To promote a podcast centered on a very public figure’s unexplained withdrawal from public life, Alkemy X had to thread a very fine needle. Certainly, such a campaign must evoke the exuberant, effervescent personality of its subject, America’s original fitness celebrity Richard Simmons. Yet, the podcast was certain to be poignant, even biting at times. Alkemy’s tactic: use social media teasers to spark interest prior to the podcasts release but shift to an inspirational message during the podcast’s run. Thus, the promotion became a tribute rather than exploitive. The buzz grew immediately, and “Missing Richard Simmons” became the no. 1 podcast in the world.
