AUDIBLE
Permission to Love Love
Romance novels never had an audience problem, they had a PR problem.
Category: Entertainment / Audio
Role: Led campaign development and creative direction for Audible Escape’s launch campaign
Services: Campaign Strategy / Launch Campaign / Celebrity Partnership / Website / Digital / Social
Impact: Helped Audible launch a new romance offering by reframing the genre with humor, confidence, and cultural relevance
Why is there still so much stigma around romance novels? Is it the female gaze? The fact that the woman’s in charge? Or that — gasp — there’s a happy ending?
When Audible tapped us to launch Audible Escape, their new romance audiobook package, we set out to challenge the cultural baggage around the genre and give people permission to unapologetically love love.
Step one: find the perfect partner. Mindy Kaling’s sharp humor and romance-loving energy made her the ultimate co-conspirator. With her on our side, we built a campaign that poked fun at the clichés while celebrating the joy, heat, and playfulness that romance brings.
From the hero TV spot, which debuted during The Bachelorette finale, to a suite of playful digital, social, and audio extensions, the campaign brought new audiences into the fold and helped Audible carve out a bold, fresh voice in the romance space.
The shortform content deserves its flowers. A perfect fusion of cheeky delivery, self-referential writing, and razor sharp media targeting.
AGENCY: BARKER
DIRECTOR: TERRY TIMELY
PHOTOGRAPHER: ARI MICHELSON
MY ROLE: ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR