3 of the Best Branded Podcast Examples To Inspire You

Patagonia Stories first started with written articles posted to outdoor recreation clothing company Patagonia’s website. These tales ranged from activism initiatives to personal accounts of extreme sports, but they all commonly align with its mission statement: “Save our home planet.”

In November 2023, Patagonia decided to start retelling its best longform stories in audio format, with weekly episodes of around 15 minutes. The stories are read aloud by various staff and collaborators, and aim to inspire listeners to get outside and experience the world.

Language master Duolingo has one of the strongest omnichannel marketing strategies in the game, so it will be no shock to hear that it’s killing it when it comes to podcasts. Duolingo’s podcasts give language learners a way to practice their skills by listening to stories told in easy-to-understand vocabulary.

These podcasts particularly stand out because they stay true to Duolingo’s core aim, which is simply to help people learn new languages in a fun and engaging way. It captures its target audience by solving their need for convenience and ease through on-the-go learning.

Duolingo currently has four podcasts with over 300 episodes. Two are in French and Spanish for English speakers, and the other two teach English to native Spanish and Portuguese speakers.

#LIPSTORIES was a two-series podcast made by beauty retailer Sephora, in which the host interviewed inspiring female guests and prompted them to share heartfelt, intimate stories about beauty and confidence. Along with each story came a link to a Sephora Collection lipstick that matched.

Sephora’s podcast leveraged emotional storytelling to build product awareness and drive sales, which was heightened further by its carefully curated list of industry experts and body-confidence influencers.

These business podcast examples prove that there’s no singular way to succeed in the podcast industry. That said, the style of your podcast should be guided by your overall goals. For instance, an interview podcast with industry experts will drive brand awareness and help you generate new leads. On the other hand, a solo or co-hosted podcast will help your customers get to know your business better, which will encourage customer loyalty by strengthening relationships.

Don’t be afraid to play around with different styles until you find what works for you – you could even alternate between two styles, such as interviews and solo podcasts. Just try to keep to a general structure so that your audience knows what to expect!