Crooked Media Brews More Than Just Podcasts With New Branded Coffee Line

Podcast network Crooked Media announced Thursday it will launch a coffee line called Crooked Coffee, which includes a What a Morning roast as a nod to its daily news podcast What a Day. Once just a newsletter, What a Day shifted into a podcast in 2019 as it grew in popularity. Hosts Gideon Resnick, Josie Duffy Rice, Tre’vell Anderson and Priyanka Aribindi break down the biggest news of the day, with new episodes posted every weekday. The show is currently ranked top 50 in the U.S. on Spotify and top 25 for daily news on Apple Podcasts, according to podcast analytics company Chartable. Podcasts have grown to be the medium where audiences listen most attentively. According to an Edison Research survey, 51% of more than 1,000 respondents said they pay attention to podcast ads more than they do other media like TV or social media, and 49% believe that podcast hosts actually use the products and services they recommend. Since the company's launch in 2017, Crooked Media has created more than 30 podcasts and digital series, with around 15 still in production. According to the company, they bring in more than 21 million downloads across streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts each month. "What a Morning is meant to reflect that tone that you feel across the Crooked shows," said senior director, marketing at Crooked Media Jordan Silver. "We really made that prominent throughout the branding, the packaging, how we describe the product. It's very much a product for our community and for our listeners." A listener-to-consumer pipeline Incentivizing its listeners with branded products isn't new to Crooked, such as "It's not great, Dan" shirts, which launched in 2018 based on its flagship show Pod Save America, and Silver said it's been lucrative for the company. The timing couldn't be more convenient with industry projections, too. With podcast ad revenue skyrocketing, revenue is growing faster than the total internet advertising revenue market—72% compared to 35% last year, per IAB's findings. A 2021 survey from Crooked also signaled the products are likely to resonate with consumers based on how previous branded products have sold. In a 16,000-person survey from the company, 70% said they had previously purchased a product or service from ads placed on Crooked's content. Silver noted it's important for Crooked's listeners to know the company is expanding beyond podcasts. "It's a growing place where you can find not just great analysis and great content, but also a place that you can turn to for great products like coffee." He also said Crooked approaches its products the way it approaches its shows and "just wants to make people feel a little bit better about what's going on in the world around them" by attaching philanthropy. With Crooked Coffee, a portion of proceeds will go to Register Her, a nonprofit designated to mobilizing women voters, especially in communities of color. Crooked Coffee's blends will be available for order on its site starting June 21. SiriusXM Media, Crooked Media Ink Multiyear Ad Sales Deal