{"id":5019,"date":"2021-10-05T20:49:09","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T20:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swagdotcom.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=5019"},"modified":"2022-12-07T20:13:01","modified_gmt":"2022-12-07T20:13:01","slug":"case-study-headgum-podcast-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swag.com\/blog\/case-study-headgum-podcast-network","title":{"rendered":"Case Study: How The Headgum Podcast Network Uses Swag To Celebrate Content Creators"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Swag.com is proud to help innovative organizations around the world accomplish their goals. We work with businesses and nonprofits alike to create meaningful brand touch points that make an impact. Now and then we like to share stories of how some of our customers are doing just that!<\/em>
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Today we bring you the story of <\/em>Headgum<\/em><\/a>, a podcast network who recently released a subsidiary technology platform called <\/em>Gumball<\/em><\/a>. Their marketplace is designed to make connecting advertisers with creators a seamless experience for both parties. Here\u2019s how they used swag to help them along the way!<\/em>
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Unless you\u2019ve been living under a rock for the last ten years, you probably know that podcasting has become one of the most popular entertainment and news mediums in the United States and abroad. As interest in AM\/FM radio has declined, on-demand podcasts have steadily replaced traditional airwaves and created big opportunities for creators and advertisers alike. 
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No one has been on the forefront of this trend more than Headgum<\/em><\/a>, a bi-coastal podcast network with studios in Los Angeles and New York. Founded in 2015 by content creators Marty Micahel, Amir Blumenfeld and Jake Hurwitz, the network has grown to include over 50 original podcasts ranging in topics from sports, to comedy, to advice shows and more. Some of their most popular podcasts include If I Were You<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Dead Eyes<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Punch Up The Jam<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>and Not Another D&D Podcast<\/em><\/a>.<\/em>
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Headgum offers content creators in its network the resources they need to make amazing podcasts, and more importantly, the ability to get paid doing it. 
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Podcast advertising is a rapidly-growing industry<\/strong>
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Podcasting is big business. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau<\/a>, a research and advocacy organization that studies trends in advertising, podcasting revenues in 2020 came in around $824m, up 19% YoY. That same study suggested that this trend will continue, with revenues for 2021 expected to reach over $1 billion, and 2023 revenues projected at over $2 billion.
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Podcast listeners will be familiar with some of the ways that advertisers leverage podcasts to showcase their brand\u2014 shows sometimes feature ad reads by the hosts, or advertiser-created content that can be added into the show to break it up. It\u2019s a model that\u2019s proved successful\u2014 and if the numbers in the IAB report are any indication, the trend seems to be heading towards ever more spending by advertisers in the years to come. 
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Despite all of the money and interest from advertisers, connecting content creators with sponsors has traditionally been a difficult process. 
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As leaders in the field, Headgum executives knew there was room for innovation when it came to connecting creators with sponsors. Their solution? To create a savvy marketplace that would streamline the process. 
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Launching a new marketplace for creators<\/strong>
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In 2019 Headgum launched Gumball<\/em><\/a>, a revolutionary marketplace that allows brands to buy host-read advertisements directly from podcasters. Their platform allows podcasts to list their shows for brands to browse by topic, demographic and more. Brands can choose the shows that feel right for their product or service, and book ad spots directly on the site.
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