando Maseko, which brings together experts from various financial disciplines to deliver valuable insights to listeners. By doing so, the podcast plays a crucial informative role, building credibility for both the host and featured brands, while also fostering trust among audiences.

Entertaining Role:

Entertaining media — including comedy, storytelling, and educational content — plays a vital role in podcasts by promoting deep listener trust and offering brands an authentic way to connect with audiences. Through this approach, podcasts create highly effective advertising opportunities that feel organic and engaging rather than intrusive. Unlike traditional ads, this form of native advertising seamlessly blends with the content, benefiting from the conversational nature of the medium.

In many cases, podcast hosts deliver promotional messages in their own voice, often incorporating personal experiences or anecdotes about the product. This storytelling style transforms the ad into a genuine conversation, making the endorsement feel more like a recommendation from a trusted friend. By tapping into the “parasocial relationship” listeners develop with their favourite hosts, brands are able to communicate their message in a way that feels natural, credible, and emotionally resonant.

In conclusion, we have expanded our creative menu by introducing a state-of-the-art podcast and photography studio. This addition complements our existing services - custom printing, packaging, and branded apparel by offering clients a dynamic platform to elevate their marketing strategies. Through podcasts, brands can engage audiences in multiple ways: facilitating meaningful conversations, fostering collaboration through partnerships, delivering credible and insightful information, and creating authentic, entertaining content that builds trust. With this new offering, we continue our mission to help clients craft impactful stories and strengthen their presence in an ever-evolving media landscape.

Get ready for the grand launch of our brand-new studio! Be among the first to book a session and record your debut episode in our fully equipped, state-of-the-art space at 4 Naaf Street, Strijdom Park, Randburg. For more details, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.