Industry experts roll their eyes when Hollywood celebrities dip their toes in the production or advertising side of things. And, this is admittedly a goal we’ve seen fail more than once. Remember when Ashton Kutcher tried to manage the media tide with his ‘Mr Social’ attempts?
But, as Hollywood and Madison Avenue relationships continue to crumble, there’s clearly some place for celebs who aim to bridge those barriers. And, Reese Witherspoon’s ‘Hello Sunshine’ production company is managing precisely that.
First founded back in 2016, Hello Sunshine is behind industry-topping shows like Amazon Prime’s Daisy Jones and the Six. In 2021, the agency sold for a staggering $9 million. But Witherspoon retains her position on the board, and it's her place in the company that many industry experts credit for its success.
But what has Hello Sunshine done to bring the sunshine back to Hollywood?
Smoothing strained relationships
Since UTA’s lawsuit against Michael Kassan went public, there’s been no denying the rifts that continue to arise between Hollywood and Madison Avenue. Neither can exist without the other and yet, these guys just can’t seem to get on.
In large part, this is the issue that celeb-agencies have tried to address all along. But, celeb-led agencies have continually failed due to a lack of expertise, or a lack of worthwhile pairings. Enter Hello Sunshine, which is not only bossing the production side of things but is hitting advertising targets in a way that few agencies have ever achieved before. All without the risk of one party claiming to know more than the other.
Reaching brand new audiences
Speaking of audience reach, Hello Sunshine is teaching know-it-all ad agencies a thing or two about the right way to gain attention. In fact, they hit around 55 million social media touchpoints. That’s significantly more than traditional industry-facing production companies could ever hope for.
These figures are largely a result of Witherspoon’s early insistence that coverage should extend beyond streaming platforms and movie theaters. This, in fairness, is an argument that Madison Avenue has been making, unheard, for years. But, with her Hollywood standing, Witherspoon was finally able to launch ad efforts that have even included a book club. All of which has made it far more likely that watchers will show up, and follow whatever Hello Sunshine is launching next.
Championing industry equality
When Witherspoon launched Hello Sunshine, she was initially inspired by a feeling that she wasn’t seeing women’s stories represented on screen. That’s passion is still evident throughout Hello Sunshine’s journey. As well as telling women’s stories, the production company has now become a vital sounding board for female entrepreneurs who include actors, producers, authors, and, of course, marketing experts. All of whom are creating some of the most exciting media we’ve seen in recent years.
Hello Sunshine’s success is only set to continue growing and, if Hollywood is finally intending to get this side of marketing right, it could learn a thing or two by paying attention to whatever Witherspoon’s agency does next.
