The brand platforms adding to culture.

Branded content doesn’t have to feel like branded content. Waitrose & Partners has just announced that Dish from Waitrose has passed one billion combined downloads, views and listens, making it the world’s most successful branded podcast.

This is also a useful reminder for brands. The reason Dish works isn’t because it talks about Waitrose all the time, rather Waitrose has a natural role in the conversation.

Food, culture, celebrity, conversation, recipes, recommendations, humour - all wrapped around a brand that already talks about what we eat, how we cook and the role food plays in our lives.

The best brand platforms don’t interrupt culture, rather they add to it, and here Waitrose have definitely hit the sweet spot.

The most effective brand platforms (particularly podcasts) tend to do three things really well:

They know the brand’s right to play.
They build around talent, chemistry and consistency.
They create something people would choose to watch or listen to, even if the logo wasn’t there.

The numbers are impressive for Dish; one billion downloads, views and listens, 165 episodes, global chart success and (incredible from a PR point of view) - a reported 78% of listeners say the show encouraged them to shop at Waitrose more often.

Long-term brand building needs patience, craft and the confidence to make something people want to engage with.

Dish is a brilliant example of what modern brand fame can look like.