Sean Taylor

Meme machines

Sam Lessin writing in his weekly newsletter (2025-09-20):

The Key to Memetic Warfare and Modern Propaganda Publish-ability / Share-bility NOT Consumability — it isn't a question of what message drives mass affinity and repetition (as in the mass media days) — true memetic warfare is about building narrative templates which people feel comfortable adapting and shouting into the void as a form of cheap self actualization with maximum return of social feedback and MINIMUM risk of getting no likes and comments (the ultimate fail of sharing in a world where people are lonely, scared, and terrified that they might not get validation)…. Need to read more Edward Bernays's philosophy…

And then expanded upon the concept in his Kimmel to Cracker Barrel…. Sidney 'to The Sea' — Templates for Speech are More Powerful Than 'Marketing' Messages tweet:

  1. CONSUME, 'PERSONALLY' REMIX, RESHARE "> THAT IS THE LIFECYCLE.... Which is super interesting because it basically is the cycle of tiktok - / in this moment - good memes are TEMPLATES NOT MESSAGES.

  2. So what - if you are looking for influence / power ... your goal is to figure out messages which people can easily remix to gain likes/feedback/comments validation of their existence and relevance - you don't package messages - you package and distribute templates.

This is the fundamental point of memetic warfare / modern PR - you don't market ideas, you market templates... and your goal is not for people to repeat what you say ….. but to remix it for their own political / social / internet capital....

On a related note, Ian Leslie speculated on the crisis in music marketing in his latest newsletter:

I have a feeling these findings would also apply to other industries. The old model of mainstream media exposure and advertising is in retreat, but the new one doesn't work so well either. This suggests that TikTok and Insta are not portals to content but ends in themselves; devices for us to engineer our own dopamine hits. When I used to smoke, I sometimes had the strange sensation of wanting to get to the end of a cigarette in order to have another cigarette. Consumers swipe not to see what's next but to get to the next swipe.

All of which does not feel unrelated to The Ingredients of a Great Show: How short social shows are outplaying late-night at their own game:

People are watching on their phones whenever they want, not on their couches at a set time. The popular new shows on social are the media empires of tomorrow. So, with Subway Takes and Track Stars in mind, here are the core ingredients of a few great new shows.

  1. Short, strong format with a repeatable “game” or “question.” Both shows make their premise instantly clear. Within the first ten seconds, you know exactly what you’re watching. With Subway Takes it’s So, what’s your take? With Track Stars it’s Name the song, win five bucks. That clarity hooks viewers fast.
  2. Portable production. These shows are shot in public spaces, which keeps costs low (anyone who has ever produced a photo shoot in New York knows that the city can be the best backdrop for this reason) and makes the world itself the set. In New York, especially, the city becomes both a set and a casting pool. If you need people to appear on your show, just step outside.
  3. An easy hook that works with regular people and celebrity guests. Most of these shows start with everyday folks, but once they gain momentum, celebrities are folded in, often with the help of PR teams looking for fresh ways to reach audiences. It’s the same playbook that once powered late-night talk shows, but adapted for social.
  4. A charismatic host. This part can’t be overstated. The host carries the format, sets the tone, and makes guests shine. It shouldn’t be surprising that the hosts of both shows have deep media and video experience. Kareem Rahma worked at Vice and then The New York Times. Jack Coyne cut his teeth making videos with Casey Neistat. These guys didn’t come out of nowhere. Both have been working in this space for a long time. The hosts only need 90 great seconds per guest, but pulling that off repeatedly—sometimes across multiple shoots in a single day—is a real skill. Hosting can be draining for some, but energizing for others. Either way, a good show needs a great host, and the best hosts make it look effortless.

The best thing about these shows, which is also great for content marketers, is that smart creative strategy beats premium production every time. You can shoot a show on your iPhone, and as long as you have a clever idea and execute well, you have a better chance of getting viewers than if you had tons of money and mediocre ideas.