The LadBible Group, With Betches in Tow, Signs Peacock Partnership

Lifestyle publisher LadBible Group has signed a seven-figure advertising deal with the NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock. This partnership marks LBG’s first major foray into the U.S. market since acquiring Betches in October for $24 million.

As part of the agreement, LBG and Betches will drive engagement to Peacock’s unscripted television programming through social media, digital content, newsletters and podcasts over a 12-month period, according to Jake Fitzgibbon, general manager of LBG U.S. 

“We say in the U.K., ‘We’re like your mate in the feed,’” Fitzgibbon said. “The idea is: How do you fuel the group chat? If we can create content around Peacock programming that makes it talkable, then that makes it into group chats.”

The partnership, which launched in March, represents a tentative validation of LBG’s rationale for purchasing Betches.

LBG’s audience skews male—56%, according to the company—while Betches leans female, so a merger expands both publishers’ reach while balancing their gender makeups. The tie-up also aimed to provide the U.K.-based media company a foothold in the larger U.S. market. 

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LBG plans to use its performance in the campaign as a case study, which could help it secure further business from other U.S. brands—particularly those in the entertainment space—looking to reach young audiences.

The company, which generated $86.2 million in 2023, is one of a wave of U.K. media firms looking to grow its business by expanding its presence in the U.S. 

The Peacock partnership

The primary goal of LBG’s partnership with Peacock is for the publisher to drive content into culture—to get younger audiences talking about Peacock programming, according to Fitzgibbon. 

To do so, Peacock provides LBG with a rotating slate of content it is interested in promoting, such as Love Island for Betches and true crime programming for LGB.

The publishers then work these shows into their franchises, such as Betches’ Watchlist and LBG’s Binge Worthy, as well as into memes, social media posts, podcasts and newsletters.

The campaign will be measured using key metrics like guaranteed impressions and social engagement, but the overarching objective is to drive consideration lift. LBG will consult with Peacock on a biweekly basis to optimize the campaign, but the publisher has a high degree of autonomy when it comes to the specifics of the integrations.

“More than a media partnership, this is a business partnership,” Fitzgibbon said. “We have guaranteed deliverables, but after that, it becomes quite fluid.”

Expanding in the U.S.

For LBG, the partnership is significant because it reflects the company’s focus on expanding into the U.S. market.

LBG has a global reach—61% of its audience is outside the U.K., and its social accounts boast 141 million U.S. followers. But in recent years, the company has undertaken efforts to formalize that presence.

It established a U.S. office in New York in 2022, then acquired Betches the following year. All included, it has around 70 staff in the country and plans to expand.

LBG is one of a handful of U.K.-based media companies, alongside The Guardian and The Economist, amping up its presence in the U.S. to tap into its massive advertising ecosystem.

As a company, LBG divides its advertising business into direct (43%) and indirect (57%) buckets. Direct includes branded content, direct-sold inventory and its social agency services, while indirect includes social video and open-web programmatic. The remaining 2% of its revenue comes from licensing. 

Its reliance on advertising—98% of its revenue comes directly or indirectly from the category—and social media distribution leave it relatively vulnerable to external factors, but the company is profitable and brought in $8 million in profit last year.

As Betches and LBG continue their integration, the combined company hopes to land more deals like its Peacock partnership, particularly in the spirits, entertainment and CPG categories, according to Fitzgibbon. Betches has already landed a separate deal to work with NBC to promote the Paris Olympics.

“Our focus on the direct side is: How do we build deeper relationships with umbrella companies where we can really have an impact?” Fitzgibbon said. “I think this Peacock partnership is that first stake in the ground.”