For the first time, Spotify has handed over the marketing reins to its podcast talent, with the stars of The Inspired Unemployed Podcast launching a billboard battle, Mediaweek can reveal.
The duo behind the podcast, Matt ‘Falcon’ Ford and Jack Steele, will take turns to take over a billboard to make fun of each other, playing off of in-jokes with listeners. The first billboard, unveiled this week, gives Steele the opportunity to take aim at Ford’s height. Ford will get his turn in two weeks as the billboards swap out.
The whole process, from the ‘making of’ the billboards, to their unveiling and the story behind each, will be documented on social channels and the podcast itself.
Spotify’s head of podcasts, Ben Watts, told Mediaweek: “The Inspired Unemployed Podcast is one of our most successful and we are invested in growing its audience to continue building on that success.
“At the core of that success is the mateship and playful ribbing the boys give each other. Those who are already tuned into the podcast regularly will be familiar with the ongoing joke taken at the expense of Matt’s height – something he hates.
“The idea was to use the billboard stunt to showcase their unique chemistry to find out what the podcast is all about to people who aren’t familiar.”
“It’s important to add that while the OOH site is the creative centre of this campaign, social amplification of the stunt is just as crucial as it brings the campaign to a much broader national audience,” Watts said.
“There’s one site in Taylor Square which we love for the clear visibility of those coming from the Eastern Suburbs into the city.
“This also happens to be in close proximity to where the boys are currently living which is important as we knew that being highly visible would raise the stakes for the campaign concept.”
Ford and Steele have partnered with Spotify since 2021, launching weekly episodes known for their banter and raw conversations.
The Inspired Unemployed Podcast made the top five most listened-to podcasts in Australia on Spotify in 2023, coming in behind Casefile True Crime, Huberman Lab, Call Her Daddy and The Joe Rogan Experience.
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