More Than Meets The Ear Series – Niche Messaging: Building A Brand

Liquid I.V. takes an experimental approach in partnering with podcasts.

A few years ago, Liquid I.V. began seeing an uptick in sales related to its partnerships with social media influencers. The company, which makes a line of hydrating powdered drink mixes, realized that the kind of exposure it was getting from Instagram stars didn’t have to be contained to the social media universe. So, in 2018, Liquid I.V. decided to give podcast advertising a chance. “We always want to be a leader and try new things, and the team saw the potential in the podcast space,” says Bobby Hobert, who in 2020 became Liquid I.V.’s podcast performance manager.

Bobby Hobart, podcast performance manager for hydrating powdered-drink-mix maker Liquid I.V., discusses how the brand experiments with niche messages, different types of ad copy, and programs with differing goals—all via its podcasting partners.

What was so appealing about podcasts?

Like Instagram influencers, podcasts offer advertisers a way to tap into a loyal community of followers. But podcasts can deliver an even stronger hook for brands: Fans may spend several hours a week with their favorite podcast hosts, listening during their evening commutes, their weekly grocery run, or their morning workout.

Download the full e-book here to learn how Liquid I.V. took a more tailored, strategic—and continually evolving—approach to its podcast advertising to boost awareness of the steady flow of new products coming out of the Liquid I.V. pipeline, whether it’s an immune-boosting powder mix or a limited-edition piña colada flavor.