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GE,
in partnership with The Slate Group's podcast network Panoply,
is running "The Message," a fictional eight-episode podcast that
will follow the decoding of a 70 year-old message from outer
space. The cryptologists decoding the message turn to a real
ultrasound technology developed by GE to decode the messages.
"It's science fiction meets real science," said Andy Goldberg,
GE's global creative director.
The idea for the series stemmed from the company's historic "GE
Theater" television series, which was hosted by Ronald Reagan,
then an actor, in the 1950s.
GE is producing its own podcast series, rather than running ads
on other podcasts because it specifically does not want the
shows to come off as advertising, but rather as a way to raise
brand awareness, Goldberg said. The 40-60 minute spots, which
begin Oct. 4, will be advertisement-free and will be available
for download for free. Goldberg declined to comment on how much
GE is spending on the podcasts.
GE is among a number of firms whose interest in podcasts has
increased since last year's airing of "Serial," the hit podcast
chronicling a murder investigation.
"It flipped a switch for us that podcasting was no longer going
to be informational pieces but could be entertainment," Goldberg
said.
Podcasts are a small, but growing part of the digital media
marketplace. Seventeen percent of teens and adults listen to one
podcast per month, up from 15 percent last year, according to
Edison Research.
The medium has gotten so much initial interest, that the
Interactive Advertising Bureau held its first "podcast upfronts,"
for companies to promote their podcasts to advertisers in
September.
While GE's move is novel, it is likely that more advertisers
will follow rather than just run ads during podcasts, said
eMarketer analyst Paul Verna. It is like the next iteration of
"native advertising," where companies create sponsored content
to promote their offerings, he said.
Launching podcasts is the latest initiative by GE to get in
front of a younger, tech-savvy audience. Last year, the company
teamed up with the "Tonight Show," to run "GE Fallonventions,"
8-10 minute segments where child inventors showcase their
creations on the show.
(Editing by Bernard Orr)
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