The idea of the Brand Slam podcast is entwined with a remarkable story of resilience and recovery. The creator, (add)ventures’ CEO Steve Rosa, was among the first patients with the Delta variant at Rhode Island Hospital, faced a harrowing experience that included a six-week coma and an extensive rehabilitation period at Spaulding. Despite the challenges of relearning basic functions such as walking, Steve’s determination and spirit remained unshakable. During this transformative journey, the concept of Brand Slam emerged. It became a means of Steve giving back, offering a platform to share and exchange knowledge and insights. Steve teamed up with Emmy Award-Winning sportscaster Joe Kayata to launch Brand Slam: The winning brands podcast. Brand Slam breaks down behind-the-scenes stories that inform, inspire, educate, and entertain, focusing on winning strategies in business, sports, entertainment, and life. The podcast invites friends in the industry, business colleagues, and industry veterans to participate and share their experiences.
Podcasts are crafted with the following goals in mind.
1. Insightful Storytelling: Present authentic narratives that explore the processes behind brand successes.
2. Practical Learning: Educate audiences with insights applicable across various fields to achieve success.
3. Community Building: Build a network of industry leaders for collaboration and growth.
4. Brand Promotion: Serve as an exposure platform for guests.
5. Authentic Engagement: Deliver a genuine brand experience amidst an artificial world.
Brand Slam seeks to empower brands by celebrating and learning from victory stories, offering a platform where true game-changing insights are shared and championed.
When we began the podcast, we really didn’t know if we would make it past our first episode. But our connections to some incredible guests in sports, marketing and entertainment really launched the show. We intentionally decided to keep the podcast conversational and authentic. We didn’t want it to sound too polished and scripted. We also knew that promotion would be important, so we created buzz in social media and networked with colleagues and friends. We knew that if we could get some big names in the beginning, we could create momentum.
We charted on Apple Podcasts in just our second episode thanks to former Patriot and current NBC Sports analyst Devin McCourty. From there, we knew things were going in the right direction and started to formulate a winning game plan trying to mix in marketing and branding tips along with humor and some timely guests like UConn men’s head basketball coach Dan Hurley who was just weeks out from winning the schools second straight National Championship. Combining the excitement of sports with the UConn brand was the winning gameplan for that episode.
From sports, we soon expanded to include leaders in business and brand marketing. From CMO’s to CEO’s, the carefully picked guests balance our episodes to share a mix of fascinating and incredible insightful information for our listeners. We have featured guests spanning topics from social media marketing with Ian Brownhill, a local influencer in the New England market, to experts with national reach including CVS brands, to even international guests as far away as Ireland.
We have also included guests who are advancing important public service and philanthropic initiatives, including working with former Patriot football player Matt Light and his eponymous Matt Light Foundation, and concussion awareness with former pro-wrestler Dr. Chris Nowinski of the Concussion Legacy Foundation.
No matter who we feature, we strive to go beyond just telling stories, asking probing questions and encouraging genuine narratives that resonate. We take pride in creating a welcoming environment for discussion, fostering genuine connections and opportunities for growth. Our platform also champions our guests, shining a spotlight on their achievements and amplifying their influence. At its core, Brand Slam is about offering a human connection in a digital world, ensuring every listener and guest feels part of something meaningful and inspiring.
In 2024, Brand Slam has achieved significant milestones that align with and exceed our team’s objectives. Our podcast ranks in the top 3% across all global podcasts on Listen Notes, demonstrating our broad appeal and the effectiveness of our insightful storytelling and educational content. Achieving the #1 spot in marketing on Apple Podcasts in Argentina highlights our international reach and the resonance of our content with diverse audiences. We are proud that, at only 28 episodes in, we have obtained over 585K social media impressions. We have also charted mutiple times among the Top 100 on Apple Podcasts in the U.S. Marketing category, highlighting our podcast's influence and strong footing in the competitive marketing space. This accomplishment aligns with our goals of community building, brand promotion, and fostering authentic engagement.
As we reflect on a remarkable year, Steve's vision for Brand Slam has been realized, as our efforts have not only met but exceeded our expectations. The podcast has become a trusted resource for brand success stories as well as a platform to do good. This success underscores the positive impact that our podcast has on both listeners and the broader industry. It validates Steve's mission to share genuine brand experiences and winning strategies.
