New podcast Oatly Lake has all the hallmarks of the true crime and investigative journalism genres. Jingly-jangly intro music. An engaging podcast host. And a mystery rooted in small-town America.
The twist? The solitary episode of the first season, titled “Deep Waters,” is actually an 18-minute ad for Swedish alternative milk brand Oatly.
The advertiser is known for its bold and playful creative work and Oatly Lake is no exception.
The podcast was covertly released last week on Spotify, Apple and other podcast networks without any fanfare.
Echoing high profile series like Serial and Dirty John, the descriptor reads: “In the heart of Northern Michigan, hidden in a dense cedar forest in the small town of Mesick, lies a little-known body of water called Oatly Lake.”
“In mid-2021, a Swedish dairy alternative company that goes by the same name—Oatly—stumbled upon this body of water while mindlessly browsing the internet. For reasons that are still unclear, they sent a team to Mesick in search for answers: Who owned this lake? Was there a connection to oat milk? Could it yield headlines in all the reputable industry trades?”
The answer to at least one of these questions is yes.
A podcast with ‘no ad breaks’
The truth is that the Oatly team, along with host Schuyler Swenson, did actually travel out Michigan to record the podcast. But they weren’t seeking answers to a mystery—they were recording a piece of branded content.
The series features real interviews with the accommodating townspeople of Mesick, discussing some (dubious) folklore around the lake and recounting their own experiences in the area.
Oatly’s chief creative officer and content producer also make guest appearances to discuss the “aquatic coincidence.”
When the podcast pauses for a “short break,” Swenson divulges that there are no ad breaks because, well, “this whole thing is an ad.”
The remaining 15 minutes of Oatly Lake take the listener on a winding journey through the history of the “glorified sinkhole.” Eventually, the Oatly team is given a tour of the lake by the proprietor, Justin Hausler.
There’s even an unexpected plot twist at the end, but you’ll have to listen for yourself to find out more.
Oatly’s in-house creative team is responsible for most of its ads.
Earlier this year the brand launched a puppet show to help people navigate plant-based alternatives to traditional food. In 2021 it created what it called the “meta-est campaign ever” by wrapping ten different executions into one Instagram post.
The plant-based food category is on the rise, with the momentum it gained during the pandemic expected to continue into 2022.
