Joy, Fandom, and Writing Ads That Hosts Love with Joanna Robinson

It’s a brand new episode of the Media Roundtable, and for all our Chief Audio Officers, we’re focusing on the other side of the microphone. That’s right, we have a bonafide celebrity podcast host, sitting down with our very own Stew Redwine (Oxford Road VP of Creative Services). Taking time from her busy podcasting schedule is Joanna Robinson.

Joanna is a writer, podcaster, and cultural critic for The Ringer appearing on several shows including The House of R (covering all things fandom) and Trial By Content. She’s a former senior writer for Vanity Fair penning multiple cover stories, and in 2019, SyFy dubbed her the "Queen of Game of Thrones."

Together Stew and Joanna cover the intimacy of fandom and podcasts, how brands should write copy that hosts will actually use, plus the joy of long-term sponsorships. Let’s dig in.

“[What’s] fascinating about podcasts…  is the idea of intimacy that it creates because people so often listen to podcasts while they're doing something else… and so then you become this friend in their ear.”

Fan Service 💗- Hosts with the strongest communities are the strongest advocates for brands. What should CAOs look for in a healthy podcast community? Make sure the host authentically shares their voice–you should know who they are by hearing an episode. Also, are they perceived as welcoming to new members of the community? Even though Joanna’s expertise runs deep for different fandoms she serves, she remains a smart and friendly guide, not a gatekeeper.

Killer Copy: Host Edition 🤩 - Want to make sure your ads sing when hosts read them? Joanna gives 3 tips:

  1. In-depth experience = in-depth endorsements. Whenever possible, give hosts the product.

  2. Encourage tandem reads. Co-host ad reads are more fun than solo-mode.

  3. Five bullet points max. Long copy = bored hosts = bored audience.

Simplify, Simplify 🙃 - Think your product’s complex? Wondering how to explain ‘Game of Thrones’ so a newbie can get it? Whether it’s deep lore or a marketing deck, hosts like Joanna bridge complexity to simplicity. Some advice for CAOs: Stick with a core story that connects and hooks your audience. Sprinkle in the extra details after you've made that connection.

To be lured deeper into fandom (and no doubt become a Joanna Robinson fan yourself), check out the full episode by clicking the link below.

Bianca Gorodinsky