Kaio Philipe from Inter positions its Gameplan podcast as a long-term intellectual property play rather than a marketing add on.
Speaking to PodcastingToday, Kaio Philipe, the company’s Chief Business & Marketing Officer, Inter and founder of the show, says the strategy reflects a wider shift in how brands approach media.
With distribution now available to anyone with a phone and an internet connection, he believes companies no longer need to rely solely on paid advertising across third party platforms.
Kaio’s background spans publishing and financial media, including time at Bloomberg, where he created several new media ventures, including Bloomberg Linea, and involvement with industry bodies. That experience has shaped his view that brands can and should think like media owners.
In his view, the barrier to entry is now low. Social platforms and streaming services allow any organisation to publish and distribute content directly to audiences.
Traditionally, brands seeking visibility have bought reach and frequency with ads from platforms such as Meta, Google and Netflix. Advertising space is purchased in order to place products in front of audiences built by others. Kaio argues that while that model remains necessary, it should not be the only investment.
Instead, he believes companies should develop their own intellectual property and build a direct relationship with consumers. By doing so, they create an owned media ecosystem that sits alongside paid activity.
That ecosystem allows brands to collect first party data, understand audience behaviour and align products with relevant content.
He cites the approach taken by Robinhood, which expanded into podcasts and newsletters to strengthen its direct connection with users. By building subscriber bases and content communities, brands can shape how and where conversations take place around their products, he says.
At Inter, that thinking has informed the creation of Gameplan. The company serves immigrants in the United States and recently launched the Inter Passport Card, a credit card designed to help people build credit history.
Kaio says that producing content featuring immigrant success stories, particularly from sport, creates a natural link to that audience.
“If I am having a podcast that I’m interviewing a Latino soccer player that is an immigrant in the US, well likely the audience would be Latinos,” he explains. The content environment therefore aligns with the product message without relying solely on external ad placements.
Location is also central to the production model. Inter holds the naming rights to Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The venue, which underwent redevelopment costing more than $200 million, serves as the primary filming location for the podcast.
Kaio describes location as one of the most significant costs in production. Owning access to a landmark stadium removes that barrier and provides a distinctive backdrop. Orlando itself attracts more than 70 million visitors each year, making it a high-profile setting for recording interviews.
Gameplan focuses on the intersection of sport, business and personal ambition. Guests from the first season include senior sports executives and founders who have built global brands.
One episode featured a former founder of the UFC, now a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, discussing his decision to sell the company early in its growth.
The show is built around a simple idea. Each guest has achieved success but continues to operate with a personal game plan. The interviews explore what drives them, how they think about the future and what motivates them beyond financial reward.
“We are doing this to understand what motivates them when they wake up and what is next,” Kaio says.
The first season generated millions of views on YouTube and he says the response has encouraged continued investment. For the second season, the production is expanding beyond the stadium while maintaining a focus on recognisable venues.
Episodes have already been filmed at NASDAQ in New York’s Times Square. Kaio says distinctive settings help attract high profile guests and maintain a consistent standard. He is reluctant to record in conventional office environments, preferring locations that feel iconic or visually engaging.
With the FIFA World Cup scheduled to take place in the United States in June and July, the upcoming season will include conversations linked to football. Kaio says discussions are under way with former players and senior figures connected to the tournament.
For Inter, the podcast is not treated as a short-term campaign. It is positioned as an asset that can grow in value over time.
Kaio’s view is that intellectual property, once built, becomes part of a company’s balance sheet in a broader sense. What begins at zero can become a meaningful brand in its own right.
As more financial services brands experiment with owned content, Gameplan offers a case study in how podcasting can sit at the centre of a first party data and brand building strategy rather than on the margins of it.
