I’ve by no means been an enormous fan of listening to podcasts. However I do like watching them.

I lately discovered a dwell comedy podcast collection referred to as “Kill Tony” on YouTube. Along with being an advert tech reporter, I’m additionally a comic, so it was my obligation to look at the advert expertise.

Earlier than every episode of “Kill Tony,” members of the viewers put their title in a hat for the prospect to carry out one minute of standup onstage. The present’s audio recording is posted as a podcast to Spotify, and the movies are uploaded to YouTube.

The present monetizes by way of paid model sponsorships voiced by the “Kill Tony” hosts in each the audio and video productions. Current advertisers embrace huge names, like Manscaped, Talkspace, Unilever-owned Liquid I.V., DraftKings, ZipRecruiter, ExpressVPN and Credit score Karma, to call just some examples.

Host-read advertisements are a staple of podcasting, however they’ve a distinct – and compelling – taste when transformed into video type.

Two senses are higher than one

Almost half of all podcasts have a minimum of 80% host-read advertisements, in line with MediaRadar, and it’s clear why.

Audiences reply to host-read advertisements as a result of they’ve a extra natural really feel than conventional advert supply and generate a 71% model recall fee in contrast with 62% for advertisements from exterior sources, as per Nielsen’s knowledge.

Larger recall mixed with the model consciousness and attain that video is understood for is a sexy prospect for manufacturers, together with massive nationwide advertisers. The “Kill Tony” YouTube channel has roughly 500,000 subscribers, and the audio podcasts generate round a million downloads monthly.

Each “Kill Tony” episode contains two in-stream model sponsorships which can be every two minutes lengthy and comprised of a video advert with host-read audio. Viewers (and listeners) can be taught much more a few model’s product in two minutes than throughout a traditional 15- or 30-second spot.

ExpressVPN, for instance, sponsored a two-minute exposé on the truth that Google Chrome’s Incognito mode apparently doesn’t masks IP addresses … however guess who does? In the meantime, a two-minute Liquid I.V. advert gave me much more intel on what individuals actually use that product for. (Trace: as a hangover treatment.)

Double-edged sword

However you’re in all probability pondering: 4 straight minutes of paid promotion? No thanks. Skip.

And, sure, loads of individuals do exactly that by scrubbing proper previous the advertisements.

Even the hosts of “Kill Tony” acknowledge that most individuals don’t need advertisements throughout a comedy present, which is why they switched from airing the promos dwell to recording the callouts later.

But not all viewers skip by way of the sponsored promos. Even when they’re technically advertisements, they’re nonetheless a part of the comedy routine, full with pure and playful banter between the present’s hosts. (You’ll be able to guess what sort of web historical past the hosts joked about hiding with ExpressVPN.)

Plus, practically all of the promos embrace low cost codes.

Imagine me, I might dwell with out ever listening to the phrase “authenticity” once more, however the idea applies to host-read advertisements the identical manner it does to TikTok influencer advertising and marketing – and perhaps much more so. Audiences are receptive to details about a model that comes straight from a creator versus the model explicitly promoting itself.

Even so, advertisements are nonetheless advertisements, humor apart – and the query of whether or not an viewers would nonetheless watch them if given the selection stays an energetic debate. (See this latest thread on Reddit.)

What I’m questioning is: Are the sponsors of “Kill Tony” and different podcast/video hybrid exhibits truly seeing a return on advert spend?

ALSO: You’ll be able to catch me on the Cynopsis Measurement & Information Convention in New York Metropolis subsequent month. I’ll be moderating a panel about CTV measurement on Wednesday, June 14. Take a look at the agenda right here. AdExchanger readers get a 25% registration low cost with the code ADEXCH25.

Let me know what you assume. Hit me up at [email protected].