Get Behind LUXE Bidet’s Host Read Best Practices

In the world of audio advertising, leveraging podcast host reads has emerged as a powerful and popular strategy for brands. The host-read ad product, recorded by show hosts or producers, blends brand messaging with impactful, personal storytelling, tapping into the trust and connection listeners have with their favorite podcast personalities. 

A recent read from the one-and-only Conan O’Brien for LUXE Bidet exemplifies the unbelievable impact host-read ads can have. Before you press play on the comedy gold that ensued (we’ll get to it, we promise), let’s talk about why it worked so well–and how you can nail your next podcast campaign with host reads.

Pick the Right Show

Yes, it’s important for advertisers to partner with podcasts that align with their target audience. But it’s equally important to choose shows with content and hosts that are suitable for the brand—shows that reflect the brand’s tone and values. For example, a financial services brand may want to advertise on a podcast centered around stocks and hosted by a serious personality type, but a hard-seltzer company may want to promote their product on a more lighthearted podcast with bubbly hosts. And host reads are always more authentic and effective when the host is an actual fan or possible potential consumer of the product or service. We have extensive knowledge of the SiriusXM Podcast Network and can help you select the perfect podcast for your brand.

Choose the Right Format 

Once you’ve chosen the perfect show, it’s time to select the right type of host read. We offer three basic types:.

Personal experience involves hosts or producers speaking to their direct experience with the product.

Ad-lib allows hosts to display their unique personalities while riffing on pre-written copy. 

Verbatim ensures strict adherence to scripted messaging, often used for legal compliance or precise messaging requirements.

One thing to keep in mind: Not all hosts will agree to work with all types of host reads. Don’t worry, we can help you find the right host read and host for your ad and brand. 

Align with the Host’s Personality

When it comes to writing host-read scripts and talking points, understanding the personality and nuances of each show’s host is essential. For example, some hosts love to utilize ad-lib prompts and self-referential jokes, while others prefer sticking close to fact-based scripts. It’s important to know which hosts are sensitive to political statements, who doesn’t like suggestive language, and even which hosts just got a new dog and will personally connect with a prompt about organic pet food ingredients. We’ll provide background information about show hosts as well as any show’s specific do’s and don'ts for host reads. 

Let the Magic Happen

LUXE Bidet is one self-aware brand who understood the assignment by both partnering with the perfect podcast—Conan O’ Brien Needs A Friend—and providing the perfect ad-lib talking points. 

Veronica Kwiatkowski, Senior Copywriter, helped compile the final script and says, “LUXE Bidet knew the comedic tone of Conan’s podcast, so they provided a creative brief with humorous copy that fit seamlessly into the script.” Lines like “toilet paper is no match for a large holiday meal,” “say goodbye to skidmarks,” and the inclusion of a DIRTY BUTT promo code were ripe for comical riffing by Conan and his team. “Knowing Conan is a master at ad-libbing, the client also skipped restrictive guidelines and provided limited copy that had to be read verbatim. They even gave Conan the option to come up with his own tagline,” explains Kwiatkowski. Now, hear for yourself how Conan and team elevated the LUXE Bidet talking points into an exceptional ad.

This host read’s success can be attributed to the fact that jokes within the script were optimized for maximum impact. The client’s trust in Conan granted him the creative freedom to make the ad his own—resulting in a master class on the perfect balance between humor and branding. 

Brand Suitability Depends on the Brand

Comedy podcasts don’t make sense for every brand, and that’s ok. Depending on the brand, sometimes aligning with a non-comedy podcast or utilizing a serious verbatim script for host reads is more effective and delivers better results. Others may find successful brand suitability with very specific comedy podcasts within the genre—ones whose hosts stick close to talking points or have different styles of humor. We’re here to help you find the right fit by making sure your brand, the show and host, and the target audience are perfectly aligned. And there’s an alternative ad product that we can skillfully craft to run uniformly across a variety of podcasts and genres: The announcer read.

Tap into the Network with Announcer Reads 

To maximize LUXE Bidet’s brand reach, we utilized an announcer read, a one-of-a-kind ad product. Having an announcer read recorded allowed the brand to not only scale the campaign beyond Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, but also to reinforce key talking points. Scripts created for announcer reads are always read verbatim by voiceover artists that are specifically chosen through testing to resonate within the podcast environment. Although the talent aren’t affiliated with the shows, they infuse these ads with tones and personality that fit the brand and the listening environment. There are many ways to creatively elevate the scripts that are crafted for announcer reads, and Studio Resonate copywriters are here to help you write the perfect one—just like Kwiatkowski did with LUXE Bidet. “The announcer read incorporated uniform messaging and less bold humor, which allowed it to run seamlessly on an array of podcasts across genres,” she elaborates.

The Final Word

The LUXE Bidet host read exemplifies the magic that unfolds when brands and shows are in harmony, showcasing the transformative potential unique to podcast host-read advertising. The brilliant jokes Conan and his team organically worked into the host-read ad accompanied by his contagious laugh are a testament to the intrinsic benefits of this powerful ad format. Conan did what he does best, elevating talking points uniquely written and formatted to match his vibe, while producing a stinkin’ funny ad guaranteed to leave any listener in stitches. 

Curious about anything? Reach out and let’s chat about host-read solutions for your brand or client.

Credits

Featuring: Veronica Kwiatkowski, Senior Copywriter

Written by: Joey Selden, Copywriter