Jacob Reed podcast lands celebrity endorsements and Tom Hanks billboard

Jacob Reed and Me, an investigative comedy podcast that turns shared names into a storytelling gimmick, has lined up endorsements from Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Morgan Freeman, Ryan Reynolds and others. The campaign includes a Sunset Boulevard billboard quoting Hanks, as the Tribeca-selected show pushes for attention in a crowded podcast market.

Why it matters: - Jacob Reed and Me is trying to break through in a podcast market with more than 4.7 million shows by using celebrity endorsements as the hook. - The campaign gives an indie show unusual visibility, including a Sunset Boulevard billboard and a burst of social and street-level promotion in Los Angeles. - The show is already an official Tribeca Festival selection and has been featured by The Guardian and Apple Podcasts.

What happened: - Jacob Reed and Me, an investigative comedy podcast from host Jacob Reed, assembled endorsements from Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman, Julia Roberts, Ryan Reynolds, Jackie Chan, Sam Rockwell, David Letterman and Kristen Stewart. - The campaign includes a video of self-taped endorsements, wheat-pasted posters across Los Angeles and a billboard on Sunset Boulevard. - The billboard quotes Tom Hanks calling the show "the best podcast since This American Life." - The billboard went up on July 9, on Hanks' 70th birthday.

The details: - The podcast centers on life questions answered by tracking down people who share Jacob Reed's name. - Reed is a filmmaker and culture-jammer with credits including Jimmy Kimmel Live, Funny or Die and BuzzFeed. - Reed has also performed for decades at Upright Citizens Brigade and contributed to 99% Invisible and the New York Times Crossword. - Jacob Reed and Me is the first narrative project from All Trades Co., the creative studio Reed founded. - All Trades Co. previously flew a plane over Hollywood studios reading "PAY THE WRITERS, YOU AI-HOLES!" and made the Harris/Walz support video "Man Enough," which drew more than 70 million views and was reposted by CNN, MSNBC and Fox. - AdAge called the studio's response to McDonald's AI holiday ad "the most humiliating punch yet." - Other All Trades Co. projects include Deepfake David Zaslav, Our Frasier Remake and an "In Memoriam" for brands killed off by private equity. - The team includes Danny O'Malley, the executive producer and director of Netflix's Chef's Table; Margot Leitman, a bestselling author and former This American Life contributor; and Chris Kelly, an award-winning podcast producer and co-creator of CBC Radio One's This Is That. - The show is streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and other podcast platforms.

Between the lines: - The stunt borrows a familiar marketing lesson from the creator economy: attention is scarce, and recognizable names can cut through clutter faster than a traditional launch. - The celebrity quotes and billboard are as much a publicity play as a signal that the show is positioning itself as entertainment with mainstream reach, not just niche audio. - The Tribeca selection gives the campaign extra credibility beyond the promotional spectacle.

What's next: - Jacob Reed and Me will keep streaming across major podcast platforms as the team tries to convert the celebrity attention into listeners. - The show is also offering media assets, including video, billboard and wheat-paste photography, for additional promotion. - The creators list a media contact at hello@jacobreedandme.com.

The bottom line: - Jacob Reed and Me is using A-list names to make a small podcast feel like a cultural event.