In today’s crowded media landscape, aligning with creative and engaging content is essential for brands to rise above the noise, meet their target audiences where they are, and effectively convey their messages. NPR’s special programming can help your brand connect with its highly discerning audience.
Throughout the year, NPR’s team of award-winning journalists develops special content initiatives that often span multiple episodes and appear across both broadcast and digital platforms. These tailored series provide an in-depth exploration of relevant topics, engaging NPR’s audience over an extended period of time.
Sponsorship that aligns with special programming enhances your brand’s visibility and connects it with engaging content. Here are some premium examples:
Planet Money Summer School
School is in session every summer with NPR’s hit economic podcast Planet Money. From economics to investing, to accounting and inflation, “Summer School” invites NPR’s audience of lifelong learners to engage with Planet Money content through an interactive, summer-long series across NPR digital platforms.
A financial services brand found success with sponsorship of Planet Money Summer School. The special series episodes outperformed standard Planet Money mid-rolls by conversion rate (+68%) and cost per visitor (-60%), reflecting how special series programming boosts listener engagement and moves listeners down-funnel.
Climate Solutions Week
In Fall 2024, NPR dedicated a week to stories and discussions focused on finding climate solutions through the lens of food. This initiative featured stories across radio, podcasts, NPR.org, and the NPR app, making Climate Solutions Week a true cross-platform series that extends across NPR’s diverse programming portfolio.
Data analysis from this year’s Climate Solutions Week revealed that placements from the sponsor were 32% more cost-efficient, demonstrating that aligning with a limited-run program can effectively convert site visitors. Notably, this year’s Climate Solutions Week sponsor was a food recycling company, showcasing how a sponsor can align with content that directly relates to their product and mission.
Life Kit New Year’s
Every January, NPR’s lifestyle and advice podcast, Life Kit, shares valuable tips and tricks to help listeners achieve their New Year’s goals. A consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand partnered with Life Kit’s annual New Year’s series, aligning their content across digital platforms, including podcast episodes, NPR.org and select social media posts. The Life Kit podcast placements were 52% more efficient than our CPG benchmark.
