Why Being Real Wins: Mamdani, Oasis & Penguin Books
Zohran Mamdani's street video worked because the excitement in it was genuine, while Andrew Cuomo's looked staged and made by committee. Sonia Baschez and Amanda Natividad also break down Oasis' Manchester tram announcements, McDonald's Calgary Stampede campaign, Nike's Substack and Penguin's viral lore reply.
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 food • Nike's surprising move to Substack • How Penguin Books won the 1B-view 'lore' meme • The Buffalo Wild Wings vs. Gmail showdown
Plus: real talk about why manufactured authenticity is dead, why meeting your audience where they are matters more than ever, and how brands are finding success by taking creative risks in 2025.
Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and Instagram:Sonia Baschez - @soniabaschezAmanda Natividad - @amandanatMore about Sonia's consulting firm: bendgrowth.coMore about Amanda and her newsletter: amandanat.comMore about Meme Team: memeteampodcast.com
Chapters
- 0:00 Introduction to the Meme Team Podcast
- 1:21 Mamdani's viral street video
- 2:47 Cuomo's staged video vs. Mamdani's real moments
- 6:54 Engaging Younger Audiences with Content
- 8:35 Oasis Tour and Hometown Marketing
- 13:11 McDonald's Creative Campaigns
- 20:07 Nike's New Publication on Substack
- 26:21 Viral Memes: Penguin's Lore Reply
- 31:42 Engaging with Humor: Buffalo Wild Wings vs. Gmail
- 34:32 Takeaways
Popular clips from this episode
Key takeaways
- You can't buy genuine excitement. Mamdani's video shows New Yorkers walking up to him unprompted, while the Cuomo video looks recruited by handlers and done by committee.
- Meet people where they already get their news, like TikTok and YouTube, and do it with integrity.
- Hometown marketing works. Oasis had Liam Gallagher voice the tram announcements in Manchester, promoting both the band's tour and the city.
- First-mover advantage still matters. Nike's new Substack publication shows an established brand moving early onto a newer platform.
- To win at memes, add something specific. Penguin's obscure, true detail about its 1935 cover colors went viral, and Buffalo Wild Wings stole Gmail's bland tweet with a funnier reply.
FAQ
Why did Mamdani's video feel authentic while Cuomo's felt staged?
In Mamdani's video, New Yorkers come up to him on their own to take photos, and several tell him they voted for him. One says it's the first time someone he voted for actually won. The hosts contrast that with Andrew Cuomo's video, which they say is heavily staged and edited and clearly done by committee, with people the handlers found who agreed to be on camera. Their point: genuine excitement is something you can't buy.
How did Oasis use Manchester's trams for marketing?
As the Oasis tour started in Manchester, Liam Gallagher voiced the announcements on the city's trams, so fans heading to the concert were surprised to hear him. The hosts see it as marketing for both the band and Manchester, a city Oasis has made a huge part of its brand. They wouldn't be surprised to see other artists try it in their hometowns.
Why did Nike launch a publication on Substack?
Nike launched In the Margins, a Substack publication dedicated to new sports writing. The hosts see it as an established brand using an emerging platform. Substack has been around since about 2018, but many corporate teams still treat it as new, so Nike may get a first-mover advantage. Nike's site hides its subscriber count.
What made Penguin's lore tweet go viral?
Replying to the viral "tell us about your lore" tweet, one of the first tweets to reach one billion views, Penguin explained that when it started publishing paperbacks in 1935, each cover color matched the book's genre. The hosts say it worked because the detail was obscure and fit the meme. It had about 120,000 likes when they recorded, but Penguin took a whole day to answer the top reply asking what the colors were.
What happened between Buffalo Wild Wings and Gmail?
Gmail posted a bland tweet about it being a great day to send an email. Buffalo Wild Wings quote-tweeted it with a profane brush-off and a plug for bottomless apps, and its reply is the one that went viral. The hosts' lesson: another brand can take over your moment by coming up with something funnier and more appealing.
Watch on YouTube
Watch the full episode with Sonia Baschez and Amanda Natividad on YouTube
