Bacon, Beauty, and the NFL: How Brands are Embracing Social Audio

As the newest frontier in social media, live-audio platforms represent a sensorial medium for brands to engage and grow their audiences. In a world of screen fatigue, the absence of video offers a democratized, disarming opportunity for customers to open up and participate, or listen into the conversations that matter to them. While the Clubhouse app is still technically ad-free, brands are seizing the opportunity to deepen their customer relationships in creative ways. 

Courtyard by Marriott recently announced they will host an NFL draft chat on Clubhouse at 6:30pm EST on April 28, 2021. Doing so gives the brand an opportunity to engage with passionate NFL fans in an innovative way around the highly popular draft. From a timing perspective, the move can help the brand build awareness and relevancy just as travel begins to pick up as the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out.

In a more sensorial approach, IHOP included Clubhouse in the launch of their Steakhouse Premium Bacon. Listeners tuning into the brand’s channel were treated to the sizzling sounds of bacon cooking all day long. The ingenious initiative combined the popularity of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) with the visceral appeal of bacon to spark word-of-mouth and earned media at a time when consumers are slowly returning to restaurants.

Skincare brand, Glow Recipe, is testing the platform with a room called “Beauty Talks” featuring guests like Tess Holliday for candid discussions around body image. The approach gives them an opportunity to engage with consumers around shared values – a critical element for  Gen Z and millennials. 

With rising customer acquisition costs, a sea of sameness across social media and Apple's new privacy limitations, future-focused brands need to take an unconventional approach to digital marketing to truly break through. After a year of staying inside, consumers are craving new experiences more than ever – opening a window of opportunity for bold brands willing to experiment.

This article originally appeared in the April 27th, 2021 issue of Moving Image & Content’s agency newsletter. Subscribe here