Audible turns up the volume on spicy romance in new work via Emotive, Wavemaker, Eleven + Hello
New research from Audible reveals that 70% of Aussies love romance fiction, with ‘spicy romance’ sizzling in the top three subgenres. To tap into this cultural moment and meet growing demand for bold, expressive storytelling, Audible has joined forces with Emotive, Wavemaker, Eleven and Hello to bring a playful, multi-sensory campaign to life.
From cult favourites to fresh new voices, Audible recognised its growing spicy romance library was perfectly placed to feed the fandom – so it did just that, literally. Together with cult chicken brand Wingboy, the audiobook giant served up an integrated campaign that fused flavour, fiction and fandom for Aussie audiences, turning the streets of Sydney into a celebration of romance at every spice level.
Speaking about the ‘why’ behind the campaign, cultural expert, author and romance enthusiast Lucinda ‘Froomes’ Price says: “Listening to spicy romance is a way for people to explore romance in a way that is more private than, say, reading a romance book on the train. It takes away that barrier and is fun. It’s something you can do just for yourself, and dip in and out as you choose. And honestly, audio makes it feel like you’re right there in the story.”
Taking the heat to the streets of Sydney, Audible and Wingboy created a limited-edition menu inspired by BookTok conversations around romance ‘spice’ levels. For one weekend only, Sydneysiders were able to order the Audible x Wingboy heart-shaped Spicy Romance box in Wingboy’s 5 stores and on Uber Eats. Each box featured Wingboy’s famous chicken tenders paired with sensational sauces inspired by Audible’s hottest romance titles, curated to their preferred romance spice level. The Audible Spicy Romance boxes became the #1 sold product across the activation weekend at Darling Square, Randwick and Newtown.
Each box came with a menu detailing the audiobooks that inspired their sauces, from ‘Mild’ romances like Pride & Prejudice, Great Big Beautiful Life and Red White & Royal Blue, to ‘Spicy’ titles such as Fourth Wing, Misdirected and The Winning Formula to ‘Extra Spicy’ – think The Other Brother, Wild Card and Deep End.
As an added surprise, each menu played a special audio message from iconic spicy romance audiobook narrator, Teddy Hamilton, and treated diners to three free months of Audible, and a fan also won a year’s worth of Audible and Wingboy by sharing their spicy romance chicken box on social media.
Says Karen Appathurai Wiggins, Head of Regional Content APAC at Audible: “Romance in audio is no longer a niche – it’s front and centre, and spicy romance in particular is reshaping conversations, culture, and how people talk about intimacy and connection.
“With platforms like BookTok driving huge trends in romance and spicy storytelling, Audible is perfectly placed to bring those conversations to life in audio – giving fans an even richer way to connect with stories and characters they love.
“This campaign taps into the cultural momentum around bold, expressive storytelling and highlights Audible’s dedication to growing a diverse library of cult favourites, compelling Audible Originals, and new voices shaping today’s listening culture, cementing Audible as the home of spicy romance.”
This spicy campaign was brought to life in a true village collaboration – Emotive (creative, production & Wingboy partnership), Wavemaker (media, incl. Uber Partnership), Eleven (PR), Hello (influencers & social) and the team at Audible.
Says Kat Topp, Creative Director at Emotive: “This campaign fused flavour and fiction into a multisensory experience so hot it came with extra wet wipes. From tongue-in-cheek creative to sizzling visuals, and incredible talent like Maddy Macrae, Audible served up something fun, flirty, and deliciously in-step with culture.”
Head to audible.com.au and check out the full library of romance with something for every spice level.
Audible
Pia McMorran Associate Director, Brand and Content, Audible Australia
Prudence Turnell, Corporate Communications Lead APAC Audible
Georgia Lindley, Influencer and Media Partnerships Manager Audible Australia
Jayden Koulizakis, Social Media Marketing Manager Audible Australia
Creative – Emotive
Alison Daly, Business Director, Emotive
Elisa Donato, Senior Account Manager, Emotive
Kat Topp & Paul Sharp, Creative Directors, Emotive
Michelle Lomas, Head of Partnerships, Emotive
Chris Cooper, Senior Designer/Animator, Emotive
Michael Hollis, Senior Producer, Emotive
Mark Alston, Director – Hero Film & Stills
Media – Wavemaker
Francesca Menato, Content & Partnerships Director, Wavemaker
Chelsea Ross, Content & Partnerships Executive, Wavemaker
Arabella Magno, Client Director, Wavemaker
Jasmine Koong, Client Executive, Wavemaker
Emily Lo, Associate Implementation & Activation Director, Wavemaker
Mathew Politansky, Associate Implementation & Activation Manager, Wavemaker
Benjamin Hayes, Implementation & Activation Coordinator, Wavemaker
Emily Orsborn, Implementation & Activation Manager, Wavemaker
Uber
Lucy Lu, Senior Client Partner, Uber Advertising
Darragh Butler, Partner Manager, Uber Advertising
PR – Eleven
Maggie Stergiopoulos, Group Client Partner, Eleven
Dagmara Bandura, Business Director, Eleven
Rachael Cleary, Senior Business Manager, Eleven
Josh Camilleri, Senior PR Consultant, Eleven
Social – Hello
Danielle Currie, Account Director – Talent, Hello
Samantha Crooks, Account Director – Social, Hello
Daniella Brenner, Head of Talent & Social, Hello
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