Sunny days, warm weather, flowers in bloom—spring has sprung, and at UPBrand, we’re channeling this positive energy into our work and finding new ways to stay curious. Outside of swapping inspiration at weekly meetings, we’re also having a blast experimenting with our in-house photo studio (more on that below). And the growth doesn’t stop there. Our team has also divided up into groups to investigate future advertising trends so we can keep our work and our clients ahead of the curve. It’s the season for growth, and we’re going full speed ahead. 

You know ‘em, you love ‘em, you binge ‘em. Podcasts deliver everything from hard-hitting news to peak comedy, and since the onset of the pandemic, they’ve become even more popular. Forbes predicts that 125 million Americans will be listening to podcasts this year (compared to 100 million in 2020), and not only are there more fans, but people are spending more time listening. Clearly, this is fertile ground for advertisers, but the key is finding the right way to communicate the message.

The two main ad formats are pre-recorded and live reads. Each presents their own pros and cons. Inserting a nicely pre-recorded, packaged ad into a podcast gives you full control over tone, inflection, etc. Also called programmatic, these ads boast more buying efficiency and targeting success.

However, listeners believe ads read in real-time are more authentic. AdAge reports that live host reads are enormously successful, and that 45% of listeners think hosts use the product or service being discussed. Uniquely, announcer-read ads will be baked into the recordings forever—adding even more value.

So, which is better? The ideal solution is to use both. Research has shown that when programmatic and live-reads run together, they yield impressive results. UPBrand used this approach for Dos Primos Tequila. We created both pre-recorded and live-read ads to run on “Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend,” “The Deck With Ashley Flowers” and several shows on The Maneater network. Drop down to our Creative Showcase to see more about the Dos Primos campaign.

Saint Brendan’s is made for leisurely sipping and celebrations. It’s the drink you indulge in at a brunch with friends or share with the bride-to-be at a wedding shower. This was the inspiration for our “Time to Indulge” photo series. We created a series of maximalist tablescapes for a springtime brunch, a celebration and a wedding shower—each featuring Saint Brendan’s, of course. Join us at the table and stay a while by following @SaintBrendansIrishCream.

Dos Primos Tequila is made and enjoyed by folks who like to kick back with good company in the great outdoors. And, naturally, they’re interested in doing their part to preserve the places that mean so much to all of us. That’s why we helped Dos Primos partner up with The Nature Conservancy to donate $50,000 to support water and agriculture conservation in Mexico. Announced on National Water Day, this initiative tied the brand to a well-known environmental organization and elevated an important cause.