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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.
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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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