Like Blogs, WSJ Says Big Corporations Are Embracing Podcasts

In the article Companies Tap Podcast Buzz To Sell Contact Lenses, Appliances, reporter David Kesmodel writes about how companies like Johnson & Johnson, Nestle SA, General Motors, Sprint Nextel and Whirlpool Corp are leveraging Podcasts to boost awareness and create buzz.

As with all new marketing technologies, there are still plenty of laggards who are terrified of the unknown:

“Plenty of companies have been reluctant to jump on the bandwagon. Frank Salerno, president of River Communications, a marketing firm in Ridgewood, N.J., said he has been disappointed by clients who have balked at his suggestion that they launch a podcast. Some have said they want to keep their marketing efforts focused on tried-and-true strategies. Corporate podcasting, he said, is still ‘waiting for its champions.’”

Those of us who have been advising businesses to embrace blogging can certainly relate. We’ve seen how the notion of a visible two-way dialog with customers can cause certain marketing professionals to soil their undergarments in fear. Here’s a quote from the article that they should consider:

“Bill Betts, a (GM) company spokesman, said response from consumers has been ‘excellent.’ The number of listeners to the podcasts this year has ranged from 39,000 to 87,000 a month, he said. “We don’t have enough experience to draw conclusions yet” about the viability of the marketing device, Mr. Betts said. But the company, which also publishes several blogs, likes being able to communicate directly with its audience.”