5 Creative Streaming Audio & Podcast Ad Examples to Use as Inspiration

Streaming audio and podcast ads have emerged as powerful tools for brands to break through the noise of traditional media and connect with audiences. When executed well, streaming audio and podcast ads drive major influence, improve brand recall, foster positive brand perception, and piggyback off the loyalty audiences feel toward their favorite artists and creators.

With 91% of people preferring brands that use humor and 72% choosing funny brands over the competition, it's clear that creativity and entertainment are key to capturing listeners' attention. You can use streaming audio and podcast ads to stand out and connect with consumers. 

Why streaming audio and podcast ads?

Before we explore our examples, let's consider why these formats are so effective:

• Targeted reach: Connect with specific demographics and interest groups

• Engagement: Capture attention during leisure activities: 79% of listening happens when there isn’t available visual media.

• Authenticity: Listeners have higher levels of trust associated with host voices and personal stories. 

• Trust: More than 90% of listeners say they are open to hearing ads on their favorite shows, especially when the host does the ad read.

• Creativity: Utilizing sound design and storytelling techniques results in higher recall for podcasts over other forms of media.

5 Streaming Audio and Podcast Ad Examples to Spark Inspiration

Let's dive into five outstanding examples from the SiriusXM Media portfolio that showcase the potential of audio advertising. Here are five of our partner brands that have done it well so you can do the same with your next campaign.

1. Pepsi satisfies listeners with local flavor.

Pepsi used our location targeting capabilities to target listeners in 10 cities based on each city’s famous foods that pair best with Pepsi. Each ad offered a toast to the city’s most iconic food with specific puns and jokes that matched other Pepsi ads.

Studio Resonate cast voice actors born and raised in those cities and regions to play on authenticity and ensure the ads went off without a hitch. Thanks to geo-targeting, audience expertise, and a little creative collaboration, Pepsi saw a lift in brand favorability and purchase intent far beyond the campaign’s initial benchmarks.

2. LUXE Bidet challenged Conan O’Brien to do his worst.

LUXE Bidet took an approach many brands would consider risky: allowing comedians to ad-lib ads about their bathroom brand. The collaboration with the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend showcases the power of well-executed host reads.

LUXE’s creative team provided humorous copy and creative freedom, giving Conan the background he needed to stay on message and the freedom to be himself. Specifically, LUXE gave Conan and his cohosts the freedom to riff on silly taglines like, “Toilet paper is no match for a large holiday meal” and “Say goodbye to skidmarks.”

The reads were so funny that they became their own content, shared by Conan and his team, tickling listeners. The campaign was a masterclass in tapping into a host’s skills and an audience’s interest while searing the brand into the mind of each listener.

3. Tostitos balanced humor and branding.

Tostitos' "Hearty Dippers" campaign drew listeners in with relatable but cringeworthy experiences, locking their message into their audience’s long-term memory before connecting back to the product. It feels so familiar you can almost hear his pooka-shell necklace.

In the ad, amongst the din of a party atmosphere, “that guy” whips out his out-of-tune acoustic guitar. “About to crack? Your chips shouldn’t.” By capitalizing on common tropes, Tostitos was able to take listeners on a full emotional ride in only 15 seconds.

4. Magnum ice cream puts your fancy new speakers to the test.

As the sales, tech, and cost of headphones and speakers and surround sound systems go up with each passing year, people are paying the big bucks because they expect a higher quality of audio. Now, listeners have access to dynamic audio experiences in their cars, their homes, and even their pockets.

Magnum worked with Studio Resonate to create soundscapes that push 3D audio to the limits. Imagine the surround-sound audio that plays before the opening credits at a fancy movie theater. Now imagine those sounds are ads for ice cream bars, with different tones and patterns for each flavor.

Magnum combined the 3D soundscape with gamified display ads, podcast host reads, and a live event to create an immersive experience and capitalize on incremental reach, leading to double-digit lifts in both brand sentiment and purchase intent.

5. Olly Vitamins goes bold with women’s health messaging.

Unilver’s vitamin brand Olly wanted to reach women with messages that spoke openly about taboo women’s health issues. But they didn’t tiptoe around the topics. They leaned in with the “Big Vagina Energy” campaign.

To align with the campaign’s theme, we paired the brand with female-hosted shows in categories that feature conversations about female empowerment and women’s health, including Scam Goddess, Juicy Scoop, Best Friends, and Crime Junkie. The brand sent the hosts the products to try for themselves so they could share their real experiences and opinions.

The results were astounding:

• 12-pt lift in purchase intent

• 10-pt lift in “Big Vagina Energy” message association

• Significant lifts in agreement with brand attributes, including:

  • “Olly is innovative” (+23 pts)

  • “Olly is empowering” (+17 pts)

  • “Olly makes a positive contribution to society” (+16 pts)

The Best Practice: Work with us 

With SiriusXM Media, you can leverage our extensive network of popular podcasts and streaming music channels to create impactful campaigns. Whether you're looking to sponsor a specific show or station, create custom-branded content, or run targeted audio ads, our team of experts can help you develop a strategy that aligns with your marketing goals and budget. And our in-house creative experts at Studio Resonate specialize in creating audio magic—captivating sonic experiences that can trick, deceive, and delight your audience.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to connect with millions of engaged listeners through the power of audio advertising. 

Ready to elevate your audio advertising game? Let’s talk.