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Author: Chris Talbert

Introducing Designsensory Intelligence and Ignite Fan Insights

Posted on by Chris Talbert

Our marketing research unit has provided authentic, proprietary customer and market insights for decades, playing a significant role in the success of dozens of organizations. We’re so proud of the work that this team has done to uncover the “what” and “why” of human behavior and even prouder to say that, after nearly 30 years, it feels like the fun is just getting started. 

Formerly known as Lancaster Research, we’ve recently taken on the name Designsensory Intelligence and expanded our offerings in the process. After all, change is a good thing – right? We’ve mentioned it some on social media and in a few of our agency news roundups this year, but it’s time we do a deep dive into our new name, brand and capabilities—as only a veteran research team would. 

One of the Designsensory Intelligence (or DSI – as I’ll call it through the rest of this piece) tools that we’re most excited for this year is the launch of Ignite Fan Insights. I say launch, but it’s really a new and improved version of an offering that the team has been dedicated to for years. Ignite explores sports fan engagement and behavioral trends from early childhood to present day. Known previously as Voice of the American Fan, this in-depth report has provided a wealth of information supplied by more than 6,300 casual to die-hard sports fans. 

Led by our Director of Research, Chris Wise, Ignite Fan Insights serves as a way to learn from the past and look ahead with a predictive sense of what will trigger interest. Then, once interest is gained, we can understand what stimulates fan commitment and loyalty—something incredibly important in these uncertain times for the industry. Produced three times a year by DSI, the report is always fresh and relevant with never-before-seen stats, geographic and demographic impacts, sport by sport sentiments and more. But the great thing about Ignite is that we’re providing more than just fan data. Those who subscribe will have access to the report, regular newsletters and blogs, webinars and the new Fired Up! podcast. 

Supported by our “podcast guys” (Chris McAdoo and Brad Carpenter), Fired Up! is full of thoughtful, in-depth conversations with sports industry leaders. “Leaders” feels like such an understatement, though—each person we’ve interviewed is a VERY big deal. From Churchill Downs and the Minnesota Vikings to FC Cincinnati and the Miami Dolphins, we’ve heard from the best and brightest in sports. Listen for yourself. 

Growing up in America is almost intertwined with an introduction to sports. The purpose of Ignite Fan Insights is to deepen our understanding of what makes fans who they are, from their involvement in sports at an early age to the types of sports they follow. We’ve poured our hearts into this custom research work, and we’re hopeful that you’ll find it just as valuable. Step up to the plate and give us a follow on Facebook and LinkedIn while you’re at it.  

Clear Your Mind: 6 Ways to Mindfully Manage Stress

Posted on by Chris Talbert

We’ve had a lot on our minds the past few months. Staying safe, staying at home, staying productive—you name it. But dealing with stress hasn’t necessarily been at the top of our list since we’ve been confined to our makeshift WFH offices. And I get it. You’re trying to figure out how to keep the kids occupied, get some lunch on the table and reassure your mother that, yes, you’re still washing your hands. All just so you can finally send that email you’ve been working on for 20 minutes. Not even going to lie, I got stressed writing that – LOL. 

OK – BREATHE. 

Times are stressful, but one of the most important things we can do after a long day of work is to clear our minds and switch from “work-mode” to “chill-mode.” Finding that balance between work and home life is something we’ve all been dealing with. So, in order to keep us all sane – literally – we have some tips to help you recharge. 

Fresh Air = Fresh Mind 

This isn’t some top-secret list of ways to deal with stress. These are the things we’ve all known for years, but in times like these, we can simply lose ourselves to stress and anxiety and overlook the small things that keep us healthy. So, GO OUTSIDE! Being outdoors impacts not only your mind but your body, too (you know, two birds with one stone kind of thing). Even taking a 15-minute walk can completely reset your psychological state. So, grab your pup, cat, kid or favorite human and get to sniffin’ those trees and flowers (allergies permitting). 

Music Heals 

Whether you are a soft pop kind of person or a heavy metal stan, music has been an escape for people since the beginning of time. Did you know that music can be a drug to certain people? The Nucleus Accumbens section of the brain seeks pleasure and reward, and for some people, listening/playing music increases dopamine. I personally know this to be true because, as a music lover, it’s my form of therapy. It instantly takes me to a different place, especially when I’m stressed. 

Grab A Book 

Now, I have never been one to pick up a book after a long day at work, but I know you all are out there. Getting lost in a story or someone else’s thoughts will literally put you into a different headspace. So, get comfy in your favorite reading nook or surround yourself in a blissful meadow (just me telling you to go outside again) with your go-to book and get to reading. 

Creative People! Go Forth and Be! 

There are some people who weren’t wired to “chill out.” I know who you are, you beautiful-minded humans. You create. It’s what you do, and it’s how you “recharge.” Whether it’s playing an instrument, drawing, writing, sculpting, designing, singing, dancing, painting and all of the many creative things—go do you. There is something wonderful about getting lost in something you love to do/make. So, do it. 

Phone a Friend (or Family Member) 

Having someone you can chat with on the phone as a form of relaxation is one of the easiest ways to reset after a long day. The power that expressing your thoughts and feelings to someone has on your mental state is huge. So, go call your mother and ask her about her day. 

Get To Moving

You knew this one would make the list. Exercising has so many benefits. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “Scientists have found that regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep and improve self-esteem.” The wonderful thing about the 21st century is that technology has allowed us to work out from home, just pull up a YouTube exercise video and you’re set. Or you can go for a walk outside while listening to music (see what I did there?). But seriously, the important thing is to stay moving.

So, there you have it. I know these aren’t groundbreaking tips for a clear headspace, but sometimes all we need is a simple reminder to take a step back and do the little things. Try incorporating one or a few of these techniques into your “after-work” routine and clear your mind. Oh, last thing! Wash your hands. 

March at Designsensory: Embracing a Virtual Workplace

Posted on by Chris Talbert

This won’t be a typical agency news roundup for us. We normally update you on where in the world the Designsensory team has been — conferences, events, pitches, shoots. This time is different. We’ve been busy from home (social distancing) trying to navigate this unprecedented event ourselves and for all of our clients, who are really better identified as our friends. 

We’ve transformed to an entirely digital workplace. Our account teams are mastering the art of Google Chat and UberConference (let’s face it, they are already proficient in those) and, more than ever, they are a compassionate resource to our clients. Our marketing and communications teams are assisting with internal and external communications to employees, stakeholders, consumers and members of the media, while our tech teams are working around the clock to provide crucial website updates. Our creatives are battling this time of uncertainty with brilliant designs and thoughtful copywriting — all from their makeshift home offices.

We’re doing all of the things that we’ve always done, but with a new environment. A new normal (for now, anyway). We are looking at this new normal as a time of transformation and hope. We are struggling to find the words to comfort our friends and we’re taking our own business operations model day-by-day. But we’re hopeful and optimistic. We will come out stronger on the other end of this. So no, this isn’t our typical agency news roundup, but we hope it will bring a little positivity and a sense of community to you. After all, we’re in this thing together. 

Our clients mean the world to us, and they could all use some help right now. Please see below for some ways that you can support, and if you’re another client reading this, please let us know how we can lend a hand as well. We’d love to double this list. 

  1. Zoo Knoxville is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and the majority of their operating funds come from paying guests and members. Since closing the doors to help limit the spread of COVID-19, they have and will continue to lose around $22,500 per day. To support our friends and animals, if you are able, consider donating to their Emergency Animal Relief Fund here.  
  2. Our friends with the Tennessee Entertainment Commission have gathered resources for employees in the entertainment industry that are currently in need of assistance. From the Music Health Alliance and Society of Singers to the Actors Fund and Musicares, you can find more ways to help here. The Commission supports film, music and digital interactive entertainment projects around the state. If you’re a freelance photographer, videographer or musician, these resources may provide some much-needed relief.
  3. Goodwill-Industries Knoxville had to close each retail store on March 21 for the safety of its employees, families and customers. Those who are interested in continuing to support their mission in this uncertain time are encouraged to shop online here. 
  4. The city of Gatlinburg, like any tourist city right now, is hurting. The Convention and Visitors Bureau is keeping this list updated to showcase #VirtualGatlinburg. While you’re on your digital visit, support by shopping online as well. Check out the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park retail store and enjoy these lovely Facebook Live videos while you’re at it. 
  5. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) is providing regular updates including the necessary resources and information to support Tennessee businesses, as the backbone of the economy, right here. Our clients in other states are doing the same. Shop online. Share on social media. Give help where you can. 

As for us here at DS, we are going to take this time to support our clients, families and friends how we can, and our monthly newsletters will be moving to quarterly. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more updates. We’ll return to your inboxes in June! Stay safe.

Make it Real, Compared to What?

Posted on by Chris Talbert

I have been incredibly fortunate to live the life of a “professional creative” for over twenty years. I’ve been a letterpress printmaker, business owner, teacher and, now, a creative director here at Designsensory. Through it all (and technically, since I was four years old) I’ve ALWAYS created, and always painted. It’s allowed for a sense of greater purpose and clarity that factors into everything I do.

With that in mind, let’s talk about March 6th, 2020 (which now…seems like a million years ago). That was a big day for me, my family and my art career. Nights, weekends and early mornings for months had centered around one thing: my latest solo exhibition of paintings at Bennett Galleries in our hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. Almost thirty new paintings—all created in my home studio in South Knoxville—opening that evening to a large crowd of friends and fans. Plans were in the works for the Knoxville Museum of Art to do a collectors’ event early in April, interviews were planned and it seemed like interest grew every day. And then: we all went home.

We all went home to protect our families, our community and our world from an invisible enemy. In a recent article titled “That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief”, Scott Berinato spoke with author David Kessler who had this to say: “We feel the world has changed, and it has. We know this is temporary, but it doesn’t feel that way, and we realize things will be different.” This article really hit me square in the chest. I know we’re doing the right thing, but it still hurts, and we still don’t know what “different” will look like…and what should our expectations be moving forward?

At Designsensory, we’re all adapting quickly to the new way of working—conference calls and video chats, home offices and headphones. We’re all having conversations with clients and co-workers about pivoting, flexibility and “asynchronous communication”. We’re all asking better questions and demanding better answers. We’ve always been a creative, solution-driven band of characters, and now we’re even more focused on exploring opportunities for deliberate, creative collaboration with our clients and our internal teams.

As for me, I’ll pivot as well. I may not be able to give an artist’s talk to a crowded gallery, but if my mother-in-law can figure out Zoom, I can certainly record an artist’s talk and walk everyone through the inspirations, techniques and intentional practices that inform every piece I create. My studio has been turned into a home office, and my paint-spattered walls look over my shoulder with anticipation of what’s to come and what I’ll create next. The title of the show makes even more sense now: “Make it Real Compared to What?”.

And one last thing…I’ll tell you what I’ve experienced in these past few weeks that has filled me with hope, and a renewed expectation: we’re here for each other. I’ve already connected with family and friends that I haven’t spoken to in years, I’ve seen co-workers turn our regular Cocktail Club into a Zoom meeting just so we could see each other, and I’ve seen communities come together to support local businesses, artists and neighbors in a time of unprecedented need. It’s going to be a long time before the artistic community recovers from this, and we need to be thinking about that every time we binge-watch our favorite show, listen to our favorite music and, one day, when we come together to enjoy our favorite play TOGETHER.

Until then, keep an eye out for those artists and non-profits that are going to be in need. Lend your support, whether it’s through a donation, a purchase or a “share” on social media. Reach out (remotely, for the time being) to those in need; take care of your community, and take care of yourself. This is all too real, and it’s our job to define and make the most of our own versions of “compared to what.” It’s time for empathy, grace and patience, and we’re lucky that all are in abundant supply.

Tips from our Coworkers: Staying Productive While Working from Home

Posted on by Chris Talbert

Once upon a time, in what seems like a distant memory, people used to work in offices. Desks were shared. Face-to-face meetings were had. Germs were exchanged. Then, without warning – except actually with much warning – we were advised to quarantine at our homes.

Today, as I sit on my bed preparing to move to my “designated work area,” I have the luxury of not showering (I still do) and not having to wear shoes (I definitely don’t). However, those small details that once mattered in a world of in-person interaction don’t truly elevate my productivity levels as I’m working from home. And while you’re at home (we hope), in your own designated work area, you may be finding it difficult to focus. To help you get back on track while we fight the COVID-19 pandemic collectively, we interviewed our now-remote office folks for advice. 

(Side note: humor helps us have hard conversations, but this is serious business. Stay home, stay safe.)

How are you staying productive?

From waking up earlier and taking morning walks before getting started on creating to-do lists and being mindful of distractions, it seems DSers have one thing to say: turn off the TV and develop your own routine.

“I’ve developed routine amidst the chaos. I typically start my day from my room with my windows open and essential oils diffusing. I later migrate down to my living room, where my make-shift desk is, to continue working. I like the change of location mid-day. It keeps my mind moving.”

I picked up some unique advice from someone who’s doing it right: make your spouse cook breakfast. Even with all of these day-to-day changes, on one thing we can all agree, there’s a huge benefit to working from home.

“For sure I keep the TV turned off during my working hours. Honestly, I’m probably more productive than when I’m at the office because the phone’s not ringing, I’m not getting pulled into impromptu meetings and I don’t have to keep the kitchen cleaned up.”

And, while loungewear has become the new office uniform, there is something to be said about simply putting on a pair of jeans to feel more productive, or so they tell me.

Is there anything you’ve learned while working from home that you plan to bring back with you into the office?

For me, the answer is easy: bring more snacks to work for additional brain power. For some, getting used to being on the phone or a teleconference has become less daunting. And for others, well, see for yourself.

“Don’t leave CNN on in the background all day. Snoring puppies underfoot are helping productivity. Can they come back to the office too?”

“Having a cat in your lap during work is pretty therapeutic, but I don’t think my co-workers would enjoy that at the office. So, probably won’t be able to bring that one back. Maybe an occasional therapy dog?”

Can I get a woof woof? In all seriousness, people have learned that production time is best spent in quiet; Google Meet video is way better than UberConference; status check-in sheets are next to godliness; two monitors are better than one; and taking better notes helps everyone reference things after meetings.

“I think I’ve learned the value in consistency, the beauty in routine. I’m not sure exactly why yet, but I think it’s good for us.”

Are there any challenges you’re facing working from home? If so, how are you overcoming them?

There’s no doubt that, whether in the office or at home, distractions can hinder the best of us. To maximize mental space, it’s so important to take breaks and feed your soul. Here’s what the jury has to say.

“Staying focused can be difficult at times, so I batch the tasks I need to do and give myself small breaks in between.”

“I don’t have a home office because I have a one bedroom apartment. That means I’m working in my living room and then sitting in my living room for most of the evening, so the separation between work and leisure time is not there. It helps to go outside and run or pop over to my parents’ for a bit, just to get some space.”

“I try to listen to music and go for short walks to get some fresh air to reset.”

“My ‘coworker’ at home is a chatty five year old. I’ve had to learn creative ways to keep her busy so I can be productive”

Challenges are just opportunities that need to be unmasked. Can someone please unmask this person’s challenges? Or at least release its claws.

“I’ve moved my workspace to the back porch because my husband, also working from home, is on conference calls ALL DAY LONG. I’ve also learned not to leave my phone on the couch, because the dog tried to FaceTime someone. And, finally, I’m still struggling with how to keep the cats off the laptop keyboard and am currently taking suggestions.”

“Honestly, my biggest problem is not letting myself snack all day.” (Editor’s Note: Literally same.)

“Uh. Keeping myself presentable.”

Take These Wings and Learn to Fly

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by Covid-19, and we are so appreciative to our leaders at Designsensory for letting us work from home and do our part to ensure this virus does not spread unnecessarily. During these times, it’s important to cherish the loved ones around us, support the communities we live in, and encourage others to do the right thing and stay safe. We hope these tips truly inspire someone to thrive better during a time of social distance. Let’s make the most out of our current situation. Cheers to working from home, and cheers to health!

Company Culture But Make It Virtual

Posted on by Chris Talbert

At the time of this writing, it’s been about eight workdays since the Designsensory team hunkered down and began our work from home journey in response to the current COVID-19 crisis. It’s imperative that we (and you) take responsibility and practice social distancing during this unprecedented time. To be honest, this whole experience has been a major change for our company, but we’re learning how to make the most of our make-shift desks, changing routines and new coworkers (read: furry friends and 5-year-olds).

There are a lot of challenges that come along with working from home for some—maintaining productivity, confusing conference calls, an insufficient work environment, you name it. But there is one challenge that you can’t overcome by adding a new conference line or second monitor and that’s maintaining your company culture.

We have a few examples for how we’re doing it here at Designsensory (or, uh…from home, but you know what I mean). 

Face Time? There’s An App For That.

Our team has adopted dozens of apps, platforms and tools to keep our day-to-day office life moving, from Forecast for planning to Basecamp for project management, but it’s the other tools in our bag that we admittedly hadn’t used as much that are becoming more and more important in maintaining our togetherness while apart. And, you guessed it, video chat. 

Zoom, FaceTime, UberConference, Google Meet, choose your fighter—they’ll all serve you well in getting that little bit of face time that we all miss already. Our agency regularly has large social gatherings with each other (quite literally the number one thing not to do right now), so we’ve moved those online. Our Friday team taco lunches? Still happening but from our kitchen counters. Our monthly cocktail club? Guess what, it’s weekly now. And all of it is happening over video chat.

Phone a Friend

Yes, it is important to translate the things you regularly do as a group online, as opposed to abandoning them. But, perhaps most significantly, check in on your coworkers. Those little moments you had in passing while making a cup of coffee or catching up for a second at the end of a meeting—that matters. A lot. 

But it takes effort to keep that up. We all have to reach out to each other more often, and no, project status updates and conference calls don’t count here. I’m talking about a chat or ping to see how the day’s going, a phone call in the evening, a goofy Snapchat of your cat, a reply to their Instagram story—however you feel comfortable maintaining a connection and starting a real conversation with your coworkers. In an anonymous poll to our team about working from home, we got an interesting response on this subject:

“I text them! At the end of the work day, I occasionally reach out to people to see how their day went. What the challenges were. What the small joys were…checking in on one another via text has been a sweet practice.”

And on the other end, be open and receptive if a coworker reaches out to your after hours. I’ve personally tried to invest in any and every coworker who has reached out to me. In fact, just last night I even spent an hour on video chat with a coworker’s husband. Actually…perhaps I’ve taken it too far.

Long story short, it takes effort to stay connected with your coworkers.

“We’re All In This Together” – High School Musical

And here’s where we encourage you to get creative. Think about ways that your team uniquely connects with one another and find ways to reinvent or recreate them from home.

For example, I sit in the open area where the office Pandora station is a common topic for discussion. That station is wild, y’all. We’re talking everything from 90s west coast rap to Irish punk bands. Anyway, when it came time to work from home, a few of us in the open area pulled together a collaborative Spotify playlist to keep jamming out together from afar.

Our recommended solution for your team here? We aren’t sure. It really takes you digging deep to figure out what those small moments and things around the office are that help connect you with one another. Does someone doodle something goofy on the whiteboard every day? Keep it up, but post in on your Slack channel. You probably get the idea by now.


We know this situation isn’t ideal. We know our team misses each other. I mean, I accidentally said “I love you” at the end of a conference call the other day, so that’s pretty indicative of my feelings toward my team, I suppose. There will always be challenges, but our team is making the most of this experience while doing our part to social distance—keeping our community and families safe the only way that we currently can. We hope your team is doing the same, without having to make many sacrifices to your company culture.

Best of Show and More: Designsensory’s 2020 ADDYs Results

Posted on by Chris Talbert

The results are in. ADDY season is upon us. The ADDYs, more formally known as the American Advertising Awards, is a national competition hosted by the American Advertising Federation. But it all begins at the local level, with the top awards being elevated from local entries to regional and then national. Members of Designsensory have been heavily involved in our local chapter (shout out American Advertising Federation Knoxville) for as long as we can remember. Under this roof, we’ve got former board members, past presidents and lifetime achievement award winners. All this to say, this is an exciting time of year for us.

While we had a wonderful year in terms of results at the show, we’re also proud to say that Creative Director Lindsay Miller was inducted into the AAF Knoxville Hall of Fame alongside many other DSers. Please help us congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition!

Onto the results!

Best Of…

  • Best of Show: Staylist – Brand Launch Campaign
  • Best of Cross Platform: Staylist – Brand Launch Campaign
  • Best of Public Service: Goodwill Knoxville – “Lifestyled” Campaign
  • Best of Website: Biltmore – Biltmore.com Marketing Website

Gold Addy Awards

  • Biltmore – Biltmore.com Marketing Website
  • Gatlinburg SkyLift Park – Launch Campaign
  • Goodwill Knoxville – “Lifestyled” Campaign
  • Scribble SC – Logo and Identity System
  • Scribble SC – Website
  • Staylist – Brand Launch Animation
  • Staylist – Brand Launch Campaign

Silver Addy Awards

Bronze Addy Awards

February at Designsensory: Fired Up in February

Posted on by Chris Talbert

February at Designsensory was filled with even more travel, unforgettable experiences and a lot to celebrate. We have two new podcast projects in the mix, and trust us when we say, they are compelling. We just won an Emmy, the Addys are right around the corner and our clients took home some of the top prizes at the Southeast Tourism Society’s most recent awards ceremony. Seems this month has a theme? Read on.

Last month, we teased a research trip to the National Sports Forum in Atlanta, GA, and this time around we have a little more to share. Our Designsensory Intelligence Team took our newest podcast, Fired Up, on the road. (You know we love podcasts here at DS…)

The podcast is a product of Ignite Fan Insights, a comprehensive fan and business insight offering for the sports industry. From the Minnesota Vikings and Anheuser-Busch to Churchill Downs and more, Fired Up takes listeners behind the scenes and inside the minds of the brightest in the sports industry.

Just a few states away, a couple of our clients were winning big at the Southeast Tourism Society’s Shining Example Awards in Little Rock, AR. Gatlinburg SkyLift Park won “Escape To The Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year” and Caitlin Gouge with The Island in Pigeon Forge took home the “Rising Star Award.” Thrilled for them! Josh Loebner, our subject matter expert on diversity and inclusion and accessible tourism, and Mary Blair, our subject matter expert in tourism and destination marketing, celebrated alongside our friends as they were in town for the STS Connections Conference as well.

In the spirit of awards season, we have to pat ourselves on the back a little, too. Our work on STEM Scouts’ “Make the Future” Social Media Campaign won Excellence in Animation at the 34th Annual Emmy® Awards. “Make the Future” empowers today’s youth by emphasizing their future potential and motivating them to dream big. Shoutout to Joseph Nother, Taylor Walters and Ben Maxey for bringing this campaign to life. You guys make us proud!

Brad Carpenter, Lindsay Miller and our production partners with PopFizz just returned from an inspiring event at the new Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center in Chattanooga. During the grand opening weekend, Brad interviewed past Medal of Honor recipients for a new podcast titled ValorCast, building awareness for each person’s story and connecting to the MOH Character Development Program. Lindsay and our friends with PopFizz interviewed recipients on camera for the heritage center’s new immersive exhibits.

In the last month at the office, we’ve juggled Academy Awards predictions (props to Kaleigh), Valentine’s Day Candy Guessing Games (…I won) and Chili Cookoffs (with gold going to Jenn). But most importantly, we were happy to celebrate longtime DSer – 12 years! – Josh Vittetoe and his fiancée Lyndsey.

See y’all next month with updates from other award entries, new work and more great moments spent with our team!

Pass the Mic: Why Podcasts Should be in Your Marketing Mix

Posted on by Chris Talbert

Let’s face it, we’re all consumed with stories. Whether it’s what’s happening in the world today, what your friends got into over the weekend, or that great new drama on Netflix. Stories, big and small, are literally everywhere — news, movies, television, books, radio, social media, in conversation. And, if you’re reading this, you probably already know how important storytelling is in marketing.

Our Influencer Strategist, Brad Carpenter (a.k.a “The Podcast Guy” around here) has a knack for discovering the best stories and bringing them to life. So, we rolled over to his desk – or “podcast land” as he likes to call it – and dug a little deeper into the importance of every marketer’s new favorite tactic.

Why Podcasts Matter in Marketing

According to Brad, people are instantly attracted to podcasting because: (1) it’s easy to set up; (2) there is a low barrier to entry in terms of cost; and (3) podcasts are an excellent medium for on-the-go consumption, unlike video or blog content that requires more attention.

Podcasting is intimate. It allows you to connect on a deeper, more emotional level with your listeners (much like musicians do with their fans) and those you’re in conversation with. While you are reading this blog post, you might not know my tone of voice, how I enunciate, if I am trying to be sarcastic or even what words I am stressing, but when listening to a podcast, you do. So yeah, podcasting is personal. 

According to Podcast Insights, as of January 2020, there are currently over 850,000 podcast shows and 30 million episodes. Stats from the last year show that 49% of podcast listening is done at home and 22% in the car. Within the past three years, the number of podcasts has nearly doubled. So, it’s safe to say that the medium and its platforms are still growing. 

How We Utilize Podcasts in our Marketing

Podcasting has been a growing force here at the agency, becoming one of our biggest tools for networking and business development. It has allowed us to connect with numerous influencers, creators and businesses. We all know that standing out is key in the marketing world. People want to talk about themselves, their businesses, experiences and they want people to know their stories, which is where we come in. 

We’ve created and feature numerous podcasts under our DS Originals umbrella. DS Originals is created content from (guess who), us! The goal is to take DS Originals beyond networking and dive into the world of entertainment, tech, fashion, social media and beyond. We want to create a place where people can share their stories across numerous industries through podcasting and building a slate of shows with a strong underlying foundation. 

Now, let’s break down some of our podcasts. 

Best Behavior Creative Club, a flagship for DS Originals:

  • What It Is: Best Behavior Creative Club is a podcast for people that make things and make things happen. Host Chris McAdoo and producer Brad Carpenter go behind the scenes with experts in business, technology and marketing to spark ideas, creativity and inspiration.

  • Why We Made It: We wanted to create a space where people can learn about what makes other people excited and how they can be creative for not only their job but passion. 

  • How It Has Paid Off: We’ve had some pretty amazing guests on the show, like Mary Ann Canada (Executive Producer for Discovery Digital Studios and digital host of HGTV Handmade) and voice actor, comedian, actor, copywriter, event emcee and public speaking coach, Josh Brandon. Best Behavior Creative Club has helped us to invest in current relationships by giving friends and colleagues a place to share their stories, and we’ve been able to build new relationships and stand apart from other agencies. 

  • We’ve also leveraged the Best Behavior Creative Club brand and talent for limited-run special series of interviews captured at the Tennessee Governor’s Conference on Economic and Community Development and Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism, two of Designsensory’s key verticals.  

FIRED UP!, an extension of Ignite Fan Insights from DS Intelligence:

  • What It Is: FIRED UP! takes listeners behind the gates and beyond the numbers that keep sports fans coming back for more. This podcast focuses on sports marketers, business professionals and the industry as a whole to underscore how sports is more than winning and losing. 

  • Why We Made It: DS Intelligence Director of Research, Chris Wise, boasts a marketing research career that spans 30 years, with ten of those dedicated specifically to successful sports marketing. He has made more connections than we can count, and we’re not ones to miss an opportunity. 

  • How It Has Paid Off: While this show is just now releasing, we’re proud to say we’ve already spoken with representatives from the NBA, NFL, MLB and even horse racing.

Of Note: A Podcast on Innovation, a partnership with our client Scribble:

  • What It Is: Hosts Laura Corder and our own Joseph Nother are opening up the notebooks of some of the most interesting business minds in the South. They’re hands-on, they’re driven and they’re sharing the notes they’ve taken on invention, funding, entrepreneurship, growth and so much more.

  • Why We Made It: To help propel a new innovation initiative from the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the team behind it needed a way to better showcase all of the innovators around the state. A podcast allowed us to share their stories in a rich way and established a way for us to do so without constantly traveling across the state. 

  • How It Has Paid Off: Of Note is an excellent example of getting creative with your content. The podcast was originally ideated as a secondary offering to a larger educational video series, repacking an innovator’s interview into a hosted, narrative-driven episode. And while the video content continues to resonate with people around the state, the podcast has been consumed more overall.

With additional shows already in contracted and in the works, we’re continuing to invest in our network, talent and partnerships.

How To Start Your Own Podcast 

If you’re looking to get into the podcast game, Brad has three tips for you:

  • Podcasting is affordable and easy to start, but it is very time consuming and difficult. Be sure to carefully plan and ideate which direction you want your podcast to go.  

  • Consistency is key. Be sure to consistently put out new content because you can lose listeners quickly by not rolling out something new and communicating with them. 

  • Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you want to interview. What do you have to lose? Keep in mind that people generally want to talk about themselves, so give it a shot. 

Lastly, the world is full of opportunities. If you are interested in sharing your story with us, reach out to Brad and let’s get this podcast show on the road.