While there was some interesting information in it, it serves better as a "how not to" make a corporate podcast than it does as a good karma generator.
The biggest problem with the show is that it's so clearly scripted. Yes, speaking points are required, but a script is not. Scott McMartin and Aileen Carrell (a director and a manager respectively) have clearly practised their script many times, but it still sounds false. It's impossible to listen to a scripted show for more than a few minutes without losing interest.
The green coffee guy is the most interesting person in the show. He doesn't sound scripted and he sounds like he knows what he's talking about. Let him take over the entire show.
On the plus side, I didn't know that the black aproned person was a "coffee master" and the rest aren't.
Overall, the content was interesting but the delivery was so poor that the content was lost on me. I don't feel any different about Starbucks now than I did before I listened to the shows and that's the mark of a failed marketing effort.
Seriously. Let the green coffee guy do the whole show.
Grab the podcasts here if you dare.
I couldn't agree more re the case study aspect of the podcast (the UK's First Direct has a podcast useful for a similar reason). I blogged about it myself, including a link to an article in the mainstream press that underlines why you don't want to do these things badly.
Posted by: Steven Lewis | September 16, 2006 7:17 PM | Permalink to Comment