MandM drives spring sales with podcasts on Spotify
UK clothing retailer MandM discovered that podcast ads can lead to impressive results—including a boost in conversions.
Online clothing and footwear retailer MandM Direct was ready to spring into action and drive April sales among UK shoppers. To do so, they launched a combination of original, tailor-made podcast ads, engaging target listeners across the Spotify Audience Network.
Media mix:
Brand vertical: Retail
Objective: Conversions
Target audience: Parents, 35+
Targeting used: Demo, Gender
Market: UK
Flight length: 04/01/2023 – 04/30/2023
Activation channel: Direct
Format: Podcast Ads
The Brief:
MandM was suiting up to drive sales for their "spring styles" promotion: up to 75% off the recommended retail price (RRP) on brand-name fashion, sportswear, and footwear. They quickly identified podcasts as an ideal medium for reaching their target audience and building awareness.
The Solution:
MandM was looking to target parents aged 35 and over for their springtime sale. So the brand partnered with one of the UK's best-known podcasts, “Parenting Hell," to reach a leaned-in audience of listeners in their key demographic. For a more personalized approach, MandM tapped the podcast's hosts—Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe—to read ads in their own voices and bake the brand messaging into each episode.
To maximize reach, the retailer complemented these host-read ads with voice talent spots, which were distributed across a range of Spotify Podcasts as well as the Spotify Audience Network. MandM also outfitted each podcast ad with a clickable call-to-action card, which appeared when the Spotify app was in focus.
Hear the spot for yourself.
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The Impact:
MandM's podcast campaign drove impressive results, including a boost in website visits and sales. After seeing rapid success with this spring promotion, MandM quadrupled their fourth-quarter investment on Spotify.
- 674%
Return on Podcast Ad Spend
- 5x
higher Conversion rate than Spotify benchmarks
- 6.71%
of households reached visited the website
The Takeaway:
Host-read podcast ads can produce a halo effect, helping brands tap into built-in audiences who already know and trust the voices they hear on a regular basis. Brands can also complement these host-read ads with voice talent-read ads, expanding their reach across Spotify's vast network of podcast listeners.
“We've been really pleased with the results so far from our campaigns on Spotify. By utilizing their audience targeting capabilities, we've been able to reach our key demographics. We now see Spotify as a strong addition to our channel mix, across the full marketing funnel."
— Phil Twigg
Head of Digital, MandM Direct