Can Sex Sell Climate Change? With Jessica Riches, OnlyFans Content Creator

Emma Burlow talks with Jessica Riches, independent filmmaker and existential crisis communication strategist, about using sex, entertainment, humour, and trusted creators to make climate communication cut through.In this episodeWhy climate communicators need to “jump off the cliff of the norm” rather than take small steps, as Jessica Riches explains at 02:57.The three reasons people shut down when confronted with existential risks: unfamiliar unknowns, exponential risk, and the feeling that they have no agency 06:42.How parasocial relationships and trusted voices can communicate complex ideas more effectively than distant institutions or experts 09:29.Why Jessica Riches turned to OnlyFans as a space for reaching audiences who are often overlooked by climate campaigns 14:51.The thinking behind Headline Newds, a campaign delivering climate news through adult-content creators 24:24.How the project worked with creators as co-creators rather than handing them a rigid communications brief 23:38.Why facts alone haven’t shifted public understanding of climate change, and why the messenger matters as much as the message 29:56.The campaign’s reach, including hundreds of thousands of views and strong levels of shares and saves despite widespread shadow banning 32:28.Why climate communicators should stop treating people as corporate audiences and start recognising them as humans with existing interests, relationships, and communities 44:55.Jessica Riches’ advice to take bigger creative risks, challenge conventional impact metrics, and consider a “little mini revolution” 45:48.Memorable moments“Better facts are not going to make this better.” Jessica Riches argues that climate communication has focused too heavily on accuracy, while overlooking story, trust, and cultural relevance at 30:00.Jessica Riches describes Headline Newds as a way to combine climate facts with “a few puns and some sexual innuendo” while reaching communities that climate campaigns rarely prioritise 43:15.The central challenge for sustainability professionals: being boring is rarely safer than being unexpected, especially when the goal is to reach people beyond the usual sustainability audience 45:07.Content warningThis episode includes sexual content, strong language, discussions of pornography and sex work, and references to climate-related death and societal collapse.Jessica Riches | LinkedInJessica Riches (@notpeterthiel_) • Instagram photos and videosJessica Riches – Jessica Riches is the world's first existential crisis comms strategist – working in climate change and AI riskBook a Power Hour with Emma https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hourConnect with EmmaWebsiteEmailEmma Burlow | LinkedIn