Gimlet Media was an independent podcast production network whose founding was well documented in the the podcast, Startup. Gimlet Media created a mixture of scripted fiction and narrative non-fiction podcast shows and also produced dedicated podcasts for other major brands such as Squarespace, Lyft, Adobe, Reebok, Mastercard, Blue Apron, and Nike to name a few. Gimlet Media was sucessfully acquired by Spotify in early 2019.
My Role
I was hired by Gimlet Media in August 2017 to lead all design efforts by the company. Prior to joining, much of their design efforts were contracted out by the marketing manager to various freelancers and creative agencies. It would become my responsibility to take over the execution of all design collateral by continuing to contract freelancers alongside building a design practice internally to eventually produce everything in-house.
Key Art
A significant part of my work was executing on Key Art for all of the podcast shows in the Gimlet portflio along with branded podcasts produced by Gimlet Creative. These included concepting artwork for brand new shows and also working with showrunners of existing shows to refresh art for new seasons. This also included creating additional complimentary assets for each shows dedicated pages on major podcast playing apps.
Not only did I collaborate with each individual showrunner on their show's Key Art but I also frequently garnered feedback from the Apple Podcasts Marketing lead to ensure features in prominent locations of the Apple Podcasts app.
Audiograms
To help promote individual podcast episodes, I produced "Audiograms" which were snippets of podcast episodes turned into videos for social posts. Standard practice was to include a moving audio waveform to create visual appeal for a video version of an audio-only clip.
Time permitting, I sometimes animated extra elements of the show's Key Art to make them more dynamic and attention-grabbing in feeds.
To promote upcoming shows or episodes that did not yet have recorded audio clips, we had to get creative with stock videos to help build up hype.
For some shows, especially including celebrity guests, I had to get into the recording studio myself to record video to create additional marketing materials.
Seasonal Trailers
During my time at Gimlet Media, there was a shift towards following a marketing model more aligned with television. There would be seasonal releases of multiple new shows. To promote each batch of shows, the audio engineers created an audio trailer and I produced the video version for it. These would be promoted through paid ads on various social platforms.
I had to get creative with the visuals—mixing in stock videos, photos, and animating key art elements to match the audio. I edited all of the trailers myself.
Show Trailers
There was a growing excitement around video trailers such that they were priced in to new branded podcast deals, helping increase the bottom line.
Trailers also helped expand and improve partnerships. I produced a video trailer to promote Crimetown S2, which was launched exclusively with Spotify.
Marketing Collateral
For the launch of certain podcast shows, Gimlet tried some new and different marketing ideas. For example, with the launch of Story Pirates, a podcast for kids, we came up with the idea of creating a downloadable and printable coloring book that kids can color alongside each episode. I commissioned an artist to illustrate each individual character and I designed the final book layout.
For Chompers, a podcast that kids can listen to as they brush their teeth, we created a promotional box to send to Mom influencers in hopes that they would give it a try with their children and promote it to their followers. The kit included a sticker pack, a toothbrush, toothpaste and an Amazon Alexa mini.
Brand Sponsor Videos
There were several advertisers that Gimlet Creative produced midroll ads for who were interested in having video versions of them produced to use in other formats. I helped facilitate the sales of video midrolls in a way that was still profitable for Gimlet. I commissioned an outside animation production studio and provided them with storyboards to produce animated midroll ads for several advertisers.
Gimlet Brand Refresh
In the Summer of 2018 there was an active effort to transform Gimlet Media into "the HBO of podcasts." With the success of Homecoming turning into an Amazon-produced TV series, there were several new scripted fiction podcasts in the works. I worked directly with our CMO to lead a brand update for Gimlet Media that would position it as premiere production house, much on the same level as A24.
I led the initiative by searching for agencies, coordinating meetings with stakeholders, negotiating on a limited budget, and soliciting proposals. Gimlet ultimately decided to work with GrandArmy and I was responsible for giving the overall design direction from the client side. I facilitated meetings and presentations betweeen the GrandArmy and the executive team at Gimlet. I also advised on what direction would be best to take.
Together with GrandArmy we created an entirely updated brand with a system for creating new show art that would be consistent, yet still flexibile to represent each show. We also created an animation sequence to be used in films where Gimlet IP was used.
