The Walmart 'Outside the Box' podcast is a new place to tune into conversations with thought leaders centered around innovation, the global economy and as the multinational retailer describes, "and everything in between."
The podcast offers insight into issues such as manufacturing and the workforce of the future through the eyes of entrepreneurs, innovators and Walmart staff. In the first episode of the podcast, Walmart creates a conversation all about sustainability and some of the ways in which both corporations and conservationists can work together to create a brighter future. In the first episode of Walmart's Outside the Box, listeners can expect to hear from Kathleen McLaughlin, the Chief Sustainability Officer for Walmart, as well as Carter Roberts from the World Wildlife Fund and Matt Knott from Feeding America.
Outside the Box is currently being introduced as an eight-episode season, with the second season planned for 2018.
Multinational Retailer Podcasts
Walmart 'Outside the Box' Shares Conversations on Innovation
Trend Themes
1. Multi-industry Podcasts - Companies launching their own podcast series provides an opportunity to create a community of engaged listeners and thought leaders.
2. Sustainability Conversations - Creating a sustainability-focused podcast invites stakeholders such as suppliers, employees, and customers to engage in a dialogue to collectively work towards achieving corporate social responsibility goals.
3. Corporate Innovation Insights - Sharing conversations on innovation allows companies to both learn from and contribute to their industry’s growth, potentially leading to disruptive innovation opportunities and unique interdisciplinary collaborations.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - Podcasts such as Walmart's Outside the Box have the potential to engage customers, suppliers, and employees in dialogue, increase transparency, and drive sales through shared values.
2. Sustainability/environment - Podcasts present an opportunity for organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund to engage in dialogue with corporations, potentially leading to greater investments in sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and business.
3. Media/entertainment - With the rise of branded podcast content, there is an opportunity for businesses to invest in creating engaging audio content that can reach new audiences through platforms such as iTunes and Spotify.