Raw, Irreverent, Centrist: Bridget Phetasy from “Walk-ins Welcome” Offers Third Option.; LPOTL Comes Home; Mark Zuckerberg - King of the Metaverse

If Media were Politics, Walk-ins Welcome would be a viable third-party option for Brands. Host, Bridget Phetasy is a walking masterclass in branding, who has pioneered a new, balanced approach to politics and culture. Comedian, writer (Playboy, The Atlantic, Newsweek), podcaster (Walk-ins Welcome), and YouTube star (Dumpster Fire), Phetasy invented the word phetasy to mean “when reality becomes parody” and vice versa back in 2006 for her disruptive greeting card company.

Phetasy then adopted the “Phetasy” as Stage-Surname, anchoring her comedic, line-blurring point of view for everything she produces.

Self-described as politically homeless, Phetasy has built a successful brand and vibrant community around curiosity, free speech, resilience, and fierce authenticity. Phetasy is a trailblazer of her own middle path, which, while messy, has been ultimately satisfying. She says what she thinks, yet talks with respect to people from all different backgrounds. While much of the world has fled to the fringes, finding commercial success in igniting a far left or far-right base, Phetasy has found a viable business model by directly serving an audience that doesn’t fit neatly into left and right.

As you think about your marketing in a way that’s authentic for your brand, one takeaway from Phetasy is to build in the ability to recover from mistakes. Authenticity like Phetasy’s doesn’t demand perfection, it just asks that you seek to act in a manner becoming of what’s truly important to you. Her intellectual curiosity allows for opinions to change, and that flexibility (even when unpopular) is one of the promises her brand makes to her audience, and one of her strongest assets. With so much content trapping brands into a forced alignment with extremes, Phetasy offers listeners and sponsors a third option, bringing wit, humor, and a non-judgemental approach to a world that so badly needs it. Which is why the show appeals to so many performance marketers like Netsuite, Quip, Helix Sleep, and many more.

Meet Bridget Phetasy and see if her content is right for your brand in this week’s edition of The Media Roundtable.

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The Classifieds

True Crime Trio Makes Their Grand Return

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Independent Podcaster Goes Corporate

Finance guru Ed Mylett is also muscling his way over to the Stitcher roster of shows. The chairman of World Financial Group has enlivened the business genre in recent years with his deeply empathetic and curious-minded interviewing style. Whether he is speaking to political advisors, social scientists, athletes, or fellow CEOs, Mylett provides top-tier insights for his growing audience. Mylett is also a top-performing show for many of Oxford’s clients, especially those interested in finance, entrepreneurship, business, and tech. Synergize your portfolios today by reaching out for this alpha opportunity.

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In Case You Missed It

Meta Player One

Mark Zuckerberg attempted to present himself as human last week while unveiling his plans to conquer “the metaverse”. In what seemed to be a chapter from a dystopian novel from grade school, Zuck declared that Facebook will now become Meta, a new company that will encompass all the various existing social media apps and all future projects from the company formerly known as Facebook. While the rest of the world sees this as an obvious move for the company to distance its various apps away from Facebook’s run of controversy, Zuck says it’s about focusing on a future where we conduct our lives through avatars. A world where he somehow seems more human. How this will affect the ad world is to be determined, but for now, it’s coming off cringe.

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The FTC Weighs in on False Podcast Claims

“I use it and you should too” is one of the most powerful phrases in advertising because, as any reader of The Influencer knows, personal endorsements work! Now, the government is making sure those claims are actually true. As reported by PodNews and others, the FTC sent this letter to podcast advertisers warning them that if an endorser says that they’re using your product or service but are not, they will be fined. It’s unclear if the fines will also be given to hosts themselves, but it’s safe to say that when engaging with a podcast host, you better darn-well make sure they’ve actually tried your product. Oxford Road advertisers need not be concerned, we’ve been ensuring your endorsers are as authentic as Mark Zuckerberg talking about Sweet Baby Rays since before we officially started.

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2022 Media Planning – Are You A Diaper or Coke?

If you’re just starting to think about your 2022 media planning, you’re behind schedule. But if you’re like the many companies currently laying out your strategy for the new year, consider the question MediaPost recently asked, “are you a diaper or Coke”. The ridiculous-sounding question is actually quite pragmatic, however. If your product has a broad consumer base, your marketing strategy will be quite different than if your brand is focused on a much narrower group like new mothers. Assessing your audience scope will inform the channels and tactics you will use to crush your 2022 goals. Need some help? Let’s talk.

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This Week in Great Podcast Reads

Join the Gang

As we all know, running a small business isn’t for the faint of heart. However, as one of LadyGang’s hosts teaches us in a recent ad read, Shopify’s new sales notification will remind you “it isn’t the hell of my own making. It’s actually AMAZING.” Praising the eCommerce platform’s backend visibility with its suite of features, she proves that even an award-winning brand like LadyGang knows the meaning of small business struggles. Lady Gang has risen to become a top-performing podcast for many advertisers here at Oxford Road, and with authentic endorsements like this, it’s no wonder.

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