More than half a billion people around the world are active podcast listeners. In the UK alone, 69% of adults have listened to at least one episode, 42% tune in monthly, and 30% listen every single week. Those weekly listeners rack up an average of 5 hours and 27 minutes of listening time – enough to binge an entire season of your favourite show. And the audience isn’t slowing down: between 2019 and 2025, podcast listenership has doubled.
Sure, podcasts don’t yet command the same sheer minutes as endless social scrolling, nightly TV habits, or the constant hum of legacy radio – but here’s the kicker: when people listen to podcasts, they’re really listening. For brands, that’s a goldmine. Podcast ads enjoy a towering 86% recall rate among the most engaged listeners, and 71% of listeners can name a brand they’ve heard advertised. That’s miles ahead of most other media.
So why is this? It comes down to how people consume the medium. In many homes, cars, and cafés, radio is the ever-present background – sometimes for human company, sometimes for the dog (two-thirds of dog owners leave the radio on when they head out, which would make for some surreal late-morning debate on Radio 4).
Podcasts are different. They’re chosen. They’re intimate. They’re something you press play on because you want to hear every word. It’s not a shared experience either, nearly all podcast listeners do so alone; truly a ‘headphones in’ endeavour. And with over 4 million indexed podcasts out in the ether, there’s pretty much something for everyone.
And since there’s something for everyone, it also means there’s ample opportunity for brands to host their own. But it’s not just about shamelessly plugging a new product for an hour, because simply put, listeners will see (or hear) right through you. The most successful branded podcasts recognise that listeners will only invest their free time in something truly rewarding – whether it’s to be entertained, to learn, or to be inspired to do something. Here are a few who nailed the brief:
DISH by Waitrose & Partners A glossy, food-first show where celebrity guests share dishes, drinks, and conversation.
Dior Talks by Dior A refined, thought-provoking series where artists, thinkers, and friends of the House share ideas, inspirations, and intimate conversations.
The examples above just get it right. By understanding that podcast listening is a choice rather than commodity, they create content that earns attention, builds trust, and rewards every minute spent listening. Something that people are willing to listen to on their commute and share with their nearest and dearest.
If you’re ready to create a branded podcast that offers listeners something new, please do get in touch. We’ll help you craft something worth every minute of their time.
