Avnet Uses Podcast to Connect With Engineers

A podcast sponsorship is helping Avnet build brand and engagement with designers and engineers.

The electronic components distributor partnered with R&D lab and content company Not Impossible Labs for Podcast: Not Impossible. In the 10 episode series, host Mick Ebeling invites guests to share stories of human triumph and technology.

Podcast: Not Impossible is co-produced by Ebeling and Philip Lerman. Episodes include “See Your Tongue,” a profile of Eric Weihenmayer, the first blind person to scale Mount Everest. He’s using a device called the Brainport, which allows him to “see” with his tongue. “Blood from the Sky” showcases entrepreneurs who realized that a major cause of death among young Rwandan mothers—post-partum hemorrhaging—was preventable if blood could be quickly delivered across the country’s impassable mountain roads. He created the world’s first successful drone-powered blood delivery program.

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“These stories will resonate with our customers—design engineers and makers—who also have great ideas, yet face similar go-to-market challenges,” says Kevin Sellers, CMO of Avnet, noting that sponsoring the podcast is part of a bigger strategy for the company, which launched its first ever branding campaign last year.

Content that showcases the intersection of human interest and technology is very compelling to Avnet’s audience of engineers and innovators, says Sellers, particularly as it works to connect with younger decision makers like Millennials. “We’re a technology partner with Not Impossible Labs, and the podcast is a powerful way for us to tell stories about how we’re enabling technologies that have a significant impact on humanity.”

The podcast, which is distributed through a range of platforms, including Spotify and iTunes, is a way to leverage an influencer strategy, he says, noting that Avnet’s involvement goes beyond a traditional sponsorship to being engaged in design and development of the program. As for ROI, that’s being looked at primarily through a lens of brand engagement.

“We want to change the perception of what Avnet does,” he says. “We’ll measure ROI in the traditional way, looking at are we generating leads and traffic, but we’ll also be measuring engagement.”