If you have a brand with a well defined personality, a shared creative ambition, and the right team of people to pull it off, then anything is possible, according to Michaela Hallam, director of content at Fresh Air Productions.
Audio producer Fresh Air created The Burger Files Podcast for Wendy’s, alongside creative agency VML and comedy writer Joel Morris. The spoof true crime series investigates real-life bad burger stories “to seek truth and justice.”
In a session at the Podcast Advertising Summit, hosted by Hallam and Fresh Air founder Neil Cowling, the makers of the branded podcast revealed how the project came about.
Leanne Parker, manager of international marketing at Wendy's, explained that when the fast food chain re-entered the UK in 2021, it wanted to set itself apart from its competitors by highlighting that it doesn’t cut corners when it comes to quality and experience.
The idea to create a spoof true crime podcast came from creative agency VML. Strategy director Joe Miller said the project started with research into the relationship that people have with fast food and discovered that customers are often fine with mediocrity. It also found social media awash with horror stories from people who have been victims of fast food crimes.
Since 2021, Wendy’s has opened restaurants in a number of UK locations, including in university towns and areas with a younger demographic, which is how the idea of a podcast format came about.
“Younger consumers, as we all know, can be distrusting of more traditional forms of advertising,” Miller said.
“That combination of needing to create a more trusting and deeper relationship with consumers and to be able to wake people up to the fact that they've had mediocre choices was an interesting space.”
He added that the true crime genre is disproportionately popular in the UK and that the agency had seen an opportunity to bring people into what was essentially a joke, but one that landed a serious message about food quality.
Parker described the agency’s idea as a “bold move” that fit with Wendy’s position as a challenger brand with a fun and cheeky personality.
She said: “It was a great space for us to connect with that audience in an authentic way. It was also cutting through the clutter of traditional advertising and gave us an opportunity to tell our brand story in a new, fun and innovative way.”
The true crime genre allowed VML to play with a lot of stereotypes and tropes that people are familiar with, including the overdramatic tone of the host, and bringing it together with comedic writing.
“A medium like this allows us to take a bit more time to create a genuine piece of entertainment, not just interrupt somebody's entertainment,” Miller said.
“And while a visual medium can be great, great writing is where brand content comes to life.”
Cowling said the project required brilliant casting, production, and writing in order to create genuine, high quality output. Comedy writer Joel Morris was brought in to bring burger homicide investigator Nina Noonan, who is voiced by comedian Sara Barron, to life. Nina’s investigations feature real life fast food stories that people have shared on social media.
According to Morris, spoofing true crime was a helpful way to get listeners interested in the podcast from the start.
“The trick with getting people to trust you with branding, and also with comedy is if something sounds familiar you listen a bit further in than if it's brand new,” Morris said.
Asked whether he minded having a brand giving feedback on his jokes, Morris said that his years working for the BBC had taught him how to get jokes over the line without upsetting anyone. He added that the podcast format meant they had more freedom than if it had been a 30 second ad.
“This was 20 minutes long and the audience will like the fact that you've been a little bit naughty, you can pull a little bit,” Morris said.
“Doing an ad, often you're focusing on maybe two, three jokes. Imagine how much easier it is to focus on 400 jokes, there's so much less pressure on each joke and so each joke is way more fun.”
Parker said the creation of the podcast, which ran for seven episodes, had been a fun and educational experience for Wendy’s.
She said: “As brands, agencies, and writers, what we learned was that there are other spaces to get your brand message across. For me specifically, it’s about challenging your teams and agencies to look outside of the traditional channels.”
The panel was sponsored by Fresh Air. Those in attendance were:
Neil Cowling, founder, Fresh Air
Leanne Parker, manager of international marketing, Wendy's
Joel Morris, writer
Michaela Hallam, director of content, Fresh Air
Joe Miller, strategy director, VML