How Have Podcasts Become This Era’s New Version of The Social Club? Check out our latest #tellthetruths video to hear Rebeca’s take on how podcasts have replaced bowling alleys and their like as places of community, belonging and identity.
Podcasts Are The New Social Clubs
She goes on to theorize that when a feeling of community is so strongly activated, we’re more presuaded by ads in this medium.
This video originally appeared in LinkedIn
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TRANSCRIPT:
Hey guys, it’s Rebeca Arbona with BrandTrue. Podcasts are the new social club. Okay, so I used to say that there were two kinds of people in the world. Those who drink tequila and those who no longer feel able to drink tequila. Another story for another time. Now I say that there’s two kinds of people in the world. Those who listen to podcasts and those who still read books, but it’s not a good joke because we all listen to podcasts and nobody reads books anyway. I read books, but podcasts.
So anyway, so where I’m going with this, get back on track. Where I’m going with this is I’m fascinated by how podcasts have become like a new social club. Like, we were losing those places where we congregate and draw identity, even before the pandemic. You know, people have been talking about how the bowling league is gone for generations. Those places that we come together and that define who we are, are fewer and fewer between but podcasts really play that role for a lot of people. There are a lot of podcasts that you don’t just listen. You have a sense of belonging, whether it’s, you know Armchair Expert and “I’m an Armcherry”, or, you know, Biz Chix is a podcast that you say “I’m a Biz Chick.” There’s a lot of them like that.
Stephanie, the beautiful Stephanie Carroll who is behind the camera says that she loves a podcast called “Goal Diggers.” And those people are, “I’m a Goal Digger.” So, when podcasts that have that kind of really loyal following that becomes an in-group, a sense of belonging, when they also have advertising, I think it’s amazing and a little scary how persuasive those ads become. Because you feel like this is part of your identity and you feel like these are your friends.
So speaking specifically about Armchair Expert, you know, I think I’m not persuaded by advertisements that I see on TV, billboards, any of that. And then I’m listening to this podcast and I think, “I’ve got to check out those Rothy’s shoes.” Or my colleague Cha, she says, you know, “I’m this close to buying those Athletic Greens. They sound so nutritious and good!” So I think it’s fascinating. Two things I guess is what I’m saying: A. how much we feel like these are our people and B. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, feeling like these are our people, how much those ads connect with and motivate us. It’s… I think it’s fascinating. Let me know what you think. Bye!
