Why Brands Should Podcast in 2022?

From Chanel to Dior, even the luxury brands that traditionally focus on visual-based marketing started podcasting. Is it the time to build your podcast listenership? This blog will explain why marketers who want to engage in digital transformation should not ignore this channel?

Some call it the digital revolution. Others call it the era of the metaverse.

Marketing channels keep evolving over generations. In the past few years, the podcast industry has created a high level of attraction. Do you know Chanel, Hermès, Dior, and many luxury brands have their podcasts now?

"Podcast" isn’t new. Do you know the term ‘podcasting’ is combined initially from two words - iPod and broadcasting? (The ‘pod’ is from Apple’s iPod, which retired from the market in 2017.)

Podcast listening numbers have increased 42% globally since the COVID-19 crisis. In the United States, over 44% of the population listens to podcasts, and nearly a quarter attends weekly. Spotify recorded a doubling in podcast listening hours in Q4 2020, as locked-down listeners hunting for good stories. The rising popularity of podcasts is evident. But why high-end fashion brands which traditionally focus on visuals, are jumping on board with podcasting? Won’t short videos or live streaming be more engaging? Is it to avoid screen fatigue?

Before we delve into what, precisely, is driving this trend, we must bow to some of the best-in-class podcasts:

Hermès: Penelope's Pursuits

Penelope's Pursuits, a new series of podcasts launched by Hermès, is 15-20 minutes per episode. Unlike other luxury podcasts, the show incorporates brand history elements and fictionalizes a girl with a background in art history, Penelope.

She had just started her new job at the Hermès Bureau of Investigation and Research into Objects. She unveiled the stories behind various mysterious artifacts and discovered their connections with the brand. The listeners follow the adventures of Penelope around the world, reliving the intriguing odyssey of Hermès.

Chanel

Chanel is the pioneer of luxury brands jumping into podcasting. As early as 2017, Chanel launched its first podcast, 3.55, hosted by reporter Daphné Hézar who invited many celebrities to introduce Chanel's behind-the-scene design and manufacturing.

It’s an effective brand-building exercise, asserting Chanel’s access to fashion influencers and its place in the greater luxury ecosystem. A Chanel bag belongs among the art fair crowd and on the arms of artists. This podcast belongs in their ears.

Gucci

Gucci Podcast was launched in May 2018, aiming to bring the world of Gucci to life by providing insights into the narrative, inspiration, and vision of the Gucci Fashion House.

The topic of the Gucci Podcast is very diverse, including history, ideologies, culture, and current global issues. You can also hear Michelin 3-star chef Massimo Bottura and his old classmate Gucci's President & CEO Marco Bizzarri sharing their childhood memories. Besides, Gucci Podcast becomes a critical element of their product launch. For instance, its collaboration with The North Face, its first sustainable collection, and Gucci Beauty’s first lipstick collection – are all accompanied by a podcast episode that explains the brand’s philosophy via vivid visual storytelling.

Dior

Some companies like Dior are using podcasts to humanize their brands.  

“Dior Talks” highlights Dior's artists, mainly women. Since Maria Grazia Chiuri took over as Dior's artistic director (the brand's first female artistic director), she has begun to speak out for women actively. The sixth series, 'Feminism,' focuses on the women who have inspired Maria professionally and personally. A “socialized” luxury brand is not only at present on social media, but one that also shows its social responsibility and willingness to speak up about topics that matter.

I find the motivation behind those luxury brands' podcasts very different and intriguing. They also convinced me that if a podcast is n0t already the best channel for content marketing, it will be soon. Here is why:

A tool to reach next-gen buyers

They give up one social media platform for another (R.I.P Facebook); they quickly scroll through feeds on their phone. It is challenging to capture or retain their attention.

I’m talking, of course, about Gen-Z.

Not everyone enjoys reading blog posts and articles. Despite the growing numbers of YouTube or TikTok viewers,  young people also appreciate podcasts. In Sweden and the United States, two countries that have embraced podcasts most, over half of those under 35s have used a podcast monthly.

The podcast is a more effective way of whispering in the ears of tech-savvy Gen Z, whose spending power reached up to $143 billion in 2018.  As the podcast industry grows, more people are enjoying the audio-first era of content marketing. And as more tech devices, like smart cars and voice assistants, become increasingly mainstream - the opportunity to reach new listeners continues to grow.

A key to niche storytelling

From the documentary McQueen to the House of Gucci starring Lady Gaga, luxury brands have exceptional longevity, so they all have a story to tell.

Stories about the people who carry their legacy are the kind that makes listeners spend hours watching a documentary full of incredible archives. It is what modern consumers are expecting.

Indeed, they no longer wish to “just” buy a luxury product. They want to learn the history, the designers’ background, the expert opinions about the brand and go behind the scenes.

Therefore, podcast stands out as a premium channel: currently perceived as “classy.” Brands don’t even have to keep trying to reach the target audience. Subscribers will actively search for podcasts to subscribe to.

A less crowded channel

About 1 million podcasts form a much opener space than 600 million blogs worldwide and 500 hours’ worth of video content uploaded to YouTube every month.

Meantime, listenership continues to rise dramatically amid a pandemic, as people actively seek connection and good stories. So don't worry if you have not had a podcast strategy; this is still many opportunities for brands to claim their own space through podcasts.

A long-hanging fruit?

There are no avoiding multimedia in the global digital transformation when it comes to content amplification.

One of the benefits of the podcast is that it’s a lot easier to produce than video marketing. Creating high-quality videos requires a lot of equipment, technical know-how, video editing skills, and workforce. However, the production of a podcast can be much more affordable. It only needs a recording device, a host, and a small production team which could cost as low as a hundred dollars.

Summary

Podcast marketing in the luxury industry is still in its early stages, but much can be done as many leading luxury labels have already demonstrated their success. The format may be restrictive in many ways. It might not necessarily drive direct customer conversions, but it certainly helps to cut through the noise and allows consumers to discover a brand in a different, refreshing way.

It would help if you realized by now that the next-generation buyers need to SEE the products and understand the brands' culture, history, and value, which is the golden apple of content marketing.