2026 CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards: First Place in Fiction Broadcast Media
Next in a series of posts featuring the winners of the 2026 Christian Authors Network (CAN) Excellence in Marketing Awards.
David Hollenstein won first place in the fiction Broadcast Media category and describes his activities here.
Can Product Placement Work for Books?
Award-Winning Campaign Says Yes
I don’t have a platform or email list in the U.S. So, how can I market my book? I quickly realized I should focus on what I’m good at. For me, that’s writing radio plays. I took an unconventional approach by incorporating my book as product placement in a free 20-minute audio drama.
I created a thriller about a 9-1-1 call with real voice actors. The book plays a major role in the storyline. This format allows listeners to hear a conversation about the book as part of the immersive story. The book becomes part of the experience rather than a marketing interruption. People are more receptive when they’re emotionally engaged. The Christian Authors Network recognized this approach by awarding first place in the Outstanding Broadcast Media category at the 2026 CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards.
Audio Dramas: A Growing Market
Audio storytelling is growing rapidly on all audio platforms, fueled by the increasing number of audio drama podcasts. Unfortunately, Christian writers are missing out on this trend so far. An exception is Faith Radio’s four-part audio drama series, “The Christ.” With an audio drama podcast series, an author can expand his reach and build his platform.
What Is a Full-Cast Audio Drama?
An audio drama is like a movie, but without the visuals. Like a feature film, it has multiple actors, sound effects, background noise, and music. It is also like an audiobook, but with minimal narration. The story is mainly driven by dialogue. Listeners feel close to the action. They feel as if they are part of the conversation and as if they belong.
The Right Target Audience
One problem I encountered when marketing my book is that it falls into a unique genre. It’s a faith-based thriller similar to The Shack, except only scripture is used when God speaks. The protagonist relives Bible stories and discovers the great salvation story while dealing with a thriller back home. The German release of the book showed that some love this book (“the best Christian book this year”), while others stop reading after four chapters. I realized it appeals to people who rarely read. How do you market a book to people who don’t usually read? Well, they listen to audiobooks. I found my readers through this thrilling audio drama.
911 Call: Kidnapped
This 20-minute thriller audio drama with a full cast contains book placement and is available to listen to free online:
https://www.davidhollenstein.com/full-cast-audio-drama
Charlie’s Trip: His Incredible Quest for God’s Embrace
A thriller that switches between Bible stories and today’s scenes. Charlie has to prove his innocence, save his marriage, and definitely wants to find a way back into God’s embrace.
https://www.davidhollenstein.com/charlies-trip
About the Author
Known as Mister Audio Drama, Hollenstein has written over 45 audio dramas and directed many more. Christian families in Switzerland listen to his audio dramas all day long. His books are available in German, French, and English.
https://www.davidhollenstein.com
