When Quill launched in 2018, few companies were thinking about podcasts as a measurable brand asset. The Toronto-based agency was founded by Fatima Zaidi, who saw an untapped opportunity after listening to an episode of “How I Built This” featuring Ben & Jerry’s founders. The story resonated so strongly that she became a loyal customer. This moment revealed to her the potential of audio storytelling as a brand-building tool.

“Back then, it wasn’t common for companies to have a podcast, and very few agencies were built to help brands use it strategically,” says Alison Osborne, Quill’s Vice President of Marketing. “So Fatima launched Quill to fill a gap: a podcast agency for corporate brands that blends editorial storytelling with data and ROI.”

Within two years, Quill acquired boutique podcast production company Origins Media Haus, expanding its production capabilities and strengthening its focus on branded storytelling tied to measurable business outcomes. Today, Quill operates as a full-service podcast agency, providing strategy, creative direction, production, marketing, and analytics for global brands.

From Storytelling to Strategy

Quill’s approach goes beyond recording and editing audio. “Full-service means we handle the entire branded podcast lifecycle,” Alison explains. “That includes strategy and concept, format design, guest sourcing, scripting, recording, editing, distribution, and audience growth.”

Audience growth, she says, is where many brands underestimate the complexity of podcasting. “Growing a branded show isn’t a ‘build it and they will come’ strategy,” she says. Quill’s team develops targeted promotional programs to reach the Ideal Listener Profile (ILP), the specific audience segment a brand wants to engage.

“We also bring measurement to the table,” Alison says. “In 2022, we launched CoHost, a podcast analytics and audience insights platform. Through CoHost, our clients get deeper data on who’s listening, what’s resonating, and which campaigns drive results.”

Data, Creativity, and the CoHost Edge

At the core of Quill’s value proposition is the balance between storytelling and measurable impact. Alison describes the company’s process as one where “shows are built by creatives who think like marketers.”

From development to post-launch, every podcast project integrates data analysis through CoHost. “We map the competitive landscape to find a gap where our client can be the first, best, or different,” Alison says. “Once live, we use CoHost to layer in data at every step: demographic and firmographic insights to validate we’re reaching the right listeners; psychographic and engagement insights to guide topics and formats; and attribution data to see which campaigns drive results.”

For Alison, the combination of “editorial craft plus audience growth plus analytics” is what allows Quill to turn sound into strategy.

More Than Downloads

Despite the growth of branded podcasts, many companies still struggle to link them to business outcomes. Alison attributes this to legacy metrics. “For years, brands measured podcasts with vanity metrics like downloads,” she says. “Useful to track, but they don’t provide you with actionable insights.”

Through CoHost, Quill tracks unique listeners, consumption rates, and audience composition, including demographic, psychographic, and firmographic data – the latter particularly important for B2B brands. “Other tools, like Tracking Links, allow us to tie promotional campaigns to podcast growth, content lift, and partner impact,” Alison explains.

This data-first model allows Quill’s clients to demonstrate podcast return on investment (ROI) in terms that executives understand, whether that’s brand lift, audience retention, or lead generation.

The Rise of Internal Podcasts

While Quill’s primary business lies in branded podcasts for external audiences, demand for internal podcasts (designed for employee engagement) is growing quickly. 

“Full-service production and marketing remain our most in-demand offerings,” Alison says. “But for anyone following the podcast industry, it’s no surprise that the fastest-growing shift is video. Two years ago, around 30% of our clients experimented with it; today, that number is closer to 80%.”

For internal podcasts, the audience is defined differently. “We treat employees as an Ideal Listener Profile,” Alison notes. These shows, often used for onboarding, leadership communication, or training, apply the same strategic framework: clear objectives, internal promotion, and measurement focused on engagement and retention rather than downloads.

Balancing Emotion Across Industries

Quill’s client roster includes Microsoft, PwC, L’Oréal, Dayforce, Houlihan Lokey, and HP, spanning sectors from finance to healthcare. Each requires a tailored tone and emotional framework.

“Industry doesn’t determine whether a podcast fits; listener value does,” Alison explains. “Our approach starts by defining who the show serves and what outcome it should drive. Then we choose the core emotion to design for and build formats that earn it.”

She points to two examples: “The SickKids Foundation” podcast, which focuses on empathy and hope by highlighting child health breakthroughs; and “Northwestern Mutual’s” financial podcast, designed to foster relatability and confidence. “Across industries, the throughline is the same,” she says. “Understand how to connect with audiences, have an intentional emotional arc, and use a format that respects listeners.”

A Maturing Medium

The podcast industry has transformed since Quill’s founding. “A lot has changed within the podcasting industry and Quill as a company,” Alison says. “Aside from evolving our audience growth strategies to adapt to new tools, platforms, and listener preferences, I would say the biggest shift we’ve seen is in measurement.”

Measurement, she adds, has become the defining factor for branded podcast success. “Brands need to understand the impact a podcast is having. That need has always been there, but the ability to actually measure this is what has evolved.”

This capability has also changed how brands perceive podcasts. “Podcasting is still growing, but more importantly, it’s maturing,” Alison says. “Shows don’t necessarily have to be hyper-niche to win, but they do need a clear who and why, a differentiated point of view, consistent publishing, and goals tied to business outcomes.”

For Alison, the focus has shifted from mass reach to audience quality. “If your target is C-suite finance leaders at 200-500-employee companies, that’s very specific,” she says. “Now imagine 200 of the right listeners tuning in month over month. That’s incredible, and outperforms 20,000 casual plays for objectives like influence or partnerships.”

As AI tools become more common in content workflows, Quill maintains a clear stance on where technology adds value. 

“We believe that AI can be helpful in ways like automating transcriptions or idea generation, but our producers are still the drivers for all creative conceptualization, storytelling, and growth strategies,” Alison says. “It’s a balance of being smart, where automation can support efficiency, but also understanding where human creativity prevails.”

What’s Next for Quill?

Quill’s next phase builds on both its agency and technology arms. “We’re excited to be producing new shows and seasons with brands like Dayforce, Houlihan Lokey, and HP,” Alison says. “On the product side, CoHost is working on features to support video-forward publishing and richer audience insights with new datapoints brands can’t get elsewhere.”

For Alison, Quill’s defining milestone remains the launch of CoHost. “We set out to be a data-driven podcast agency, and when we weren’t able to get the metrics and insights we needed for clients, we built the solution ourselves,” she says.

That initiative underscores the company’s broader philosophy: branded podcasts should be treated as strategic assets embedded within the wider marketing ecosystem. “The biggest shift is measurement,” Alison says. “Brands increasingly expect podcast metrics to look like the rest of their marketing stack: audience quality, campaign attribution, and content insights that drive decisions.”

Looking to 2026, Quill plans to deepen its integration between creative storytelling and performance analytics. 

“What excites me most is the industry’s direction,” Alison concludes. “Branded podcasts are moving from ‘nice content’ to strategic, measurable channels. And that’s exactly where we want Quill to live: at the intersection of storytelling and measurement.”

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