Background

Timeline is a longevity brand selling supplement and skin health products, shipping to customers since 2020. The company brought podcast buying in house two years ago, after previously working with an outside agency. Its podcast partners include medical and wellness voices like Mark Hyman, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Dave Asprey, Dr. Stephanie Estima, and Ben Greenfield.

Challenges

Supplement brands usually have a playbook to work from. A greens powder, for instance, reaches listeners who already know the category and are shopping for a better version of it. Timeline's product supports mitochondrial health, a less familiar topic that requires every ad to start with education rather than a pitch.

Medical voices can speak to the science fluently, while hosts in comedy or true crime have no reference point for talking about the product. Timeline first tried buying the shows that worked for comparable brands, but those brands sell products people already recognize and want. The same shows fell flat for one nobody was looking for.

Results

• Smaller and mid-sized shows found through Magellan AI outperformed Timeline's broader partner roster, with about 70% hitting return and traffic goals.
• The podcast roster grew from fewer than 20 partners to about 80 in two years as the team uncovered new opportunities.
• 19 of 35 recommended shows were screened out before launch after Magellan AI revealed high ad loads that weren't apparent from media kits.