We collaborated with Sounds Profitable to highlight what makes a good podcast ad by breaking down real examples from popular podcasts.
Hosted by: Bekah Martinez and Jess Ambrose
Ad placement: Mid-roll
Ad type: Dynamic Insertion
Start point: 00:22:11
Ad copy:
“Broads, I am very guilty of wanting to have my cake and eat it too like a lot of people. This is especially true when it comes to cooking. I want restaurant-quality meals but I want to enjoy them from the comfort of my own home. I want to try new cuisines and fun recipes but I don't want to spend a fortune on ingredients I may never cook with again. You get the idea. That's why this year I am leaning heavily on HelloFresh to help keep things interesting and easy in the kitchen. HelloFresh is such an amazing resource for cooking and it's also a great resource for eating delicious homemade meals. Each week you get to pick from over 50 different menu and market items! You got things like creamy dill chicken and one pan black bean tacos. Okay that's the hardest part, picking out your options because trust me everything looks amazing. Then HelloFresh will deliver pre-portioned partially prepared ingredients and easy to follow recipes right to your door. Most meals can be ready in 30 minutes or less so no matter how much or how little time you have, a homemade meal is always in the cards. I love HelloFresh because it's an easy way to get the whole family involved in the cooking process because the ingredients are pre-portioned, I can let my daughter Amber help out and even lead the charge from time to time. She loves helping out and I love that we get to spend time together. HelloFresh really is the best of all the worlds. Go to hellofresh.com/chatty16 and use code chatty16 for up to 16 free meals and three free gifts. That's hellofresh.com/chatty16 use code chatty16 to get up to 16 free meals and three free gifts”
The hook:
“I want restaurant-quality meals but I want to enjoy them from the comfort of my own home. I want to try new cuisines and fun recipes but I don't want to spend a fortune on ingredients I may never cook with again. You get the idea. That's why this year I am leaning heavily on HelloFresh to help keep things interesting and easy in the kitchen.”
Just before bringing up the ad, the host builds the connection between the service and the listeners, whilst still staying true to the content. This makes the ad sound like it naturally fits into the episode - it has contextual relevance to the podcast episode and the listeners.
The pitch:
"Each week you get to pick from over 50 different menu and market items! You got things like creamy dill chicken and one pan black bean tacos. Then HelloFresh will deliver pre-portioned partially prepared ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes right to your door. Most meals can be ready in 30 minutes or less so no matter how much or how little time you have, a homemade meal is always in the cards."
This part of the ad explains what the service is, which includes how it works, its benefits and even a personal experience. The description focuses on two main selling points: you have a lot of options (“Each week you get to pick from over 50 different menu and market items”) and the time-saving aspect (“Most meals can be ready in 30 minutes or less”). The personal experience - “I love HelloFresh because it’s an easy way to get the whole family involved…I can let my daughter help out” - helps connect the service to listeners who may be in the same situation.
The offer:
“Go to hellofresh.com/chatty16 and use code chatty16 for up to 16 free meals and three free gifts. That's hellofresh.com/chatty16 use codechatty16 to get up to 16 free meals and three free gifts”
Listeners have access to 16 free meals and three free gifts if they use the code chatty16. This generous offering allows potential customers to give the service a go without having to worry about the financial bit. This clearly highlights HelloFresh’s confidence that listeners will enjoy the service and most likely continue ordering meals after the 16 free deal is over.
Landing page:
Although Chatty Broads have a unique URL for HelloFresh, their landing page isn’t personalized to the podcast. The landing page lacks mention of the podcast, simply highlighting ‘listen to your favorite podcast and cook up tasty, easy-to-prep meals!’. However, it is clear that those who have entered the website via the specified link get ‘up to 16 free meals’.
Hits the spot:
This ad read provides listeners with a clear understanding of what the service does and why listeners of this specific podcast would benefit from it. Bekah and Jess are mothers who are trying to juggle all their responsibilities, and their listeners enjoy their honesty and openness. It’s undeniable that HelloFresh fits seamlessly with this audience.
Although the episode takes place during a double date, and the service is very relevant to listeners, nothing in the ad ties in directly to the specific topic explored in the podcast episode. To make the ad more specific and targeted to this episode, it would have been interesting to hear how the duo wanted to create a ‘fancy’ meal at home (the episode was originally recorded at the start of the pandemic but was only published in January 2022) and turned to HelloFresh for some help.
Partnership track record:
Over the last year, HelloFresh has sponsored over 530 podcasts and has sponsored Chatty Broads 8 times.
Where else has HelloFresh sponsored?
Morbid: A True Crime Podcast, Matt and Doree’s Eggcellent Adventure: An IVF Journey, Two Girls One Ghost, Bully and the Beast … with over 500 different podcast partnerships, you name the show and HelloFresh has probably been there!
What other brands have appeared on Chatty Broads?
ThirdLove, Squarespace, Modern Fertility, Helix Sleep, DoorDash, and many more
HelloFresh has managed to seamlessly integrate with a wide variety of podcast categories, everything from true crime to lifestyle. The most powerful HelloFresh ad reads are the ones where the host ads a personal touch, explaining why they use the service. This makes it seem like the host isn’t just reading from the script on behalf of the brand.
It would have been nice to see a more personalized landing page - maybe even seeing the hosts preparing their HelloFresh meals or seeing a curated list of the meals they have particularly enjoyed in the past. This would take the ‘personal touch’ aspect one step further.
Have you heard a great podcast ad recently? Tell us about it.
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