Podcast Marketing Campaigns That Made Noise (and Made Sense)
- Kacey Clarke
- Oct 9
- 6 min read
Podcast sponsorships are a powerful way for brands to connect with highly engaged audiences, build trust, and drive measurable action. But not all sponsorships are alike - some succeed wildly because they were well-matched, creative, or simply timed with a cultural wave.
If you’re a brand that’s considering podcast advertising, or planning your next campaign, this post is for you. We’ll walk through three real-world podcast sponsorship or ad campaigns that hit the mark - showing why they worked and what you can learn from them. Use these as inspiration or strategy guides for your own campaigns, or even proof points for podcast advertising success.
Podcast Campaigns That Worked (and Why)
These case studies matter because they go beyond theory: they show how real brands achieved real results by aligning with audiences, style, timing, and messaging. They help you see what a strong campaign looks like, so you can make smarter decisions, avoid common mistakes, and amplify your success.
Below are three sponsorships that stand out. For each, we cover what the brand did, why it worked, and key takeaways you can apply.
1. BrewDog x That Peter Crouch Podcast
What they did:
BrewDog partnered with That Peter Crouch Podcast (TPCP) to co-create a product born from the show’s own culture: ‘Laout’, a hybrid of lager and stout that had started as a recurring joke among listeners.
Over a 12-week campaign, BrewDog and TPCP integrated the brand into the show with 5-10 minute feature segments, listener engagement (crowdsourcing artwork, slogans, feedback), and coordinated social activations.
The campaign culminated in a live recording at a BrewDog bar, engaging listeners in-person. Brewdog sold ‘Laout’ as an exclusive limited time product, with fan-submitted designs and slogans used in packaging and promotional materials (Brewdog, Acast).
Why it worked:
Authenticity & Organic Origin: Because ‘Laout’ already existed as a fan in-joke about blending beers, the partnership felt natural and community-driven, as though fulfilling a wish, rather than brand-imposition.
Fan Involvement & Co-creation: By inviting listeners to help shape the product through submitting artwork, voting on design, and engaging with the process, BrewDog built emotional investment and amplified word-of-mouth awareness.
High Impact Metrics: The beer sold out within two hours, with a huge proportion of online orders coming from new customers. The campaign also drove a surge in e-commerce revenue, and lifted metrics for both awareness and purchase consideration.
Deep Integration Beyond an Ad Spot: Because BrewDog and TPCP were entangled in the creative process, social media, live events, product design, etc., it wasn’t just a sponsorship tag - it was part of the show’s story.
Key takeaways for brands:
Tap into cultural touchpoints or audience in-jokes to create authentic partnerships.
Co-creation Builds Loyalty: letting fans contribute increases engagement and converts listeners into advocates, not just consumers.
Consider stretching campaigns over weeks or months to build momentum and anticipation.
Align product launches (or brand messaging) with media you’re sponsoring for maximum resonance and impact.
Measure Beyond Sales: track brand lift, new customer acquisition, and audience sentiment to capture the full value of the campaign.
2. Ocado x Comfort Eating with Grace Dent
What they did:
Ocado partnered with Comfort Eating with Grace Dent, The Guardian’s food and lifestyle podcast, as part of its ‘One-Stop Recipe Shopping’ campaign. Rather than traditional ad reads, Ocado became part of the content itself. Grace Dent reviewed listeners’ actual shopping lists on-air, giving playful, expert feedback while naturally highlighting Ocado’s range of products.
This was more than a sponsorship, it was an interactive experience: listeners heard their own culinary choices discussed, felt guided in real time, and were subtly nudged toward the products they were already curious about. The segments turned grocery shopping into a narrative moment, blending humor, advice, and inspiration with brand messaging (Newsworks, The Guardian Advertising).
Why it worked:
Audience Fit: Food podcast listeners are already engaged with cooking, recipes, and grocery shopping, making Ocado a natural brand match.
Story-driven Commerce: Ocado’s brand wasn’t just mentioned; it became part of a micro-story. Grace Dent’s culinary commentary brought the products to life in context.
Seamless Conversion Path: QR codes and clickable links provided a smooth bridge between listening and shopping.
Strong Reach & Results: The campaign reached more than 14 million consumers, with 89% of visits to Ocado product pages coming from non-customers.
Key takeaways for brands:
Integrate sponsorships into the show’s content so ads feel like a natural extension. Food, lifestyle, and wellness brands in particular benefit from podcast partnerships that double as inspiration and shopping prompts.
Make it Interactive: Real-world participation (like listener submissions) deepens engagement and makes the brand memorable.
Minimize friction from awareness to purchase by using tools like promo codes, QR codes, links, or curated bundles.
Think Beyond Reach: Campaigns that entertain, advise, and inspire simultaneously create both cultural and commercial impact.
Be Immersive: beyond an ad read, consider actual show segments hosted on the podcast that authentically promote your brand.
3. Athletic Greens (AG1) x Huberman Lab
What They Did:
Athletic Greens capitalised on podcast advertising by integrating seamlessly into health-conscious communities. A pivotal aspect of their success was their long-time collaboration with Dr. Andrew Huberman, a Stanford neuroscientist and host of the Huberman Lab podcast. Dr. Huberman, known for his evidence-based approach to health and wellness, lent significant scientific credibility to the product, appealing to listeners who prioritize research-backed health solutions (Zoommetrix).
Athletic Green’s strategy generally centered on long-term partnerships with hosts who genuinely use and endorse the product. This approach involved creating advocates in the fitness, self-improvement, and productivity genres, where hosts naturally discussed topics like nutrition, energy, and mental clarity. Dr. Huberman's discussions often highlight the importance of foundational nutrition, with AG1 fitting seamlessly and facilitating conversation about how the brand aligns with these principles.
Athletic Greens CRO, Johnathan Corne, stressed the importance of “playing the long game” in podcast advertising (Marketing Brew). As such, their sponsorships saw hosts incorporate AG1 into their daily narratives, discussing its role in their routines and the benefits they experienced. Embedding the product into authentic conversations about wellness and performance fostered a sense of trust and authenticity, as listeners perceived the endorsements as genuine recommendations. This is true of Huberman, whose involvement went beyond simple product mentions; he provided insights into how AG1 supports various aspects of health, from gut function to immune support, making the endorsement resonate deeply with his audience.
Why It Worked:
Authenticity Through Integration: By embedding AG1 into genuine conversations about wellness, listeners felt they were receiving personal recommendations, not advertisements.
Scientific Backing: Dr. Huberman's endorsement provided a layer of scientific validation, appealing to an audience that values evidence-based health information.
Consistency and Presence: AG1's sustained presence across the wellness-related podcast scene allowed them to dominate the space. This reinforced its association with health optimization as something instinctive, keeping the brand top-of-mind for listeners.
Trust Through Relatability: Hosts shared personal experiences with AG1, making the product relatable and trustworthy to their audiences.
Key Takeaways for Brands:
Embed Products into Authentic Content: Beyond traditional ads, integrate products into genuine discussions to build trust and authenticity.
Leverage Expert Endorsements: Collaborate with credible figures in your industry to provide professional validation.
Maintain Consistent Presence: Regular and sustained exposure across relevant channels reinforces brand association and trust.
Share Real Experiences: Personal testimonials and experiences can make a product more relatable and trustworthy to potential customers.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Choosing podcasts solely based on download count, ignoring audience relevance or host tone.
Overly generic ad reads that don’t respect the host’s style or the show’s voice.
Poor tracking - not using promo codes or unique landing pages, so you don’t know what works.
One-off campaigns without follow-up. Consistency often yields better results than massive budgets for short bursts.
Additional Tips / Best Practices
Test & Iterate: Evaluate different genres, try different show sizes, different ad lengths; measure what works.
Build long-term host relationships rather than ad-spot transactions. A trusted host endorsement carries much more weight.
Use Offers Sensibly: special codes, discounts or trial offers give you measurable data and encourage action.
Align Creative With The Show's Style: If the podcast is serious / narrative / storytelling, your ad should match that tone. If irreverent or humorous, lean into that.
Think Cross-channel Reinforcement: Social media and other channels can echo the messaging from the podcast sponsorship.
Closing
These case studies show that great podcast sponsorships are rarely accidents. They happen when brands understand their audience, respect the medium, match tone, and commit to consistency. If you’re preparing your next podcast campaign, use these lessons: align carefully, measure cleverly, and build relationships.
Want help planning a podcast campaign that hits the mark? Our agency can help you identify the right shows, craft campaigns, and track performance. Contact us.
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