Genres and radio language as keys to the success of branded
podcasts in Spain
Géneros y lenguaje radiofónico como claves de éxito del Branded Pódcast en
España
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July-December of 2026
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How to cite this article:
Gómez López, C. (2026). Genres and radio language as keys to the success of branded podcasts in Spain.
Doxa Comunicación
, 43, pp. 243-259.
https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.2821
Concepción Gómez López.
PhD in Communication from the University of VIGO (UVigo) (thesis: News coverage of
poverty and social exclusion derived from the economic crisis in Vigo (2009-12)). She is currently a Lecturer in the
Faculty of Communication at UVigo, attached to the Department of Developmental Psychology and Communication
(Journalism section), where she teaches Radio Communication and Radio Communication eory & Technique in
the degree courses in Audio-visual Communication and Advertising and Public Relations. Her main lines of research
are journalism in times of crisis, radio and podcasts, audio-visual journalism, radio and articial intelligence,
televised electoral debates, and journalism on social media. A graduate in Information Sciences (Journalism) from the
Complutense University of Madrid, she has worked in several print and audio-visual media, such as La Voz de Galicia,
Radio Voz, Onda Cero Radio, TELEVIGO, and the Europa Press news agency. She holds a Master’s degree in Language
and Communication in Business and an MBA in Tourism, both from UVigo.
University of Vigo, Spain
[email protected]
ORCID:
0000-0003-0461-5232
is content is published under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License. International License CC BY-NC 4.0
Recibido: 27/10/2024 - Aceptado: 25/04/2025 - En edición: 04/05/2026 - Publicado: 01/07/2026
Resumen:
La expansión de la señal hertziana en internet y la eclosión de nuevos for
-
matos sonoros a la carta, como el pódcast, han revolucionado el consumo
de audio, especialmente entre las nuevas generaciones. Este trabajo analiza
el concepto de branded pódcast como una evolución del branded content,
un género con el que las marcas crean contenidos de audio para conectar
emocionalmente con la audiencia, evitando la publicidad intrusiva propia
de la radio. Este género se ha posicionado como estrategia de contenido
clave en los últimos años, capturando la atención de expertos en marke
-
ting y del público en general. Particularmente, este estudio analiza cinco
ejemplos premiados de branded pódcast en España para identicar los ele
-
mentos comunes y las claves de su éxito. Se emplea una metodología mixta,
Received: 27/10/2024 - Accepted: 25/04/2025 - Early access: 04/02/2026 - Published: 01/07/2026
Abstract:
e expansion of radio signals on the Internet and the emergence of
new on-demand audio formats, such as podcasts, have revolutionised
audio consumption, especially among new generations. is
work analyses the concept of branded podcasts as an evolution
of branded content, a genre through which brands create audio
content to connect emotionally with the audience, without intrusive
advertising. e genre has been positioned as a key content strategy,
attracting the attention of marketing experts and the general public.
In particular, this study analyses ve award-winning examples of
branded podcasts in Spain to identify any common elements and
the keys to their success. Using a mixed, quantitative and qualitative
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1. Introduction
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have brought about signicant changes in traditional media, particularly
radio, which has had to adapt to new forms of content distribution and audience engagement (Barrios Rubio & Gutiérrez
García, 2021). is change was driven by the expansion of the Hertzian signal on the internet and the emergence of on-demand
audio formats, evolving toward multimedia expression on digital devices. at has led to an increase in the time spent listening
to online content (Barrios Rubio & Gutiérrez García, 2021).
e convergence of media and platforms has led to the appearance of new business models in radio, most notably the emergence
of the podcast as a exible and personalised service that allows for the distribution of multimedia les on demand (Barrios-
Rubio, 2016). e phenomenon has awakened the interest of new generations compared to traditional radio, highlighting
a shift in the consumption habits of younger audiences (Infoadex, 2023). Branded podcasts are popping up in this context,
one where brands create audio content linked to their values and oers, aiming to non-intrusively connect with audiences
(Llanos-Martínez, 2023).
Podcasting, as a phenomenon of on-demand multimedia content distribution, boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spain, in particular, leads podcast listening in Europe (Infoadex, 2023). at development has marked the dawning of a new
era in digital communication, characterised by an abundant supply of content and audiences, known as “big podcasting” or
the “audication era” (Quah, 2019; Espinosa de los Monteros, 2020).
e genre has its roots in the convergence of diverse technologies and phenomena, such as the expansion of the internet, the
emergence of on-demand radio, the development of digital audio formats, and the rise of blogs. e term“podcasting” was
popularised in the 2004 BloggerCon conference, being coined to designate the new form of audio distribution (Hammersley,
2004; Gallego-Pérez, 2010). However, the conceptual origin of the audio phenomenon, today represented by the podcast, has
its roots in radio (Murray, 2009; Edmond, 2015) and dates back in the digital environment to the early 2000s, with Adam Curry
and Dave Winer, who built the technology for subscribing to audio content (García-Marín, 2019).
cuantitativa y cualitativa, con un análisis detallado de la estructura, el al
-
cance y los componentes del lenguaje sonoro. Se examinan variables como
las temáticas, el género narrativo, los personajes, la música, los efectos de
sonido, el silencio y los recursos técnicos. El estudio revela que los creadores
de branded content innovan en la integración de la marca, pero mantienen
la base de los géneros radiofónicos convencionales, sin presentar rupturas
destacadas en el lenguaje sonoro respecto del modelo tradicional.
Palabras clave:
Pódcast; branded content; comunicación digital; transformación de la
radio; radio online.
methodology, we conduct a detailed analysis of the structure, scope,
and components of audio language. Variables such as subject matter,
narrative genre, characters, music, sound eects, silence, and
technical resources are examined. e study shows that the creators
of branded content integrate the brand into the narrative but rely on
conventional radio genres, oering non-disruptive innovations in
their use of radio language.
Keywords
:
Podcast; branded content; digital communication; radio
transformation; online radio.
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1.1. e impact of podcasts on multimedia communication
e internet has revolutionised communication, creating new media that transform both platforms and content. Podcasts,
in particular, have established themselves as a key evolution in digital audio, closely linked to communication technologies.
Although the term podcast derives from the combination of iPod and broadcasting, its reach extends beyond those devices.
Cebrián-Herreros (2008) proposed terms such as “personal radio,” “recorded-played radio,” or “created-recreated radio” to
describe this form of radio made by and for users.
Conceived as a means of distributing on-demand audio content on the internet, podcasts can be listened to online or
downloaded from the web, or through aggregators such as
iVoox, Spotify, Google Podcasts
, or
Apple
. ey allow asynchronous
listening and facilitate subscription and mobility, overcoming the limitations of traditional streaming and giving users the
freedom to choose what to listen to and when.
Podcasts have developed their own narrative, distinct from conventional radio, thanks to the transmedia conguration of
their content and multiplatform strategies. Multimedia communication explores formulas that integrate mobile devices and
transmedia narratives, fostering the participation of a socially active audience through social media.
e era of big podcasting
(Quah, 2019) has come about due to the global dimension of an audio universe in which the ease
with which podcasts can be created, distributed and listened to has meant that this format, with over a million titles registered
on Apple Podcast and “an increasingly heterogeneous panorama on a global scale in the models of creation, distribution and
marketing, has a turning point that frames it in a growing market.” (Espinosa de los Monteros, 2020).
e proliferation of this type of content on YouTube, websites, and social media since 2015 has given podcasts a transmedia
character that transcends the limits of audio language, enabling their use as a channel for broadcasting audio ction,
entertainment, and, increasingly, for valuable advertising strategies for companies seeking to enhance their brand image.
However, quantifying its media and economic impact in Spain is complicated due to the lack of precise audience data. e
IAB Spain 2023 Digital Audio Study (2023) estimates 19.3 million digital audio listeners nationally, with podcasts attracting the
attention of 54% of consumers, a 10-point increase on the previous year.
Spanish-speaking countries are among the world’s leading podcast producers (Espinosa de los Monteros, 2020). Following
the impact of
Serial
in the United States, Spanish-speaking creators have become more ambitious, and a process of
professionalisation is apparent in Spain with networks such as Pódium Podcast (part of the PRISA Group) and
Cuonda
(Izuzquiza, 2019).
1.2. e birth of branded content
Branded content
is a marketing strategy that focuses on the creation and distribution of entertainment and informational
or educational content closely linked to a brand, without being presented as direct advertising (Castelló-Martínez & Del
Pino-Romero, 2019). Rather than openly promoting a brand’s products or services, its purpose is to establish an emotional
connection with the audience, providing value and ensuring that the brand is naturally integrated into the content (Rogel &
Marcos, 2020).
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e essence of branded content
is to tell stories that truly engage the audience, allowing the brand to be naturally integrated
into the content. e approach seeks to create a positive association between the brand and the audience’s values, interests, or
needs, rather than simply conveying advertising messages through a radio spot.
e strategy can manifest in formats such as videos, articles, podcasts, events, or interactive experiences, among others.
Beyond promoting products or services, it seeks to generate engagement, that is, to build a long-term relationship with
consumers, convey the brand’s values, and dierentiate itself in an overcrowded market (Scopen, 2020) by fostering brand
loyalty and increasing its recognition and reputation. Furthermore, it aligns with the company’s overall objectives and is often
consolidated as a form of storytelling
that humanises the brand message (Hernández, 2018).
is paradigm shift also aects radio advertising (the main source of funding for Hertzian radio), which has traditionally relied
on repeated spots or commercial breaks. e eectiveness of advertising creativity has diminished in the age of globalisation,
as audiences perceive it as a self-serving attempt at persuasion. Entertainment programs in audio-visual media such as radio
and television are frequently interrupted by one-way advertising messages, despite audience resistance.
e concept of branded content
proposes replacing the repetition and interruptions of advertising typical of radio with the
integration of content aligned with the brand’s values and audience interests. e goal is to create messages that the audience
wants to receive, not avoid (Regueira, 2012).
An example of branded content is Popeye, created in the 1930s by the U.S. Chamber of Spinach Growers to encourage children
to eat spinach. PRISA Radio did something similar in 2016 with the launch of the Podium Podcast platform, which oers
original content in ction, journalism, culture, technology, entertainment, lifestyle, and humour. PRISA Radio also ventured
into branded content
by creating and distributing entertainment content associated with brands.
1.3. Denition of the concept of branded podcasts
Branded podcasts
emerged as an evolution of branded content, adapting to changing consumer preferences toward
advertising. Instead of simply showcasing the features of their products or services, brands are adopting strategies that seek to
create emotional bonds and shared experiences with their customers.
e format, as a subtype of branded content, is attractive to brands due to its relatively low cost and ease of production. e
transition from sponsored podcast to branded podcast
has been remarkable in recent years across the digital audio spectrum
(García-Estévez & Cartes-Barroso, 2022).
e denition of a branded podcast
encompasses a variety of formats, from short-episode series to longer programs, designed
to meet specic brand needs and connect with consumers (IM Digital Business School, 2020).
e birth of the branded podcast
dates back to 2015, when Steve Pratt, co-founder of
Pacic Content,
launched the “Slack
Variety Pack” jointly with Slack. e program contributed to the company’s success and played a crucial role in popularising
the term (Pratt, 2018).
e individual nature of audio consumption and the use of direct speech create a close bond with the audience, generating
a sense of belonging to a community (Russell
et al.
, 1993). Such intimacy, compared to believability by Méndiz
et al.
, (2018),
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becomes a powerful vehicle for listener participation. Furthermore, the audio medium encourages creativity by challenging
the listener to visually reconstruct the narrative, while its mnemonic function improves message retention (Rodero Antón,
2008; Balsebre, 2006; Sánchez-Cid, 2006; Romero-Valldecabres, 2017; Vidal-Mestre, 2018).
Podcasts, as an on-demand audio format, oer brands the opportunity to reach their audience anytime, anywhere, through
digital devices, promoting loyalty and building a sense of community (Nafría, 2007; Barbeito-Veloso & Perona-Páez, 2019).
Digital platforms’ global reach and ability to segmentise allow brands to reach their target audiences in an eective and
personalised way. Furthermore, podcasts take full advantage of the resources of language and audio techniques, oering
unlimited space for creativity and storytelling (Roca-Bardají, 2023). e technical execution of the format, being pre-recorded,
allows for meticulous post-production that optimises the quality of the content.
Consequently, branded podcasts are emerging as a powerful tool for brands, oering an emotional connection with their
audiences and a unique opportunity to convey promotional messages in a subtle and authentic way. By enhancing corporate
identity and generating meaningful conversations, branded podcasts
are positioning themselves as an eective and important
advertising strategy in the current panorama (García-Estévez & Cartes-Barroso, 2022). In short, the use of informative and
audio ction genres in audio oers brands a dynamic and creative platform to connect with their audiences in a meaningful
and lasting way.
Branded podcasts
distinguish themselves from conventional sponsorship and thus avoid the intrusive advertising typical of
radio by not inserting ads during the program, focusing instead on creating branded content and storytelling
that appeals to
the audience. e fundamental dierence is that branded podcasts
depend on the presence of the brand for their meaning,
unlike sponsorship, the absence of which would not aect the essence of the program (García-Estévez & Cartes-Barroso, 2022).
Furthermore, those authors highlight that they are audio series made up of several episodes which seek to entertain listeners,
allowing for slow and unhurried consumption (as opposed to
fast content)
and avoiding intrusiveness, a quality highly valued
by contemporary listeners (García-Estévez y Cartes-Barroso, 2022).
Another of its traits is that it oers an engaging listening experience for listeners, making it an eective tool for building brand
awareness, engagement, and positioning (Martínez Otón
et al.
, 2023). at approach has led to the creation of a dedicated
category for branded podcasts
in prominent industry awards, such as the Ondas Global Podcast Awards, and reects their
growing importance in the current media landscape (Martínez Otón
et al.
, 2023).
2. Materials and methods
is paper looks at ve examples of branded podcast
s
that have received awards in Spain over recent years, seeking to identify
their common elements and the keys to their success. To this end, the following general objective was proposed:
To analyse the genres, formats, and resources of radio language used in the main award-winning branded podcasts in Spain,
to decide whether they introduce innovations compared to conventional radio genres.
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Furthermore, the following specic objectives were established:
1.
Describe the technical and narrative resources utilised in each podcast (words, music, eects, silence, etc.).
2.
Examine whether the brand strategy is integrated non-intrusively into the narrative, not presented as direct or traditional
audio advertising, as is done in conventional radio.
3.
Determine whether branded podcast genres and formats represent an evolution from the conventional radio model.
e initial hypotheses were:
H1: Producers of branded content could incorporate creative genres that dier from classic radio genres (news,
entertainment and audio ction
1
).
H2: Despite the above, the use of genres specic to Hertzian radio may continue, with no signicant changes compared to
the traditional model.
A mixed, quantitative / qualitative methodology was adopted to test these hypotheses. e quantitative was based on the
collection and analysis of data from the ve podcasts analysed. e qualitative methodology employed content analysis based
on active listening to the episodes (Bardin, 2002; Rodríguez
et al.
, 1996, p. 92). is methodological approach involves exploring
various categories and variables related to the structure and scope of the content, the use and combination of characteristic
elements of radio language, as well as the introduction of new genres or formats that could represent a new development with
respect to the traditional advertising model in broadcast radio (Balsebre, 1994).
Content analysis, as a research technique, allows for inferences to be drawn by systematically identifying certain specic
characteristics within a text (Krippendor, 2013).
e sample includes the ve branded podcasts
that won various industry awards in 2022, 2023, and 2024, an intentional
selection criterion that limits the study to productions recognised for their quality and impact. Although the sample size (ve
case studies) is small, it is considered sucient for an exploratory analysis, as the goal is to identify common patterns in audio
narrative and brand integration, rather than oer a generalisable statistical diagnosis. e branded podcasts analysed as a
sample are presented below:
1.
“
La Suma
”
is an audio documentary that explores the ght against cardiovascular disease and cancer. As an added value
for the brand, Novartis manages to convey its commitment to the health of Spanish society through this clearly-explained
project.
2.
“
Blum
”:
Created by Carmen Pacheco and Manuel Bartual, this is a ctional thriller about Clara Pastor, an art history
student, who disappears while writing a thesis on Ursula Blum, a 20
th
century avant-garde painter.
1
Cebrian (1992) and Merayo Pérez (1992) state that informative genres of Hertzian radio are subdivided into expository (news, chronicles and reports,
docudramas), opinion (editorials, commentary and criticism) and dialogic (interviews). Fiction genres include radio theatre, serials, radio soap operas and
individual characters, presenters and listeners. Entertainment genres include magazines, sports, music programs, phone-ins, and talk shows.
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3.
“
Titania
”:
Created by screenwriters Manuel Bartual and Juanjo Ramírez Mascaró, it premiered in 2023. It seeks to raise
public awareness about the dangers of the digital world and provide simple, useful advice to avoid falling victim to online
attacks and fraud.
4.
“
Hotel Jorge Juan
”:
Journalist and writer Javier Aznar, the host of this branded chat show, talks to a well-known guest in
each episode of the series.
5.
“
Veus, Mongrel Stories that Heal the World
”
are 73 podcasts about global health from dierent perspectives and ways of
building it.
With this selection, the nal sample was made up of a total of 329 units broadcast between 2022-2024 as presented in the
following table.
Table 2. Research sample data
TITLECREATOR
Seasons and episodes
SPONSORAwards
La Suma
Pó
dium Podcast
1 Season
(9 episodes)
NOVARTIS
Best branded podcast Ondas
Globales del Podcast 2022
Blum
El Extraordinario
1 Season
(9 episodes)
SWISS NATIONAL TOURISM
OFFICE
Best branded podcast Ondas
Globales del Podcast (2023)
TitaniaPó
dium Podcast
1 Season
(8 episodes)
SANTANDER
Best branded podcast Ondas
Globales del Podcast 2024.
Hotel Jorge JuanYes, We Cast
9 Seasons
(221 episodes)
Seagram’s Gin and Vanity Fair.
Best branded podcast Ondas
Globales del Podcast 2022
Veus, mongrel
stories
that heal the world
Medicusmundi
3 Seasons
(73 episodes)
Oce of Participation,
Transparency, Cooperation
and Democratic Quality of
the Generalitat Valenciana
and the General Directorate
of Cooperation of the Balearic
Government.
“Best Brand Podcast 2023”
from the Ivoox platform.
Source: created by the author
Regarding the research categories and variables, the study follows the categorisation of López-Villafranca (2019) and Hernando
Lera
et al.
(2020), complemented by the proposals of Moreno (2003), Muela-Molina (2012) and Balsebre (1994) on radio
language. Regarding methodology, another element of sound language (silence) has been included as a variable, and other
functions of music as an element of sound language have been considered beyond those provided by the aforementioned
authors. Moreover, the variable of brand identication has been added, so that the direct link with the sponsor can be seen.
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Table 3. Research categories and variables
A. Subject of the podcast: values, emotions and feelings linked to the brand that it tries to convey
1.
Science
2.
Technology
3.
Medicine
4.
Economy
5.
Art/Culture
6.
Entertainment
7.
Other
B. Narrative genre used
1.
Informative: news, report, interview
2.
Sound ction (hearing, Telling)
3.
Genres of entertainment and participation (phone-ins, game shows)
4.
Advertising genres
C. Protagonists: Characters and Narrator. e possible combinations analysed in this paper are as follows
1.
Single narrator (monologue)
2.
Actors who play ctional characters
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3.
An actor who plays real characters without a narrator
4.
Combination of a narrator with actors’ dialogue
D. Space, setting or context in which the action takes place
1.
Real places
2.
Fictional places
3.
No dened scenario
E. Music: e established variables are based on the functions
2
of this element of radio language
1.
Ambient or descriptive
2.
Expressive; evoking moods, sensations or feelings
3.
Referential
4.
Programmatic
5.
Syntactic-grammatical
6.
Absence of music
F. Sound eects
1.
Ambient or descriptive
2.
Expressive: conveying a mood, sensation or feeling
2
See, for example, Balsebre (1994) for a broader classication of music on the radio.
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3.
Narrative: describing key actions in the story
4.
Ornamental: embellishing or accompanying other elements
5.
Absence of sound eects
G. Silence
1.
With a reexive function
2.
With a dramatic function (suspense, waiting)
3.
With an emphatic function (heightening a moment of the message)
4.
Absence of silence
G. Technical resources
3
: incorporated in most audio editing programs, helping to nuance and enrich the
expressiveness of the sound, support the characterization of spaces and characters, or distort and completely alter
a sound’s meaning
1.
Layering of sound eects: extreme close-up, close-up, foreground, background, and distance to place crowds,
shouts or people speaking from a distance
2.
Echo and reverberation: placing the dialogue o-screen or inside a cave. (Dierences: reverb is a continuous,
multiple reection of sound in a closed space; echo is perceived as a distinct repetition of the sound)
3.
Vibrato and Chorus
(modulation eects that vary the tone or add nuances to voice or music)
4.
Equalizers and lters to recreate radio, telephone, or television sounds, beeps, interference, etc.
5.
Flangers: Sound eects that produce a characteristic oscillating, metallic sound, especially in the mid and high
frequencies. (ey mix the original signal with a very short, delayed copy, creating a metallic sound; e.g., used
to simulate science ction ambience)
6.
Others, such as rocking and sound inverters to create a scratched record eect, pitch modiers to recreate
fantastic characters (monsters, aliens, etc.) and speed (Rodero, 2005:141-147)
3
Denitions based on Rodero (2005) and Guarinos-Galán (2009).
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H. Language used: Language functions
1.
Referential, representative or informative: when the sender creates messages related to their setting
2.
Expressive, emotional or symptomatic: transmitting feelings, emotions, moods and desires
3.
Appellative or Conative: when the sender expects a response, action or reaction from the receiver
4.
Poetic or aesthetic: language is used for aesthetic purposes
J. Brand Identication
1.
Explicit mention (opening or closing)
2.
Integration into the plot without direct mention
3.
Reference to the product/service
4.
Lack of mention
Source: created by the author
e success of these branded podcasts
is measured through indicators such as the number of listeners, downloads, social media
comments, and reviews on platforms such as
Apple Podcasts
or
Spotify
. Additionally, audience loyalty and recommendations
from listeners reinforce the brand’s positioning.
Podcast hosting platforms provide audience statistics, such as the number of downloads per episode and the geographic
location of listeners. Audience loyalty is measured by how often listeners repeat and whether they recommend the podcast
to others. Furthermore, brands evaluate return on investment (ROI) by considering production and promotion costs versus
tangible benets (increased sales or brand awareness).
3. Results
e ndings related to the categories and variables analysed are described below, highlighting some key aspects of radio
language use and brand integration.
“La Suma” is focused on medicine and technology, launched on May 17, 2023, with 9 episodes posted fortnightly (20-30
minutes). It is hosted on Pódium Podcast and available on numerous platforms (
Spotify, Apple, Podimo
,
Ivoox
, and
Audible
).
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It is an example of the informative genre of audio reports, looking closely at human aspects and statements from healthcare
professionals. e subject matter covers medicine and science. Each episode begins with comments from healthcare
personnel; the setting is real (hospitals), and the spoken word fulls a fundamentally representative and appellative function,
accompanied by ambient sound eects (hospital noises) with a descriptive and narrative function, and occasional instrumental
mood music in the background that envelops the content of the spoken message. All episodes have an opening theme tune
and do not feature audio advertising or direct references to the sponsor (Novartis). Brand recognition is achieved without
intrusive advertising, that being limited to a mention at the end of each episode. Silence, on the other hand, is used reectively,
emphasizing the interviewees’ words.
“Titania” addresses cybercrime and adopts the thriller genre that
evokes audio ction radio serials for the audience. Hearing
technique predominates the eight episodes
(without a main narrator; the plot ows through dialogue). Words are used for
referential, narrative, and emotional purposes, and various articial and digital sound eects related to computing (keyboards,
alerts) are used. Music is used only in the intro, providing a narrative and appellative nuance. Silence is used as a dramatic
resource, generating suspense. All episodes include a reverie or recap of the previous episodes, employing technical resources
such as echo and reverberation that help to create an atmosphere of suspense or intrigue. Among the sound eects utilised in
the branding, the incorporation of ADA, an articial intelligence character, stands out. e brand (Banco Santander) is subtly
integrated through references to cybersecurity and is explicitly mentioned at the beginning and end of each episode. Each
episode begins with a short audio spot about internal articial intelligence (ADA), which makes use of sound elements from
radio language (spoken words, music, eects, and silence) that emulate radio advertising, but without intrusively interrupting
the narrative.
“Blum”
combines art, music, and tourism to showcase dierent Swiss cities over 9 episodes (18-23 minutes each). It is
distributed on
Apple Podcast
,
Spotify, Amazon Music, iVoox, YouTube
, and the
El Extraordinario
Living App
on Movistar. It
employs audio ction (a storytelling technique with a narrator as the protagonist) and recreates real-life Swiss settings through
ambient eects. Music, with narrative and emotional functions, takes on great importance, almost as an additional character.
Silence reinforces the tension at key moments in the plot. Voice lters are applied to phone calls. and the recorded testimonies
compiled by the protagonist, along with reverberations and echoes to situate scenes in closed settings, or to add depth and
realism to the soundscape that accompanies the locations. e podcast’s sponsoring brand (the Swiss National Tourism
Board) is mentioned at the beginning and end of each episode, without traditional advertising inserts. e brand’s presence
and the values it represents are perceived in each episode through words, with abundant descriptions of places, landscapes,
and peculiarities of Swiss culture and art.
“Hotel Jorge Juan” is a branded
chat podcast based on interviews (an informative radio genre). It runs over nine seasons and
221 episodes, available on platforms such as
Apple, Spotify
, and
iVoox
, and often has a YouTube version. Its goal is to position
Hotel Jorge Juan as a space for cultural and educational exchange, where the conversation between the host (narrator) and the
guest (a real person) in each episode ows without background music or eects, except for the opening theme tune. Analysis
of the nine episodes did not identify any sound eects or voice lters that altered the audio, suggesting a purist approach
to production. Consequently, the predominant element of radio language is the spoken word, giving the podcast a direct,
stripped-back quality. Words serve a representative, argumentative, emotional, and sometimes ornamental function, by virtue
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of the beauty of the language used. e silences that occur during the conversation invite reection or add to the message’s
persuasiveness. e interview takes place in a real setting, although the Hotel Jorge Juan is ctitious, with its lobby and rooms
it forms part of the decor or atmosphere surrounding each episode. It is sponsored by
Seagram’s Gin
and
Vanity Fair
, discreetly
mentioned in the opening or closing remarks. e setting is presented as a ctitious “hotel” (but with references to real spaces in
the hotel that invite the listener to learn about the brand’s virtues and values), although the emphasis is on dialogic interaction.
“Veus, mongrel stories that heal the world”, uses sound reporting (a radio news genre). Each episode, lasting 8 to 22 minutes,
begins with an opening theme that combines voices with music and sound eects. ese play a fundamental role in the
audience’s auditive experience, serving a descriptive or ambient function that places the listener in a real space (a hospital).
e use of silence introduces pauses for thought, inviting reection and facilitating the transition between statements. e
narrative is supported by a narrator and guests who share their experiences or humanitarian work. Mention is only made of
Médicosmundi
at the beginning and end of the episodes, with no commercials or interruptions.
4. Discussion
e research results demonstrate the diversity of creative approaches and production techniques used to generate engaging
content across a variety of topics and genres. Such approaches not only enrich the listening experience but also highlight the
versatility and potential of podcasts as communication and marketing tools.
e ve productions analysed use conventional radio genres (reporting, interviews, audio ction), elements of radio language
(spoken word, music, eects and silence) and some technical resources (reverberation, echo, and voice lters).
“La Suma” explores medical, scientic, and technological topics through audio reporting, one of the most widely-used
news genres on conventional radio. “Titania” is an audio ction thriller that uses
hearing
,
where the narrative unfolds
exclusively through dialogue, without the presence of a narrator. Audio ction was also one of the most widely-used genres on
conventional radio in postwar Spain, with examples such as Teatro del aire, on Cadena SER (1942–1973), or Teatro invisible,
on Radio Nacional de España (1949–1969) in Barcelona, directed by Juan Manuel Soriano. is circumstance demonstrates
that “audio ction is not only recovering lost ground thanks to its symbiotic relationship with podcasts but is also undergoing
a process of transformation that aects both its identifying features and its classication and nomenclature” (Ruiz-Gómez &
Legorburu-Hortelano, 2023).
“Blum” uses the narrative technique of telling
(the presence of a narrator), a common feature in radio, as Emma, the show’s
central character, introduces the other characters through her narration. Sound eects and the strategic use of silence are also
typical elements of radio sound ction.
“Hotel Jorge Juan” focuses on disseminating culture through interviews, the quintessential dialogic radio genre, according to
Cebrían’s 1992 classication of audiovisual informative genres; without the use of background music or sound eects, except
for the opening theme that begins the piece. is minimalist approach emphasises the spoken word and informative content,
oering a direct and unadorned platform for conversation and knowledge, a recurring trend in current conventional radio.
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Finally, “Veus” uses audio reporting to build a rich narrative with the help of statements and sound eects that enhance
understanding and enjoyment of the content.
e results conrm that, despite the initial hypothesis (H1) that branded podcasts
could introduce clearly novel and distinct
genres, no notable paradigm shifts were observed with respect to the genres typical of broadcast radio. erefore, the second
hypothesis (H2) is largely conrmed: the branded podcasts
in the episodes analysed do not represent a radical innovation in
genres or in the use of audio language elements compared to traditional broadcast radio.
Nevertheless, the ndings do show how the content integrates brand strategy organically and non-intrusively, taking advantage
of the intimacy and personalisation podcasts oer. e absence of any repetitive advertising dissociated from the content is
conrmed, thereby generating a more subtle approach to the target audience. Greater sophistication is also evident in the
post-production of some products such as “Titania”or “Blum”(eects, mixing, use of reverberations, echo, voice lters, etc.),
albeit within the classic patterns of conventional radio language.
5. Conclusions
is study shows that the use of radio language (spoken words, music, eects, and silence) is a common factor in the ve
branded podcasts
analysed in this paper. us, words serve referential, narrative, emotional, and argumentative functions,
depending on the type of podcast. “Hotel Jorge Juan” employs words as the primary vehicle of communication, while in
“Titania” and “Blum”, they are combined with sound eects and music to enrich the narrative.
Sound eects are used both for setting the mood (as in “La Suma” and “Blum”) and to create specic, realistic atmospheres (as
in “Titania”) and are essential in all the pieces to immerse the listener.
Music plays narrative and appellative roles, setting the tone and emotion of each episode. “Blum” has music almost as an
additional character, while in “Titania”, it is used for the intros and outros, creating a coherent and evocative atmosphere.
Finally, silence is strategically used to foster reection, and create suspense or a pause for appraisal, adding emotional and
narrative depth to the podcasts.
It is therefore evident that, far from breaking with tradition, the producers of the most successful branded podcasts
continue
to rely on traditional radio genres such as audio ction, reports, and interviews, which have been characteristic of radio for
decades. While the brand is integrated into the content in a coherent and non-intrusive manner, it is evident that there is no new
repertoire of disruptive genres. erefore, the hypothesis that the most successful productions present signicant innovations
in terms of genre is rejected, conrming the tendency to rely on established radio genres. However, the adaptation of these
genres to a digital context and to an audience with asynchronous listening habits gives the branded podcast
a prominent place
in the brands’ communication strategy.
e use of news and audio ction genres from conventional radio in the creation of branded podcasts oers brands a golden
opportunity to attract new audiences. anks to the combination of credibility and emotional connection provided by news
genres and the emotion and creativity of audio ction, these brands have created listening experiences that captivate, inform,
and entertain, strengthening the bond with their audiences and positioning themselves as leaders in their eld.
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Limitations and avenues for future research: the sample was limited to ve specic cases, all of them winners of recent national
awards. is criterion gives prominence to the productions but restricts the possibility of generalising the results to the entire
branded podcast landscape in Spain. Furthermore, the study focuses on content analysis and does not look more closely at
audience motivations or reception.
It would be desirable that any future research expand the sample with more branded podcasts, including other linguistic and
cultural areas, and further analyse advertising eectiveness through metrics relevant to engagement, ROI, and brand perception.
Another possible line of research might be to explore audience perception through interviews or surveys, identifying whether
the absence of ad breaks and organic brand integration positively inuence listener loyalty.
Ultimately, branded podcasts
demonstrate their value as a communication and marketing strategy that utilises classic radio
language in a digital medium. eir greatest strength lies in their non-intrusive brand integration, a factor that enhances the
listening experience and strengthens the emotional connection with the audience.
6. Acknowledgments
is article has been translated into English by Brian O´Halloran to whom we are grateful for his work.
7. Specic contribution of each author
Name and surnam
e
Conception and design of the workConcepción Gómez López
Methodology
Concepción Gómez López
Data collection and analysisConcepción Gómez López
Discussion and conclusionsConcepción Gómez López
Drafting, formatting, version review and approvalConcepción Gómez López
8. Conict of interest
e author declares that there is no conict of interest contained in this article.
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