Meme Team

Every week on The Meme Team Podcast, we break down what worked, what didn't, and why people cared. This year had too many good campaigns to just list—so we're doing an awards show. In this episode, Sonia and the team cover: Marty Supreme / Timothée Chalamet (w/ Mark Stenberg) – The lookalike contest, the Statue of Liberty stunt, and meta-marketing done right. Stripe's Black Friday Mini City (w/ Ku...

Sonia sits down with Julie Fredrickson (managing partner at Chaotic Capital) to dissect the Advent calendar wars—and what Amazon's massive, perfectly-packaged K-beauty box says about the future of retail, beauty merchandising, and who's winning the tastemaker race. We're talking about: Why Amazon shipped a $99 Advent calendar in custom foam inserts (and what that signals about their beauty ambitio...

Sonia Baschez sits down with Hailey Allen (creative strategist at neuemotion) to dissect the marketing wins and fails making waves right now—from AI slop ruining brand perception to why companies are suddenly hiring "chief storytellers." We're talking about: Why McDonald's pulled their AI ad in 24 hours (and why Disney chose the worst week to announce their OpenAI deal) "Slop" being named word of...

This episode hits on five major marketing trends playing out rn. starts with F1's american takeover—Cadillac's super bowl livery reveal is perfectly timed with Apple's new broadcast deal to capture US audiences who've been waiting for a team that actually leans into being american. they also break down the wholesome carlos sainz unicorn helmet story that shows how user-generated content and ongoin...

Sonia, Amanda, and guest Kushaan Shah break down how Shopify and Stripe owned Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2025—not through traditional ads, but by spotlighting merchants, building miniature cities by hand, and proving B2B doesn't have to be boring. They unpack record-breaking consumer spending ($1 trillion+ for the first time), the dark side of buy-now-pay-later debt, mobile shopping's takeover of d...

episode description: sonia and kaleigh break down why traditional marketing is dying and what's replacing it. they cover timothée chalamet's $250 jacket sellout, apple tv's continued failure to market good shows, hulu's genius grocery store hack, lionsgate listening to fans for hunger games casting, shopify's president crowdsourcing black friday recs, and why a luxury brand just said "fuck ai" wit...

This episode covers five major marketing and media topics: ChatGPT's new group chat feature launching in Asian markets as a potential WhatsApp competitor; Timothée Chalamet's innovative meta-marketing campaign for A24's Marty Supreme that blurs satire and reality while creating memeable experiential moments; the breakdown of Steph Curry's 12-year Under Armour partnership and what it reveals about...

In this episode of the Meme Team podcast, Amanda and Sonia discuss various marketing strategies and cultural phenomena, including Cracker Barrel's logo controversy, Williams F1's community engagement, Tame Impala's unique concert experience, Anthropic's pop-up in New York, Taylor Swift's influence on the wedding industry, and the marketing strategies behind K-Pop Demon Hunters. They also touch on...

This week on Meme Team, Sonia and Amanda dive into four big culture-meets-marketing moments: Taylor Swift x KitchenAid? How brands are borrowing her orange aesthetic to drive hype — without her even collabing. OpenAI’s first brand campaign + "agentic commerce." What instant checkout inside ChatGPT means for small businesses, DTC, and the future of discovery. The unicorn that won F1. How...

Halloween re-releases, 3-day theater drops, and brand ads masquerading as short films. This week we unpack how "eventfication" is reshaping entertainment and marketing, why most "make it go viral" mandates miss the point, and what Oura's $875M raise (at an $11B valuation) says about wearables — especially for women. We cover:"Sinners" returns for Halloween and why...

This episode explores how major institutions are adapting their content strategies for new audiences. We start with Robert Redford's passing, discussing how his work with Sundance created a blueprint for using cultural capital to build new communities. This ties into modern marketing innovations like "The Long Walk's" treadmill screenings—where the medium literally becomes the me...

Comms pro Cristin Culver joins Meme Team to dissect Austin, TX's universally-dragged logo rollout, Reese Witherspoon’s shallow AI talking points (and how to master the PR art of bridging), and the Builder.ai collapse (aka why your ship-to-yap ratio matters). We also hit Instagram’s long-awaited iPad app, Threads’ watermarking, HBO’s latest rename spree, and Apple’s just-announced iPhone Air —...

In this episode of Meme Team, we break down three major marketing moments: Sabrina Carpenter's masterclass in brand authenticity after her album cover controversy, YouTube's game-changing new "Hype" feature for small creators, and Lionsgate's wild treadmill theater experience for "The Long Walk." From handling haters to innovative marketing stunts, we explore how br...

Join Sonia Baschez and "F1 Guy" Vincenzo Landino as they dive into the exciting announcement of Cadillac's entry into the F1 world for the 2026 season. Discover the strategic marketing decisions behind choosing experienced drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, and explore the marketing implications for Cadillac and the broader F1 community. The conversation also touches on the Am...

Join hosts Sonia Baschez and Amanda Natividad as we explore the cultural phenomena of Dubai chocolate and Labubu dolls, the impact of GLP-1 drugs on societal expectations, and the unique marketing strategies behind the film Weapons. We also quickly cover Zohran Mamdani's #zcavenger hunt, the viral success of Netflix's K-pop Demon Hunters, Sydney Sweeney's latest controversies, and the...

In this episode of the Meme Team Podcast, hosts Amanda and Sonia explore the intersection of marketing, culture, and branding. They discuss the recent rebranding of MSNBC, the legacy of Duolingo's social media strategy, and the backlash against AI personalities. The conversation also touches on creative marketing campaigns, the cultural impact of Taylor Swift, and the importance of authenticit...

In this bonus episode, Amanda and Sonia discuss Taylor Swift's recent appearance on the New Heights podcast, highlighting her marketing genius, personal insights, and the impact of her presence on the podcast landscape. They explore how Swift's approach to announcing new music and engaging with fans sets a new standard for artists, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and connection in the d...

Taylor Swift Easter eggs, the GPT-5 backlash, and why your website traffic is tanking — we’re breaking it all down. In this episode, Amanda Natividad and Sonia Baschez unpack how over-hyping products can backfire, why even the biggest sites are losing Google traffic, the surprising comeback of DVDs and VHS, and what Instagram’s newest features mean for creators. Topics covered:Swifties crack the c...

Join Amanda, Sonia, and special guest Chi Thukral as they dive into the world of social media marketing and the logic behind viral content. The episode covers the cultural impact of K-pop, the challenges of bot-driven internet traffic, and the nuances of selling exclusivity in today's market. Key Topics:Introduction and Guest Introduction - Start to 5:00 K-pop Demon Hunters and Cultural Impact...

In this episode of the Meme Team podcast, Amanda and Sonia discuss the recent viral marketing strategies used by companies like Astronomer and American Eagle. They dive into the effectiveness of humor in addressing scandals, the implications of cultural sensitivity in marketing, and the evolving landscape of media influenced by AI. Amanda and Sonia discuss various aspects of modern marketing, incl...

Description: In this episode, Amanda and Sonia dive into the intricacies of marketing, branding, and the impact of scandals on corporate reputation. They discuss the recent astronomer scandal, the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and the implications of AI-driven pricing strategies by Delta. The duo also explores the rebranding efforts of Goodreads and Range Rover, offering insi...

In this episode of the Meme Team Podcast, hosts Sonia Baschez and Amanda engage with guest Vincenzo Landino to explore the intersection of marketing, culture, and technology. They discuss a controversial casting call for gentrifiers, YouTube's new monetization policies targeting AI-generated content, and the rise of AI influencers. The conversation shifts to privacy concerns in social media and th...

From political campaigns to fast food fashion, we're breaking down the most interesting marketing moves of 2025. Watch as we analyze how brands are winning (and failing) at authentic engagement, including: • How a politician's candid street interactions beat staged PR • Why Oasis turned Manchester's trams into viral marketing gold • McDonald's clever fusion of western wear and fast...

From F1's innovative approach to female fans to Superman's viral marketing success, we're breaking down how major brands are actually listening to their audiences in 2025. Join Sonia Baschez and guest Christina Garnett as they analyze the wins (and fails) in fan engagement across sports and entertainment. Key topics:• How F1 is revolutionizing female fan engagement• Superman's masterclass in socia...

In this episode of the Meme Team Podcast, hosts Sonia Baschez and Amanda Natividad discuss innovative marketing strategies, focusing on the digital campaigning of Zohran Mamdani, the integration of product placements in films, and the rise of forensic fandom in audience engagement. They explore how brands can creatively connect with their audiences through unique outreach methods, emphasizing the...