Three years ago, we turned up to The Podcast Show with a BIG sign. Much bigger than we’d expected when we ordered it, but it was really shiny and great. In 2023 we built some BIG headphones. Eight feet tall to be precise. They were bright blue, they appeared on Sky News and they were bigger than the BBC’s orange headphones which was the important thing.
At last year’s Podcast Show, we didn’t really take anything BIG and we felt like something was missing. So this year, we had a little think about it, and decided on a BIG snake. And why is that, you ask?
That’s Just Wild
Well, it’s because we have a BIG new show. Fresh Air has never really made any major original shows before. I mean the type that you build from the ground up without up-front funding. The type you take a proper punt on with the aim of it going massive.
But then along came Steve Backshall. The man has seen everything, swum with everything, been stung by everything and learnt about everything in the natural world. His show, Deadly 60, has been on the BBC for the last 16 years, turning him into a hero among younger audiences, and one of the UK’s leading wildlife presenters, authors and explorers. He’s got stories coming out of his ears, and we think he can be a regular part of everyone’s podcast listening habit.
So at the start of June, we’ll be launching ‘That’s Just Wild’ – a twice weekly show about all things wild, combining adventure stories, science, and a natural fascination for the animal kingdom. Designed for an adult audience, to be enjoyed by everyone, and to give you tonnes to impress your friends with in the pub.
That’s where the snake comes in. If you’re going to London’s The Podcast Show next week, we’re giving visitors an exclusive preview of the show with all three presenters – Steve Backshall, Lizzy Daly and Sarah Roberts – answering audience questions with help from Django – a ten foot long Burmese Python. We’re on at 14:50 next Wednesday afternoon, and Django would really like you to join us. Not because she thinks you look tasty, but because you’ll love it.
Fresh Air x Inflectiv Group
In other news about BIG things, we have big news about the future of Fresh Air. After twenty four years in business, nine years of making podcasts for brands, and six years of rapid growth, we’re moving to the next stage of our development as part of The Inflectiv Group.
Podcasting is a fast moving, competitive and constantly changing business, and Fresh Air has always been determined to lead the way in how brands capitalise on the medium. That means changing and adapting, building a brilliant team, servicing clients superbly and creating a dynamic business to underpin all the creativity and fun we have.
Inflectiv is the perfect group to work with us in this. We’ve agreed a strategic partnership to give us the insight, experience and support we need on the business side, so that we can move to the next level in what we do and continue to be the UK’s leading podcast agency for brands. They’ve not come along to change our culture or to micro-manage us, but behind-the-scenes we’re stronger, fitter and more excited about the future than ever.
Fancy more details? The press release is here.
The ARIAs
Wednesday night was The ARIA awards (Audio & Radio Industry) which are what used to be The Sonys for those of us who’ve been in radio for long enough. It’s always a balance between rewarding the brilliant people who work in smaller stations around the country creating incredible connections with their local communities, and the UK’s biggest stations with the biggest names celebrating what they do. If you’re working in a local radio station, I can confirm that getting dressed up to go to London and rub shoulders with Greg James is very much your favourite night of the year.
I remember when ‘Answer Me This’ was the first podcast to win a Sony in 2011, planting a flag on radio’s lawn, and now you can’t move for them at the ARIAs. Our friends at Audio Always won for their epic series ‘Dead River’, while the new category of ‘Audio Brand of the Year’ was won by Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger, with their ‘The Rest Is’ stable. And bloomin’ right too. No other company has come out of nowhere and reshaped the audio industry in the way they have. Deceptively simple formulas, giving the audience what they want and creating a magnet for advertisers along the way, it’s a great business. They deserve all the awards they get. Also, if you haven’t watched Gary’s episode of ‘The Assembly’ yet, please do, even if it’s just for the first question he’s asked.
Talent-Voiced ads
The number of ways that a brand can get involved in the podcast world continues to mushroom. You’ve got your standard audio ads, you’ve got host reads, branded segments, branded episodes, and of course creating your own show. And now, acast have added another option, with talent-voiced ads.
Trust me, just putting your radio ad onto podcasts, as if they’re exactly the same medium and because you can’t be bothered to tailor it, is not the right way to do things. But audio spots are a good option for brands who want to use a programmatic approach to hit large verticals within podcasting. So now, for a bit more integration with the medium, you can pay your favourite podcast hosts to voice your ads, delivered by acast across their portfolio. As Richard – Director of Pressing Send on the Email – explained this week, podcasting can be seen as a new form of native advertising. So this concept of creating a traditional scripted message voiced by someone who the audience are familiar with is a really interesting and useful addition to the podcast advertising mix.
What’s that? Your brand or agency wants to get into podcast advertising but doesn’t fully understand the options available? You need one of our Fresh Air Media workshops – running for free with a 10% discount on your first media campaign. Why don’t you have a look here?
Izzie Clarke asks why…
Why is exercise good for your brain? How can painting a roof cool a building? And can technology combat cholera? These are just some of the interesting questions that are tackled on When Science Finds A Way.
I love how this show isn’t afraid to get into the nitty gritty details of some big picture science solutions but explains it in a clear and accessible way. You don’t want to switch off. The leading scientists that they interview start from the basics and there’s a lovely balance of human case studies too that emphasise how some blue-sky ideas, backed by the Wellcome Trust, are having an incredible impact on the real world.
I would really recommend this series for the people in your life that like to ask “why?”.
Annie Day gets hangry…
As soon as I saw that the van Tulleken twins had a new podcast out, I subscribed before reading what it was about. I think I could listen to them discussing absolutely anything. They have that infectious enthusiasm and natural warmth that is so engaging, you end up absorbed by topics you didn’t know you cared about. Xand and Chris are both doctors who branched out into different areas of the profession. They’re identical but have very different approaches to life and medicine. In this new Radio 4 series, they discuss common health issues that everyone can relate to. Am I getting enough sleep? How can I look after my knees? Does Hanger exist? (my friends and family would unanimously say yes in this instance!) They’re helped by expert guests in each episode but the real appeal for me is hearing them throw the topics around between themselves. Their episode on willpower was fascinating because they both had such differing views. They’re also very funny. The sleep episode opens with Xand talking about polishing a new lamp. I know, it doesn’t sound riveting, but I found myself laughing out loud over my lunch. See, I said I could listen to them talking about anything.
What we’ve been listening to this week
Farts.
As you know by now, Michaela – Director of Content and Head of Loud Nose Blows – checks this newsletter every week for potentially offensive material and makes carefully balanced decisions after literally minutes of consideration. Last week she judged that the phrase ‘sick sandwich’ could stay, but that my story about an evening out in Soho should be removed.
Well, this week my favourite example of a brand using audio involves flatulence sound effects and so I think that’s a perfectly legitimate thing to include. Let’s see shall we? If this bit stays in, you know she’s been soft on me.
This incredible 60 seconder from Andrex is based on the insight that 76% of children would rather not got for a poo when they’re at school. It’s a great premise with a genuine message, it’s really funny, and most importantly I would have loved to have been in the studio during the sound edit. The choice of fart noises (two very different sounds) must have been discussed in a serious manner between people eating sushi on a sofa in a plush central London studio. The same goes for the plop at the end. Then there’s the music track and the children harmonising the word ‘poooooo’. However, my favourite sound choice is the ‘loaded gun’ click in the ‘pull my finger’ moment. It’s all perfect and the ad would be nothing without the sound mix.
There you go. She left it in. That’s my biggest win of the week.
What we’ve been doing this week
Lots of snake-related conversation, as you’d expect. But in general we’ve been planning for The Podcast Show.
As well as the ‘That’s Just Wild’ session on Wednesday, Michaela will be hosting a conversation on Thursday afternoon at 4.10 with our good friends and clients from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and T-Brand, the content arm of The New York Times Advertising. They’ll be discussing and comparing their very different podcast styles – the built documentary versus the always-on weekly show. There’ll be real data, revealing insight and inspiration for any brand who wants to make their own show.
And finally, I’m not appearing on any panels this year, which is definitely out of choice and not because I wasn’t asked. So if you fancy meeting up for a chat, let me know. Fresh Air will all be there both Wednesday and Thursday, and we’d love to see you.
