Decision on advertising

After participating in a conference call yesterday evening, I've decided to go ahead with the advertisement. I think it will not be intrusive, and while the product being advertised has little, if anything, to do with wine, I think it may be of interest to listeners anyway. Plus, the advertiser is a huge brand name that carries instant recognition in the US market, and I think it will help draw more people to the podcast--not because the advertiser is going to boast about the podcasts it uses, but because the ad agency will do some publicity. All in all, it's an experiment for everyone, and when you're one of about 20 to 25 podcasts out of the thousands that will be sponsored by a media giant, it's hard to pass up the opportunity. Plus, I think having a sponsor gives the podcast a bit more "legitimacy" in the media, which can bring more listeners, which can bring more advertisers, which can generate cash to improve the show and cover any costs of expansion. So here's how it's going to work. Within the first 90 seconds or so of each episode, I'll have a 15-second "This episode is brought to you by..." and then a slightly longer version at the end of the podcast, maybe 20 to 30 seconds. There will also be a banner ad on the web site, and that's it. As I said, it's not intrusive, and although this product has nothing to do with wine ("product" isn't quite the right word, since it's actually a television show), I may see in what ways, if any, I can draw a link between wine and this television show and blog about it. In the meantime, if you're wondering who the advertiser is and what television show is being advertised, you'll have to wait until Monday when the whole thing kicks off. Look for some podcast episodes this weekend, most likely on Sunday night!