How Alex Cooper made millions, leveraging early virality into a multimedia empire
In 2018, a bold, raunchy podcast launched from a New York City apartment and changed the podcasting landscape forever. Call Her Daddy, hosted by Alexandra Cooper and originally co-hosted by Sophia Franklin, exploded into the charts and has since evolved into a media juggernaut.
From early viral success to multi-million dollar distribution deals, Alex Cooper has built one of the most loyal audiences in podcasting and transformed Call Her Daddy into a global brand. Whether you're a podcaster, creator, or just curious about how viral content becomes a media empire, here’s what you can learn from her journey.
From Zero to Viral: The Call Her Daddy Origin Story
Within two months of launching, Call Her Daddy skyrocketed in popularity. Its value jumped from $12,000 to $2 million. The raw humour, unfiltered female perspective, and frank sex talk caught the attention of Barstool Sports, who signed the show in late 2018.
By 2020, tensions between the co-hosts over pay and creative control led to a public split. Alex continued solo, recording from her parents’ garage during COVID, and that’s when the real transformation began. She leaned into her audience, personally messaging fans and offering relationship advice. Thus, the Daddy Gang was born.
The Deals That Made Podcast History
2021: Cooper signed an exclusive $60 million deal with Spotify, making her the highest-paid new podcaster at the time.
2024: She launched The Unwell Network, a Gen Z lifestyle podcast network under Trending Media.
2024: She inked a staggering $125 million deal with SiriusXM, making Call Her Daddy its flagship exclusive.
Each deal not only amplified her reach but marked a strategic move to diversify her brand and cement her place in podcasting history.
Audience First: Building the Daddy Gang
Alex’s connection to her fans is no accident. She’s cultivated a highly engaged audience through:
Direct engagement: She DMs fans, shares fan art, and even helped one listener escape an abusive relationship in real time.
Relatable branding: Embracing the Daddy Gang identity gave fans a sense of belonging and camaraderie.
Merch: From hoodies to hats, Call Her Daddy merch creates community and acts as a walking billboard.
Cross-platform clips: She regularly posts snippets on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, pulling in millions of views and expanding her reach beyond podcast platforms.
Why Alex Cooper’s Interview Style Works
Alex Cooper isn’t just a personality; she’s a skilled interviewer. Here’s what sets her apart:
She’s prepared: She knows her guests’ stories and asks thoughtful, researched questions.
She’s conversational: Her tone is relaxed, like catching up with a friend.
She creates safe spaces: Guests often reveal vulnerable details because of the trust she builds.
She balances structure with spontaneity, allowing emotional depth and viral soundbites to coexist seamlessly.
Evolution of the Brand
Early Call Her Daddy episodes were heavy on sex jokes and shock value. But over time, Alex evolved her content:
Tackling topics like mental health, therapy, and women’s empowerment
Sharing her own experiences with depression and self-worth
Welcoming guests who could provoke thoughtful conversations
This growth not only expanded her audience but also deepened trust and engagement with her existing fans.
Advertising with Integrity
Alex is known for her hands-on approach to monetisation:
She approves every ad herself
Reads ads in her own voice, turning them into entertainment
Only works with brands that match her values and tone
This strategy builds listener trust, making her audience more receptive to sponsor messaging and boosting conversion rates.
The Strategy Behind the Success
Alex Cooper’s success might feel spontaneous—but behind the scenes, it’s all strategy:
Tight editing: Episodes are punchy, usually under an hour, with no filler.
Niche clarity: A bold, female-first lens on taboo topics set her apart early.
Platform leverage: She partnered with Barstool early for exposure, then timed her exclusive deals with Spotify and SiriusXM to maximise scale.
Even her pivot to The Unwell Network is a calculated expansion into underserved Gen Z audiences.
Lessons from Missteps
Alex hasn’t been without controversy, her public fallout with Sophia Franklin and early criticism of The Unwell Network’s diversity reveal the challenges of rapid growth. But they also serve as important reminders:
Your brand must reflect your values
Community trust takes time to build, but can break quickly
Growth requires continual self-awareness and evolution
Takeaways for Podcasters & Creators
Here’s what you can learn from Alex Cooper’s rise:
Lead with authenticity
Engage your community, don’t just broadcast to them
Treat every piece of content like it matters
Create content for your audience, not your ego
Expand your brand when the time and fit are right
Whether or not you love Call Her Daddy, it’s undeniable that Alex Cooper has reshaped what podcast success looks like.
Want to Grow Like Alex?
If you're a podcaster looking to level up your show, remember this: success doesn’t come from copying someone else’s format. It comes from owning your voice, knowing your audience, and staying ruthlessly aligned with your brand.
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In 2018 Drake's God's Plan blasted on the radio. Black Panther hit the cinemas, Kendrick Lamar won a Pulitzer, K-Pop went truly global, we witnessed the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, and somewhere in a New York City apartment podcast history was being written. Alexandra Cooper and Sophia Franklin launched Call Her Daddy.
the podcast that quickly became a global sensation and has since earned millions. Today we are diving into the rise of Call It Daddy, the podcast that went from raunchy, unfiltered show to host
Today, we're diving into the rise of Call Her Daddy, the podcast that went from raunchy, unfiltered show to a $125 million media empire. We'll unpack how Alex Cooper built one of the most successful and loyal audiences in podcasting, evolved her content while staying true to her voice, and turned
We'll unpack how Alex Cooper built one of the most successful and loyal audiences in podcasting, evolved her content while staying true to her voice, and turned bold honesty and big sister energy into a brand that spans sold out tours, viral clips, and global recognition. So whether you're a podcaster, marketer, or just fascinated by modern media powerhouses,
This episode is packed with insight into how a niche podcast became a cultural phenomenon.
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In its first two months, the podcast absolutely exploded. It jumped from $12,000 to $2 million. This viral growth attracted Barstool Sports, which in late 2018, signed Alex and Sophia on a three year deal to produce Call Her Daddy as part of its network. The show's raw humor and frank female perspective quickly gained the cut.
The show's raw humor and frank female perspective quickly gained the title of the number one podcast for women on Spotify. And Time Magazine argued that Alex was the most successful woman in podcasting. But in 2020, tension over pay and creative control built between Alex and Sophia. And in March of that year, their last co-ho... And in March of that year, their last...
co-hosted episode aired and a social media feud went viral. Then COVID hit and Alex returned home to her parents' garage to host her first solo episodes. And it's here that she really dug deep into her Instagram community and her daddy gang was born. She didn't just engage with her people. She didn't just engage with her people. She became like an older sister.
She would personally message and counsel people through breakups and stories of cheating. And she said to Time Magazine, I would have loved to have someone do that for me in high school or college. Then in 2021, Alex signed a $60 million deal with Spotify. This made Alex the highest paid new podcaster. Under Spotify, the podcast remained free for listeners. The content evolved from sexual humor, which
Don't Worry is still a big element of the podcast to tackling stories of mental health, women's rights and empowerment. Then by 2022, Call Her Daddy was the number two podcast overall on the podcast charts and number one for female audiences. In 2023, Alex launched the Unwelcome Network, which is a Gen Z lifestyle podcast network under the trending media banner.
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In 2023, Alex launched the Unwound Network, a Gen Z lifestyle podcast network under the trending media banner. In 2024, Alex signed a $125 million deal with Sirius XM, which made Call Her Daddy XM. In 2024, Alex signed a $125
$25 million deal with Sirius XM, which made Call Her Daddy its flagship exclusive. Now over the years, Call Her Daddy has been consistently topping charts everywhere. It's a cultural phenomenon. Now over the years, Call Her Daddy has consistently... Now over the years, Call Her Daddy has been a consistently top charting show and cultural phenomenon.
Its audience includes millions of daddy gang who feel a personal connection with Alex and see her as a big sister. This brand has expanded into merch and sold out tours and there's even a documentary series out on Disney Plus called Call Her Alex. Today Call Her Daddy stands as one of podcast's biggest female-led success stories, leveraging early virality into a multimedia
Empire. How did she do it? Let's take a closer look. How did she do it? How did she do it? How did she do it? Let's take a closer look. Now Alex Cooper's on-air personality is unfiltered, playful and totally relatable and this has been central to her rapid rise.
Global media outlets have said that she exudes this big sister energy and her daddy gang feel like they're getting personal advice and often they are. Alex cultivated this personal connection and closeness with her audience because she engages with them directly and as I mentioned before, she's known to personally DM with them and give them personal advice based on what they're facing. If this doesn't scream, call big sister, I don't know what does.
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And for an audience this size of her, this is so impressive. Each member of the Daddy gang feel like they can totally relate to Alex on a personal level. For reference, Alex's Instagram account has 3.6 million followers and her Call Her Daddy account has 3 million. Sure, there'll be a lot of crossover here between followers, but that's 6.6 million followers combined. She's brutally honest.
she's not afraid to hold back on topics that have previously been taboo. Now SiriusXM says that Alex's fearless and unfiltered approach is... Now SiriusXM say that Alex's fearless and unfiltered approach, where no topic is off the table, she's brutally honest and isn't afraid to hold back on topics that have previously been taboo. SiriusXM says that Alex's fearless
Serious XM say that Alex's fearless, unfiltered approach, where no topic is off the table, has created a passionate fan base. She makes her listeners feel empowered, informed, uplifted and entertained. And on top of that, Alex Cooper is one of my favorite interviewers.
She makes her listeners feel empowered, informed, uplifted, and in...
She makes her listeners feel empowered, informed, uplifted and entertained. On top of that, Alex Cooper is actually one of my personal favourite interviewers. And this is for three re... On top of that, Alex Cooper is one of my favourite interviewers. Now, Alex Cooper is actually one of my favourite interviewers and this is for three reasons. One, she's prepared. Two, she's conversational. And three...
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She is an expert at creating a safe space for her guests to be open and vulnerable. She puts a great deal of attention into actively listening and responding. She allows them to relax and she says that she wants her guests to feel like they're sitting in a living room catching up with a friend. She's very prepared. She knows which stories she wants her guests to share, but she also welcomes an off-track tangents that are meaningful and can create value for the audience.
It can feel quite daunting letting your guests veer off track, but this is often where the golden moments lie. Alex keeps her episodes very tightly edited, ensuring that every moment is saturated with content that maintains the energy. And this carefully considered pacing keeps the listeners engaged while letting guests relax and feel comfortable to have this open conversation.
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Alex's style has evolved with her brand. After the Spotify deal, she eased up on the sex jokes a little bit and started having more impactful discussions around topics like mental health. She embraces female empowerment and chooses guests based on the stories that they can bring out to make the audience feel something.
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Alex's style has evolved with her brand. After her deal with Spotify, she eased up a little bit. Alex's style has evolved with her brand. Now after the Spotify deal, she eased up a little bit on the jokes that were... Alex's style has evolved a bit with her brand. After her Spotify deal, she eased up a bit on the sex jokes and started having more impactful discussions around topics like mental health.
She embraces female empowerment and chooses guests based on the stories that they can bring to make her audiences feel something. She speaks openly about her own therapy, depression, and mental well-being and aims to shatter stigmas around topics like sex and women's issues. And this combo between raunchy humor, which she's known for, and sincere
She speaks openly about her own therapy, depression and mental wellbeing and aims to shatter stigmas around topics like sex and women's issues. And this combo between raunchy humour, which she's known for, and sincere vulnerability make her stand out and her audience loves her for it.
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The combo of raunchy humour, which she's known for, and sincere vulnerability make her stand out and her audience love her for it. Rolling Stone described her as GNZ's Barbara Walters, highlighting her thought-provoking range. Another key to her approach is her authenticity responses. Alex insists on approving
all ad reads and only partners with brands that fit her image. She treats ads as part of the show's voice, which is crucial for her brand, the sponsor, as the ad will be more effective if her audience can trust it, and her audience. Now, if listeners can trust all of the sponsored content that has been proof, now if her listeners can trust that all of the sponsored content has been personally approved by Alex herself, they know that the products
must be good. She randomly started sharing ads
If she randomly started sharing ads that weren't even relevant for her listeners, this would break this trust. Alex uniformly reads podcast ads herself, blending promotion into her authentic voice. So for example, if she promotes a lifestyle or like a beauty brand, she does it as if she's joking around with a friend rather than a corporate pitch. This consistency preserves...
This consistency preserves listener trust and it turns the ads into entertainment. Her tone is approachable, colloquial and empowering which directly relates to her audience and she speaks their language. You know, whether she's joking about a fling on Instagram or emphasizing a rough breakup, she is speaking in the language that her audience speaks with with a friend or an older sister. She has created such a loyal and engaged following, Brewher-
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She has created such a loyal and engaged following through her blend of respect and honesty and her constant audience connection. Now let's dig deeper into that. Let's dig deeper into how she built her daddy gang community. Alex deliberately cultivated an interactive online space across multiple platforms. She has enhanced
She has embraced the daddy gang label, which gives her listeners a sense of identity and belonging, and her social media strategy is an absolute case study in engagement. She regularly posts Q &As and question of the day polls, which encourages her listeners to share their personal stories and then vote on relationship dilemmas. Alex's per-
Alex also personally responds to comments and shouts out fan art and memes and humanises the brand which makes her followers feel really seen. She even interacts during emergencies. Time reports that she once helped a listener escape an abusive partner in real time via DM. This level of personal connection is really rare and it transforms your listeners into devotees.
Alex cross promotes her episodes by posting clips or snippets across multiple platforms like Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Now, TikTok has actually become quite a key channel for Call Her Daddy. She has millions of followers and her snippets and episodes. TikTok has actually recently, TikTok has become a key channel for Call Her Daddy. She has millions of followers and her snippets and episodes go viral.
TikTok has become a key channel for Kulu Daddy. She has millions of followers and her snippets from episodes go viral. Now these bite-sized episode teasers bring in new listeners. They act as like a shopfront, inviting followers to go and see and listen and watch for more. She also posts snippets and short clips to YouTube and the visual element here really adds to the conversation further, widening the reach at but.
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She also posts these snippets and short clips to YouTube and the visual element adds to the conversation, further widens reach and it also allows the listener to feel like more of part of
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She also posts snippets and short clips to YouTube and the visual element really adds to the conversation but it also furthers the reach and allows listeners to feel more like they're part of the conversation. Now on top of this, Alex has a merchandise line. She sells hoodies, hats, tees and other clothing with various Daddy Gang slogans and this not only makes her Daddy Gang feel like more of a club
but it's a conversation starter which then extends her reach even further. This merch goes beyond fashion. It's a badge of shared experiences and jokes reinforcing the camaraderie between listeners.
Now Alex is constantly bringing her fans along for the ride, whether it's major announcements or personal life updates, the Daddy Gang is right there with her. And what this tells us as podcasters is that consistent, authentic engagement builds a movement. Now by using interactive polls, behind the scenes content and community catchphrases like Daddy Gang, she keeps her fans excited and involved between the episodes.
Now let's talk about strategy because if you have seen Alex's documentary, Call Her Alex, or followed the podcast for a little while, you will know that Alex's approach to podcasting seems casual and easygoing, but there is a whole deal of strategy that goes into every single thing that she does. For starters, her format and distribution has been used intentionally to accelerate growth.
From the very beginning, she had a clear niche, a frank female perspective on sex and relationships, which has filled a gap in podcasting. Her content is tightly produced and edited and everything that she does is intentional. Episodes are typically no longer than an hour, which means that every second is full of engaging content. This keeps listeners hooked from joke to advice. And as we touched on before, her evolution into more dense topics.
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beyond sex consciously broadened her audience. It's kept her content fresh and engaging without losing any integrity. Now in terms of distribution, she went exclusive at the right time. By partnering with Bastl in 2018, this gave Call Her Daddy the corporate backing and initial marketing push that it needed. And then the landmark Spotify deal in 2021 leaned on a larger industry trend.
to land big name podcasters. At the time, Spotify was aggressively chasing creators and Alex brought a huge female listenership to the platform. Call it Daddy became a flagship show, featuring on Spotify's homepage and curated playlists. Now, more recently, her move to SiriusXM is now extending that reach even further into new demographics, including radio and podcast subscription listeners.
Her recent move to SiriusXM is now extending her reach even further into new demographics, including radio and podcast subscription listeners. The payoffs have been massive. Exclusive deals not only validated Caller Daddy's worth, but gave her the opportunity to expand, which we can also see with the launch of the Unwelcome Network. Targeting young women who have had a lifelong
Targeting young women who have for a long time been an underserved demographic among comedy podcasts, focusing on building her online audience and using merch and the unwell network to diversify and extend her reach have all been carefully considered decisions that, ultimately, have led to the huge success of Alex Cooper and Call Her Daddy.
Yes, there have been some missteps along the way, like her online feud with her ex-co-host Sophia. Her Unwell Network has also recently faced a little bit of critique too, based on the lack of diversity among its initial hosts. So it is important to note that branding efforts must be aligned with community values. Alex Cooper's podcast Journey shows that the power of having a clearly defined niche
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authenticity and multi-platform promotional plan can have. Creating shareable content like memes and clips and lending into trending
creating shareable content like memes and clips and leaning into trending topics and owing your brand voice all.
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Creating shareable content like memes and clips, leaning into trending topics and owning your brand voice, these all drive growth. And exclusive distribution deals can supercharge scale if you have a proven audience, but only if you remain true to your style. Finally, investing in community building like merch, events, direct fan interaction, this turns listeners into evangelists.
Alex's blend of bold content with careful marketing. The daddy gang wants more, so we give them more as she quipped. Offers a blueprint. Lead with your unique voice, then amplify it through every available channel.
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So whether you love Call Her Daddy, can't stand it, or sit somewhere in between, there is no denying that Alex Cooper has absolutely changed the game. From taboo topics to mainstream media deals, she has shown that podcasting power comes from owning your voice, understanding your audience, and knowing exactly what you bring to the mic. If you enjoyed this deep dive, I'd love it if you'd share this episode with a fellow podcaster or creator.
And if you are building your own show and want support in making it sound, look and feel next level, you know where to find me. Until next time, stay bold, stay curi... Until next time, stay bold, stay curious and keep making good shit.