Spotify has agreed a partnership with Ranga Bee Productions to become the exclusive direct advertising sales partner for The Romesh Ranganathan Show.
From October 1, all advertising on the podcast will be sold directly by Spotify as part of its UK Owned & Licensed catalogue.
The show joins a portfolio that includes Parenting Hell, The Louis Theroux Podcast and Spotify originals. The audio platform is positioning itself as a single buying point for advertisers seeking access to audiences across its comedy, entertainment and factual podcasts.
Spotify said it is concentrating its UK direct sales activity around Owned & Licensed titles, in line with its approach in other markets. Its investment will include advertising products, measurement tools and creative opportunities for brands.
Romesh Ranganathan said: “It’s been amazing seeing how many people have found the podcast in our first year and it’s way beyond our expectations. My mum’s popularity has been an unfortunate byproduct but I’m looking forward to taking the podcast to another level, while Ben and Jon insist on clinging onto my coattails.”
Benjamin Green, co-founder of Ranga Bee Productions, said: “We are hugely excited to be partnering with Spotify as The Romesh Ranganathan Show enters its next chapter. Jon has done a brilliant job bringing this partnership together, which we both see as incredibly exciting for the show and for new Ranga Bee shows to come.”
Ranga Bee head of podcasts Jon Mounsor added: “Our ambition has always been to be the UK’s first port of call for the biggest names in entertainment, and to deliver the most laughs of any show in the UK & Ireland. Spotify gives us the platform to do that at scale, and there’s nobody better placed to deliver it than Romesh and Shanthi.”
The partnership also encompasses Spotify Advertising’s “You’re Among Fans” business-to-business campaign. Ranganathan appears in its second phase, filmed on the set of his podcast, following appearances by Lizzo and Jay Shetty in the initial campaign.
Talia Stolerman, head of podcasts UK at Spotify, said: “Our O&L slate now includes some of the UK’s biggest shows, from Parenting Hell to The Louis Theroux Podcast and beyond, and we’re continuing to grow it. For advertisers, it means one conversation with Spotify opens the door to premium audiences across comedy, entertainment, and factual, with deeper investment in the products, measurement, and creative opportunities that help brands see real results.”
