Can Brain Rot and Branded Podcasts come together as one?

Vol. 60 - Capitalism and Chaos: Musings on Branded Podcasts, Chatcasts, and Brain Rot in 2025 and beyond.

Jan 07, 2025

After a month off, Pod the North is coming into 2025 HOT, so buckle up. This is a long one that I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts on.

In this issue:

Capitalism and Chaos: Musings on Branded Podcasts in 2025
Canadian Indie: Shootin' the Sh!t with Tracy & Martina
True North Podcast Feature: The Real Rank Podcast
All of the industry updates from the last month!

BTW:

There are currently 31 long-term drinking water advisories in effect in 29 First Nations communities across Canada. The last lifted advisory was November 2024. The most recent added advisory was September 2024. In the meantime check out these seven quiet breakthroughs in climate and nature in 2024, because change can actually happen.

Capitalism and Chaos: Musings on Branded Podcasts in 2025

One of the first major influences on me as a podcast producer was a show called The Cut On Tuesdays, a podcast from New York Magazine’s The Cut. Episodes featured deeper dives into stories the outlet was publishing and stories that simply needed to be talked about instead of written, like what it means to be a likeable woman in politics, how we all first figured out sex, self-soothing through anxiety, and my all time favourite: how to ruin a dinner party.

What made this show so compelling was that it wasn’t just host (at the time) Molly Fischer interviewing someone. Instead, she’d use her expert guest to lay the foundation of a topic and bring in her fellow Staff Writers at The Cut to conceptualize it. In sharing the Staff Writers’ opinions and experiences, the podcast also ended up showcasing the comradery and collaborative nature behind The Cut as a media outlet. From my perspective, it was an absolute genius move in building a connection between brand and [media] consumer.

I brought this idea of opening up the internal *vibes* of a company to many branded podcasts I worked on as a freelancer, but I rarely saw a brand fully trust in their employees to be authentically themselves on the mic. For a long time it felt like a pipe dream. That was until video came into the podcasting space as hard as it did last year.

At the end of 2024, I got a chance to contribute to Quill / Cohost’s 28 Expert Podcast Predictions for 2025. Here’s part of what I wrote about the integration of video into podcasting:

“With video proving to be an impressive tool for discovery on social media platforms and YouTube, I see branded networks, and studios in particular, feeling the pressure to make that transition.”

When it comes to branded podcasts right now, the best ones are “audio-first”. They’re often narrative-style, high-production series’, unpacking big ideas through research, investigation, scripting, and rich sound design. Teamistry is an incredible and award-winning example of this. The domination of this narrative-style branded podcast has come about, in part, because good branded podcast production companies know that the C-Suite Executives who want to host their companies' podcasts (and likely even pitched the show) just aren’t interesting or charismatic enough as a host, aren’t relatable, and usually can’t commit the time and energy that a podcast needs in the first place.

The pitch for a more engaging style of podcast like a narrative one has been really smart, but now video has come and shaken all of that up. It’s making the argument against “Chatcasts” — the type of podcast those Execs imagined in the first place — harder and harder. Heading into 2025, Chatcasts simply have more visibility. Celebrity Chatcasts dominate the charts and YouTube, Chatcast video clips are exploding on social media, and Chatcasts are seemingly cheaper to make in the long run; all compelling arguments for brands. But can anyone actually make a good branded Chatcast?

cheeseparade.tv

A post shared by @cheeseparade.tv

Branded Podcasts in the Age of Brain Rot.

Making a good branded Chatcast is possible, but in 2025 it’s a totally new sandbox for branded podcast studios to be playing in. This sentiment is echoed in a video from a fascinating series I found on TikTok that unpacks post-millennial branding trends. It explains that “people don’t need stories anymore. Sometimes a vibe is enough.”

In other words, most people these days are suffering from “Brain Rot”: a combination of the fast-paced consumption of media and the surge of mind-melting screen time. In 2025, smart branding means creating a “culture of content” rather than a linear story for consumers to invest time into, which is a totally “non-podcast” methodology.

We know that podcasts are so valuable to brands and advertisers because listeners spend so much time with them. But now successful branded Chatcasts will need to think about curating a vibe, it won’t be enough to just record a conversation between Host and Thought-Leader. Brain Rot also means that branded podcasts will need to get more “chaotic” in their show formats, with numerous unique segments, bold personalities, rawness, and sounds and visuals that compliment both audio and video. It’s something we’ve likely never seen before, that combines the blueprints of live streams, video essays, YouTube Shorts and everything in between. It’s gonna take experimentation and best of all, gumption.

Finding your brand's “voice”.

Brands have always needed charisma and relatability to make a successful podcast, but with no script or story to lean on, the responsibility to curate a compelling show — or vibe — now practically falls to the host alone. A monumental practice of trust for brands to come to terms with.

Over the next year, brands may find themselves on the hunt for a Chatcast host that isn’t only trusted by their prospective audience, but by the brand itself. This is a huge hurdle to overcome, but it’s already being done in other digital spaces. Countless brands are already trusting their intrepid young employees to be the admins and voices behind their social media accounts, and it’s opened up a whole new unencumbered world of brand “personalities” that thrive in the Age of Brain Rot. The challenge is that there’s a pretty big difference between trusting the personality behind a 60 second video versus the one that’s holding down a 60 minute show.

The call for the perfect branded Chatcast host will be for someone who can represent a brand while remaining authentically themselves – a practically impossible task. That person could be an Influencer, a Writer, a Culture Critic, an Industry Expert, and even raw internal talent. The biggest challenge would be for brands to feel comfortable letting that person “riff”. They’d need to vet the hosts personal values and set of morals, and ultimately give them the greenlight to express them. That trust in a host could be a wonderful thing for brands in an era where consumers are looking to support brands with a point of view, with transparent values, and that feel inately more “human”.

A successful branded Chatcast will also need to be hosted by someone with genuine brand buy-in, who isn’t just using the podcast as another money-making venture in their portfolio. The podcast would need to be a personal reflection of themselves, otherwise they’re just a sell out. If it’s not to audacious of an example, imagine if Hailey Welch (aka Hawk Tuah Girl) was making "Talk Tuah” as a branded Chatcast from Durex to talk about sex-positivity and curiousities, instead of getting caught up in crypto scams and Logan Paul. I think it could be a better world we’re all living in.

Now times that by ten.

Here’s one last idea for branded Chatcasts, and it’s probably the best and worst of all because it’s capitalism at its finest: The Branded Network of Chatcasts.

If done well, it’s possible that one branded Chatcast could open the doors to others. Without getting too outlandish, this year or the next we may very well see something like “The PepsiCo Podcast Network”, featuring shows like “Lay’s It On Me”, a Lay’s Chips podcast about snacks and pop culture hosted by Snoop Dogg, or “Pop Quiz”, a rapid-fire trivia Chatcast from Smartfood. They’re made-up shows but I’d listen to them both.

2025 marks the chapter in podcast history where we see how far is too far for branded podcasts, all thanks to the catalyst that is the demand for video. And we’ll see what happens when capitalism digs its claws into this rugged, lawless, and beautiful medium.

Feel like supporting Pod the North?

Share your commentary and Canadian podcasting news in a Substack comment or email reply!
Become an paid subscriber on Substack, buy me a coffee, or buy an ad!
Listen to Pod the North’s flagship podcast, Canardian, and rate it five stars!

Buy an ad!

Check out this Canadian Indie: Shootin' the Sh!t with Tracy & Martina

Besties and stars of Swearnet documentary series Dirty Deeds, Tracy and Martina shoot the shit and spill the tea! From intimate personal stories to life hacks, the girls weigh in and answer your submissions weekly.

True North Podcast Feature: The Real Rank Podcast

Unfiltered, unapologetic, and undeniably Indigenous.

Content creator and advocate, Kairyn Potts, and Two-Spirit fashion trailblazer, Scott Wabano dive into the issues, culture, and stories shaping Indigenous lives today—with all the humor, sass, and honesty you’d expect from your favorite Two-Spirit cousins. Your weekly dose of Indigenous brilliance with a side of chaos, community, and connection. Tune in, turn up, and get ready to vibe with Kairyn and Scott as they bring the chaotic energy only they’re capable of.

What’s going on in Canada’s podcast ecosystem:

New Releases:

Nov 15, 2025 — The OC, Again is a new podcast from Niko Stratis and Alex Steed that rewatching the iconic television series, The O.C., and unpacking the early Aughts along the way.

Nov 27, 2025 — A new podcast from TVO Today is out called Queries. Join Matt Nethersole and Tiff Lam as they unpack how human rights, sexuality, gender, religion and politics are colliding in Ontario's Catholic schools and beyond.

Within days of launch, TVO Today also laid off 16 of their unionized employees, including Matt Nethersole.

Nov 28, 2025 — Award-winning COMMONS Producers, Jordan Cornish and Arshy Mann, have left Canadaland and founded The Hatchet. The weekly podcast and newsletter is dedicated to exposing power and money in Canada.

Dec 27, 2025 — Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Anthony Del Col has launched Don’t Listen To This, a new season from BBC Radio 4’s Limelight. The audio drama is a gripping psychological thriller, set in the world of competitive gaming (esports).

Jan 14, 2025 — Kaitlyn’s Baby is the new season of the true crime podcast The Con from CBC and BBC World Service out next week! The series is particularly close to home for me, and follows the story of Brantford’s Kaitlyn Braun, a young woman who manipulated dozens of birth workers through her lies about rape, baby loss, and even a coma.

Jan 22, 2025 — The Copernic Affair is the investigative new series from Canadaland that’s 2 years in the making. The series follows the life of an unassuming Lebanese-Canadian sociology professor, Hassan Diab, which gets turned upside down when he is accused of perpetuating a 1980 bomb attack on a synagogue in Paris.

Jan 2025 — Quill and Canadian Business have banded together to launch The Moment, a new podcast interviewing Canada’s most innovative founders and entrepreneurs, and offering a behind-the-scenes look at the triumphs and challenges that come with scaling a startup or leading in the boardroom.

You oughta know…

Amazon Music released it’s Best Canadian Podcasts of 2024! The list includes In Her Defence: 50th Street from the Globe and Mail, CBC’s Broomgate: A Curling Scandal, independently produced podcasts Island Crime and Resurrection.

Notably, Island Crime is moving to Acast in the wake of Rogers’ Frequency Network layoffs. The new season about the disappearance of Victorias Ian Indridson launches this month!

INDIGENOUSTV has selected Matriarch Movement as its Podcast of the Year! Nominees also included Actors & Ancestors, Brown Sound, Coffee With My Ma, and NOTA: Indigenous Tales.

December 27th marked the 7th Canadian Podcast Awards! Notable winners included:

Niall Spain winning Best Host in a Series, and his show No Quest For The Wicked winning both Outstanding Artwork For A Series, and Oustanding Leisure Series.
Erika Casupanan’s podcast Happy to See Me picked up two wins, with Outstanding Debut For A Series, and Outstanding Television & Film Series
Lullaby: The Fear Podcast also picked up two wins, including People’s Choice and Outstanding Production For A Series.

Bespoke Productions Hub has welcomed two shows to their network: OMG: A Podcast and Ancestral Science. OMG: A Podcast features behind-the-scenes insights, industry trends, and conversations with leading creatives, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Ancestral Science explores the depth of Scientific Knowledge within Stories that humans have been gifted from the Star, Land, and Animal Ancestors for thousands of years.

Kristi Lee’s Canadian True Crime wrapped up 2024 with a wonderfully brief episode announcing an upcoming break, and sharing the highlights and lowlights for the podcast over the last year. It’s wonderful example of how to gracefully culminate a year and keep your listeners in-the-know. I highly recommend taking a listen!

After a temultuous year, Jesse Brown posted “a note of gratitude” to Canadaland supporters, acknowledging the notable staff turnover in 2024 since October 7th, 2023 and the “age of division”.

Long-time radio guy, Dean Blundell has announced his plans to shutter his podcast network, Crier Media, home to about 24 indie podcasts. In a conversation with Broadcast Dialogue he shared that “podcasting and content creation “to feed an algorithm” doesn’t excite him”. More here.

The 2024 Canadian Podcast Listener Report is out! Insights from 2024 include YouTube’s dominance over Spotify, a dip in monthly listening among Francophones, and an interesting look at the gender skew of 19 podcast genres, with True Crime and Society & Culture with the most dramatic female skew, and Sports reaching significantly more men.

Alberta-based podcast event, PodSummit, has announced the members of its 2025 Advisory Board, which includes Jeff Humphreys, Jeremie Saunders, Jess Schmidt, Brian Stever, Fede Vargas, Tchadas Leo, Meg Wilcox, and Student Advisor Ava Free.

Some valuable commentary on Spotify Wrapped from writer and podcaster, Niko Stratis:

Events:

Jan 14, 2025 — Curious about branded podcasts? Lower Streets Brand Podcast Summit is next week, and it’s free and virtual!

Jan 15, 2025 — A Podcaster Meetup hosted by PodCampTO is coming to Storm Crow Manor next week. The gathering is designed for podcasters, vloggers, and digital creators of all experience levels, offering an opportunity to network, share ideas, and discover new collaborations.

Jan 23, 2025 — The Match My Wave Networking Event is coming to Toronto’s KISSA, hosted by The Soundwave Summit and wenetwerk. It’s the ultimate networking event for podcasters, influencers, creatives, and entrepreneurs looking to make meaningful connections in a relaxed and casual setting. Early bird tickets are available now!

Feb 19, 2025 — Mark your calendars for this webinar from Riverside.fm about Creating Your Video-First Social Strategy. It’s moderated by Jade Beason, a content creator specialist who leveraged 8 years of marketing experience to turn her YouTube channel into a six-figure business within months of uploading her first video.

Good Reads:

This Week In Blogging | In a Year of Mixed Signals, What Do We Actually Know Heading Into 2025?
- There are so many great insights from the blogging world to apply to podcasting this year. This issue of TWIB is highly worth a read!
Pacific Content | What You Need To Know To Launch a Podcast in 2025
How curious of a person and podcaster are you really? Take this quiz!

Thanks for supporting Pod the North, I’ll be back in your inbox in two weeks!
Kattie
BSKY: @podthenorth.bsky.social | IN: @podthenorth

Pod the North