Marketing Review — Fall 2008 - (Page 46)

xperiments in PODCASTING Now is an excellent time to consider adding podcasting to an online marketing strategy. According to a study recently released by Arbitron and Edison Media Research, 37 percent of people surveyed were aware of the term “podcasting.” Thirteen percent had listened to an audio podcast and 11 percent had watched a video podcast. Those numbers appear to be increasing rapidly [ C AT H L E E N M C C A R T H Y ] PODCASTING appeals to a new generation, whether it entails a sophisticated presentation with video, music and graphics or a simple twominute audio update posted on a Web site. Since Apple introduced its first iPod in 2001 more than 100 million iPods have sold as well as countless other digital media players. Now only slightly larger than a credit card, a typical iPod comes equipped with video displays and as much as 80 GB of memory. iPods and other MP3 players are revolutionizing not only the way we listen to music but the way we process information. Capturing Local Color Metropolitan tourism bureaus were the first to jump into podcast marketing with several cities launching innovative pilot programs last year. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) debuted its first podcast neighborhood tours in September 2006 on a dedicated Web site (soundaboutphilly.com), focusing on less-known parts of Philadelphia. Narrated by actual city dwellers, tours are divided into several segments, each with its own theme. “The beauty of these tours is that they are flexible and customizable, enabling visitors and residents to let their interests drive their Philadelphia experience,” says 46 Meryl Levitz, president and CEO, GPTMC. “People can listen to each tensegment tour in its entirety, or pick certain sections from each of the podcasts to create their own Philadelphia adventure.” By the following summer, the podcasts had been downloaded thousands of times, although GPTMC has no way of knowing whether people are transferring them to portable devices and taking the tours or simply listening on their computers. Among the first to be released, “History Unplugged” features three centuries of “non-textbook American history,” including such tidbits as a room in Society Hill’s City Tavern that was trashed by a rowdy group of Founding Fathers. “Flavorhoods” explores dining options for various ethnic neighborhoods, narrated by chefs and restauranteurs. “My Philly” gives insider tips from locals, while “Keepin’ the Faith” takes a look at the city’s religious history. “When we were creating the podcasts, we tried to keep them as authentic as possible,” says Caroline Bean, who oversaw the project as GPTMC’s national media relations manager. “We did a lot of research into what people like in podcasts.” What they don’t like, she reports, is anything resembling “a slick advertising message.” “So we tried to find local Philadelphians who could speak about their own neighborhoods, things that really interested them,” Bean says. “We pre-interviewed people to make sure they knew the area and we gave them a list of bulleted points that had to be made, but we never had anyone read from a script. Then we had the recordings edited to make them listenable and high-quality. We tried to strike a balance with that.” Released in February to coincide with Black History Month, “Philly Noir” received more attention than any of GPTMC’s podcasts so far, including mentions in The Washington Post. One segment features a fascinating interview with Kenny Gamble who helped create the soulful “Philadelphia Sound,” interspersed with samples of the familiar R&B hits he produced in the1970s. The segment is a model of how to mine a city’s less-conventional history and use music to hold a listener’s interest for nearly eight minutes—with no visuals beyond a Google map and a mug shot of Gamble and his partner Leon Huff. Bean and her team have tried to recreate that musical excitement in the next phase of their podcasting program, which involves video as well as audio. The new video podcast tours feature music representing each neighborhood. GPTMC sent out a request to Philadelphia composers in order to come up with five different HSMAI MARKETING REVIEW • FALL 2008 200327284-001/Roy Mehta/getty iMages http://www.soundaboutphilly.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Marketing Review — Fall 2008

Marketing Review – Fall 2008 Contents The Online Marketer Success Stories Forecasting Trends Ian Schrager: The Revolutionary Man Leaving No Stone Unturned: The Quest for Ancillary Revenue Gaga Gadgets for Execs on the Go: Functional New Portable Technology to Make Life and Work on the Road More Hospitable Effectively Weathering the Ups and Downs of the Economic Cycle Experiments in Podcasting Higher Transportation Costs and a Slowing Economy Shift Hotel Room Demand

Marketing Review — Fall 2008

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