Audible has announced a partnership with Hello Sunshine, the cross-platform media brand founded by Reese Witherspoon that is dedicated to producing female-driven content. The first stage of the collaboration is the June launch of Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine on Audible, which will spotlight distinctive audio performances featuring strong female characters.
This new audio component is an extension of the popular Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine, an online community where Witherspoon makes a monthly book pick and, in tandem, the site shares author Q&As, giveaways, and book discussion opportunities. Under the new arrangement, Audible will make available to its subscribers the coordinating audio edition of Witherspoon’s monthly book club selection. Beginning in June, Audible subscribers will be able to access previous Reese’s Book Club titles as well.
Audible and Hello Sunshine also plan to work together to develop original audio productions under the Audible Original by Hello Sunshine banner, with an inaugural title set to be announced later this year.
“When I started Reese’s Book Club, I wanted to highlight stories with women at the center, and I’m so excited to deliver on that mission,” Witherspoon said in a statement. “With our busy lives, it can be hard to find the time to read,” she continued. “That’s why I am excited to work with Audible to provide a fun way to listen to beautiful stories in your free time, whether it’s enjoying a book in the car or on a morning walk.”
Sarah Harden, CEO of Hello Sunshine elaborated further, explaining that the Audible partnership “signifies a major push for Hello Sunshine into long-form narrative audio originals." Harden said the deal allows the brand to work with "leading creators to bring to life female-centered narratives that are best told in, and created specifically for, audio.”
Hello Sunshine is a joint venture between Witherspoon, the Chernin Group, and AT&T. Some of the company’s recently announced projects include the adaptation of Celeste Ng’s bestselling 2017 novel Little Fires Everywhere as a Hulu Original TV series starring Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, and You Think It, I’ll Say It, a 10-episode comedy series based on Curtis Sittenfeld’s short-story collection of the same name for Apple that will be executive-produced by (and star) Kristen Wiig. Hello Sunshine also recently debuted its own podcast, How It Is, featuring the personal stories of diverse, high-profile women, and hosted by actress and author Diane Guerrero (Orange Is the New Black, Jane the Virgin).
