RTÉ has teamed up with ESB as a sponsor for a new branded podcast series in a deal which was brokered by Spark Foundry, part of Core.
Future Now / Future Next is produced in-house by the RTÉ Commercial’s Creative Services team and is the broadcaster’s first branded content podcast. The series will be supported by a cross-platform campaign on RTÉ radio and digital and is available on all podcast streaming platforms.
Hosted by tech journalist and presenter Andy O’Donoughue, the series explores how our lives will be transformed in the years to come by the latest developments in technology. O’Donoughue is joined by a number of Irish and international experts in each episode as they deep dive into the future of cities, our homes, medicine, education and energy.
According to Lisa Browne, head of marketing & customer insights, ESB: “Our Brighter Future strategy is anchored in leading the transition to a low carbon energy future powered by clean electricity. Partnering with RTÉ we have utilised their storytelling and production experience to create a highly innovative and immersive 5-part native content series Future Now / Future Next. Each episode delves into a particular theme in the sphere of technology and innovations that are changing how we (our customers) live now, and what is coming down the track for cities, education, energy, healthcare and homes.’’
Hannah-Louise Dunne, head of content partnerships at Core says that research has shown that podcasting has seen massive growth in the past year. “As our report from Core Research on digital audio has shown, the popularity of podcasts has increased exponentially over the past year, with 1 in 3 Irish people trying some form of digital audio in 2020,” she said. “It’s an incredibly exciting medium, in which we can really connect audiences with original stories, opinion and in this case, thought leadership. We are delighted to be part of a project that brings new expert thought leadership into this space, in partnership with RTÉ and ESB.”
“Working alongside Spark Foundry and ESB, we were able to develop a creative concept for a podcast series that not only aligned with brand values and objectives, but also met the high standards for content that we have as the state broadcaster. The end product is informative, entertaining and thought-provoking,” adds Yolanda Zaw, creative content manager, RTÉ.
