Australian finance podcast, My Millennial Money, has rebranded to become This Is Money.
The change comes as the Acast podcast’s audience expands out from simply being millennials, reflecting the fact that listeners of all generations tune in to host Glen James – author, commentator, and former financial advisor.
Mediaweek caught up with James to speak about the rebrand, and whether it will impact the content going ahead.
“In 2018 when I started the podcast, the word millennial was popular, it was cool, most millennials were in their early-20s to mid-30s and that demographic was primarily listening to podcasts,” James said when asked what inspired the rebrand in the first place. “Plus, My Millennial Money, the alliteration rolls right off the tongue.
“What I’ve since found with our audience is that there is a bell curve of millennials, but we’ve got listeners who are 17 years old, and we’ve got listeners who are 70 years old. Number one the name change means it’s more inclusive, and number two, the word millennial doesn’t have the same social appeal that it did seven years ago.”
The feedback from the change was instantaneous, with James pointing to an Instagram message he received as a prime example of the reason behind the rebrand.
“One of my listeners said ‘Thanks so much for changing the name. I’m 23 and now when I forward a good episode to my friends, I don’t have to do a hard sell and promise them that ‘it’s for millennials, but it will be good!’”
This Is Money, and spin-off podcasts This Is Property and This Is Work
James describes the shift in listener demographics as “a slow burn” as opposed to an overnight change, with the biggest shift coming from the older cohort of listeners.
“My mum is 70 and she now listens to podcasts, whereas five years ago, she didn’t. There is a lag in terms of the older audience because podcasting wasn’t as big a form of media five, six, or seven years ago. It was around, but it wasn’t as popular as it is now. With basic technology adoption, a lot of older people have now started listening to podcasts.
With the rebrand bringing the podcast’s appeal to a wider audience and the knowledge that there are people from all walks of life tuning in, Mediaweek asked James whether he was changing his approach to the podcast now that it’s no longer My Millennial Money.
“We’ve always answered a variety of questions for different ages and stages, so I’m not changing the content that much at all,” said James.
“Sure, when I pick up a microphone, the main listener is a 31-year-old female earning 100 grand a year, but money is the same for every age. You’ve got income, you’ve got expenses, you’ve got to look at your future – that concept is exactly the same for a 25-year-old as a 70-year-old. The things that change are some of the tactics and strategies of investments.”
Ultimately James said that when he gets behind the mic, his biggest motivation is to create infotainment – “I want to entertain people, so their commute isn’t as boring – but I want them to be able to learn stuff as well. That’s been the strategy since day one.”
“A few years ago, The Australian referred to my co-host and I as the Hamish and Andy of personal finance, because we like to have fun. Money is a serious thing, but it doesn’t have to be, and I really wanted to engage people. Every time I pick up a microphone, I want to do at least two of these three things: add value, have fun, and give practical advice.”
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Top Image: Glen James