Podcast Pontifications

Fast-food giant Wendy's has a podcast, and it’s not particularly good. At least not as we’ve defined what companies are supposed to do with podcasting. But what if that’s on purpose?

Wendy’s isn’t trying to make a branded podcast. Nor are they trying to make a yet another interview podcast. They aren’t trying to amass a million listeners to they can generate ad revenue additional revenue stream. And the only “merch” they want to sell is burgers and fries at their restaurants.

Instead, I think Wendy’s is setting a flagpole with this podcast. This tactic was employed by (and is still employed by) many brands and businesses entering a new digital space. Consider single-page websites (I’m a fan) or when businesses grab their Twitter handle but rarely - if ever -  publish new content. 

This podcast also lets Wendy’s lean into a popular meme thrust upon them and define the brand’s own “official” take. No, the podcast isn’t as funny as the meme and will likely never unseat the meme. But I don’t think that’s the point. 

Remember, the content you hear today on the show is not the end goal. This is just what the brand is doing right now because the climate -  for them - is right for it. 

Today, it’s hard to find a brand that doesn’t have a presence on social media. Is it really a stretch to think of a tomorrow where it’s hard to find a brand that doesn’t have a podcast? Maybe not what we think of today as a branded podcast. Maybe one that doesn’t feature interviews. Maybe those podcasts will look something like what Wendy’s is doing today. 

People like me who make podcasts on behalf of companies should love this show if only for obvious reasons: it’s one more example of a brand investing in the podcasting space. But I think all working podcasters should dig what Wendy’s is doing. Not because it’s amazing, compelling content (it’s not). But because it’s an exploration of what else can be done in podcasting.

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Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is designed to make podcasting better, not just easier.

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Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th. Abortion is a basic healthcare need for the millions of people who can become pregnant. Everyone should have the freedom to decide what’s best for themselves and their families, including when it comes to ending a pregnancy. This decision has dire consequences for individual health and safety, and could have harsh repercussions for other landmark decisions. Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health and independence of all Americans. Even if you live in a state where abortion rights are upheld, access to safe medical procedures shouldn’t be determined by location, and it shouldn't be the privilege of a small few. You can help by donating to local abortion funds. To find out where to donate for each state, visit donations4abortion.com. If you or someone you know needs help, or if you want to get more involved, here are 5 resources: 1. ShoutYourAbortion.com is a campaign to normalize abortion. 2. DontBanEquality.com is a campaign for companies to take a stand against abortion restrictions. 3. Abortion.cafe has information about where to find clinics. 4. PlanCPills.org provides early at-home abortion pills that you can keep in your medicine cabinet. 5. Choice.CRD.co has a collection of these resources and more. We encourage you to speak up! And spread the word.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Podsights - https://podsights.com/privacy