As a podcaster and author of UNboring: Take Your Content From Blah to Brilliant, I’m often asked about crafting standout names for publishing brands.
Let’s look to hot sauce for inspiration today.
Habanero packs more flavor than mild salsa. But it is DEFINITELY not for everyone.
The most compelling podcast brands derive from something spicy as well. An idea or interest outside ‘business as usual’. They avoid generic, descriptive titles and tap into the host’s fiery personal passions.
Stepping into the B2B marketing podcast arena, catered to the palate of founders and CMOs in tech-forward sectors, a glance at the top charts reveals a buffet of similar sounding brands:
- B2B Growth Podcast
- The B2B Marketing Podcast
- B2B Marketing Exchange Podcast
- B2B Marketing and More
These titles, though descriptive, simmer in a pot of sameness, often rendering them indistinguishable to the discerning listeners yearning for a fresh flavor.
As we enter the era where AI can churn out a plethora of brand names at the drop of a hat, the quest for that unique brand identity can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Remember this: the path less trodden leads to memorable brands.
Come with me down a couple of refreshingly different podcast brand paths.
First stop, Simon Chou’s podcast, “Marketing on Mars”. An unusual name for a marketing show? Yes. Yet it features a steady stream of top notch guests. Delivers edutainment and brings a memorable segment involving SaaS founders doing hot sauce shots with host Simon. Where does the name come from, I asked Simon. A love of hot sauce and a question to a bud about what is really hot – Mars. It hits all the right alliterative notes. Storytelling on point. And resonates at a really personal level. People who come into a conversation on that brand are already deeply invested.
Next stop, my own podcast, “The 4am Report”. Here, since it’s launch in 2019 alongside my founding co-host Will Lamont, I explore what keeps entrepreneurs and marketers up at night. I’ve literally asked over 150 people that question. And their answers, combined with our witty repartee, patterning skills, and consistency have shaped the show’s brand and tone into something that is memorable.
Once again: Don’t sleep on seemingly atypical things about your brand that may be of interest to your people.
Take a cue from hot sauce. Ditch bland, generic titles. Infuse unusual interests, life experiences, or personality quirks. While your show’s topic must solve audience needs, the brand framing it should reflect your distinct spice as the host.
Name from the heart, not the head.
Add some heat.
With so many podcast options, a dash of originality stands out.
Love a good hot sauce analogy with your marketing strategy?
You’re welcome!
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