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Hey Marketing Bestie,

I almost passed out yesterday.

I tried the Peloton at my gym for the first time in 5 years. Naturally, I aimed for top 5% like I used to.

Bad idea.

The second I got off the bike, I nearly collapsed. 

Ari was not thrilled. She gets nervous when I push it too hard.

Might be time to chill… or at least stretch first.

Was this email forwarded to you?

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SPARKNOTES FROM THE POD

What do Subway sandwiches, Marketing, and Happy Gilmore 2 have in common?

They’re all in a campaign together AND they’re on The Marketing Millennials podcast. 

On Episode #335, we had two guests: Dan Salkey, Founder of A Small World agency and Dean Harrison, Senior Director of Social at Subway. 

They shared wisdom about nostalgia, content creation, branding, and more. And with bringing two big brands together (Subway and the Happy Gilmore franchise), there’s a lot to be learned. 

Here are their 5 tips on building a culturally-relevant AND successful brand campaign, in their own lightly-edited words. ⤵️

Dean’s Take: “We’re not just showing up—we belong in the story.”

Dan’s Take: “You could have seen a version of this campaign that was just talent-led… but this was participatory. It invited people into the world.”

To build a culturally-relevant brand campaign, you have to participate in it. That means entering the story world and becoming a character in the narrative. 

The goal is not to be seen, but to belong.

Dean mentions Subway became the only QSR brand fully embedded in the Happy Gilmore 2 universe. Happy Gilmore Meal, anyone? 🥪

They also did a Mountain Dew golf cart giveaway, oversized checks, and collectible cups. There’s even a digital hub ("Subway’s Happy Place") where fans could engage, win, and feel part of the film’s universe.

Subway is even in the plot of the movie. 

It could’ve been really easy for Subway to just slap the Happy Gilmore logo onto their ads. But that’s just placement. 

This approach shifts the brand from an outsider looking in, into an active player in the cultural moment. It honors what fans already care about and gives them meaningful ways to engage.

Takeaway: When planning a campaign, ask: How can our brand naturally fit into the story, not just around it? 

Design activations that let your audience step into the world you're referencing (through immersive experiences, easter eggs, or co-created content) so they feel like participants, not just observers.

Dan’s Take: “Lots of brands think: ‘We made the celebrity partnership — let’s just plaster it everywhere and everyone will care.’ But that’s not how it works.”

The best culturally-relevant campaigns are built around what fans want to feel, do, and share. 

A fan-first mindset prioritizes the audience’s passions, behaviors, and cultural context before crafting messaging or touchpoints.

Here’s what Fan-First actually looks like:

- Immersion > interruption. The campaign didn’t feel like an ad, it felt like an extension of the Happy Gilmore universe.

- Empowerment > promotion. Fans could play along through the Subway “Happy Place” digital hub, win relevant prizes, and customize their meals.

- Engagement over ego. Instead of Subway being the hero, they positioned the fan as the hero. Subway was just helping them. 

Nostalgia also plays a role here. People crave comfort and familiarity in today’s chaotic world, and simultaneously want something new to be excited about.

Takeaway: Before launching a campaign, ask yourself: Would a fan of this franchise or story genuinely enjoy this? If not, start there. 

Use insights from social listening, fan forums, or community behavior to guide your creative.

Dean’s Take: “Whether you saw a cup, an Instagram ad, an email, or a scanned QR code—it had to feel the same.”

If a campaign feels disjointed across platforms, audiences won’t emotionally invest. 

To fully immerse fans, every interaction with the brand (online, offline, and in-store) needs to feel like part of the same world, with the same energy, tone, and story. It needs to be consistent.

But how do you start?

Subway kicked off the campaign with a massive inter-agency strategy day.

They built out a messaging hierarchy that guided every partner and discipline.

While the story was whole, each asset was created for each platform. For example, social ads didn’t just recycle TV creative, they were built for the platform.

When fans encounter the same character, tone, and emotional cues everywhere, it reinforces the story and keeps them engaged. 

It also makes the campaign feel bigger because every piece connects into something cohesive and intentional.

Takeaway: Map your campaign touchpoints before launch and stress-test them:

- Does each piece ladder back to the central story?

- Would a fan recognize the brand voice instantly, whether it's on TikTok, a receipt, or packaging?

Dean’s Take: “Social’s the future for understanding key business decisions, traffic patterns, and consumer behaviors.”

Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit are where fandoms live, grow, and evolve in real time. 

Smart brands not only post on social, they also listen, learn, and activate fandoms by tapping into the stories and signals their audiences already care about.

Before Subway launched their Happy Gilmore 2 campaign, they ran a social landscape analysis and studied how people still interacted with the film:

- Gen Zers dressing as Happy Gilmore for Halloween (despite not being alive in 1996)

- Fan forums filled with “when is the sequel coming?” threads

- Cross-generational love for the movie’s absurd humor and characters

Fandoms are emotional ecosystems - and social is their habitat. 

When you engage fandoms authentically, they reward you with sharing, repeat attention, and eventually, cultural credibility. 

Even if (maybe ESPECIALLY if) you have a beloved IP to play with, if you fake it or miss the nuance, they shut you out fast.

And here’s the secret: fandoms don’t have to be massive. They just need to be passionate. Meet them with relevance and respect, and they'll reward you.

Takeaway: Start by identifying the cultural micro-communities your audience already participates in. 

Use tools like social listening, fandom mapping, or even Reddit and TikTok comment dives.

Then build activations that invite fans to play along, instead of just watching from the sidelines.

Dan’s Take: “Collectibles are pieces of 3D comedy—they’re signals of effort in a world where anyone can post content.”

When a brand goes the extra mile to create something unexpected, tangible, or cleverly detailed, people notice. 

Shareability today is earned through creative craft, not just budget or scale.

Dan describes this as showing "effort in a world where anyone can post content.” He refers to this kind of work as “3D comedy”: physical, immersive, and often delightfully-absurd artifacts that extend a brand’s personality into the real world.

Subway could’ve offered a basic cash prize or a branded cup. 

Instead, they created a custom Mountain Dew golf cart as a sweepstakes prize. (See, it's already funny.) They made references to the original movie by giving out oversized checks. You can even personalize the Happy Gilmore meal. 

Most brands default to safe formats: generic posts, recycled templates, or “good enough” video. But when you build something bold like a physical object, an unexpected giveaway, or a story extension, it shows your brand isn’t phoning it in.

People share stuff when it connects with them. 

Takeaway: Before launching your campaign, ask: What would make this feel like it took real effort? What's this activation doing that couldn't just be swapped out for someone else's logo?

Can you create a physical artifact, limited-edition reward, or unexpected twist that fans will want to share? Not because it’s polished, but because it’s clever, crafted, or just plain fun?

Invest in the little things that show you give a damn. Fans will return the favor.

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IN A MEME

^^ me after showing the Zoomers I still know a thing or two.  

Until next time, I'll be working on crushing spin class instead of getting the spins. Wish me luck!

Your friend,

Daniel

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