#7 The Last Of Us & Beaujolais Villages

In 2003, the Cordyceps outbreak spread around the world. While the United States government attempted to organize the last of humankind, a man named Bill chose to stay behind, making the most of his desolate small town.

As the years went by, a lone survivor by the name of Frank approached the town. At first glance, Bill made a deal with the stranger. A meal. A shower. Fresh clothes. And then Frank was to move on.

But with the delicate pour from a spare bottle of Beaujolais Villages, Frank wound up staying a long, long time. What seems like a trivial moment initially later turned into a bookended act of pure poetry. As a result, The Last of Us showrunners showed how to perfectly intertwine a French wine brand with its most heartfelt story.

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#6 House Of The Dragon vs The Rings Of Power

When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you fall into cultural obscurity. There is no middle ground.

After the original series’ final season(s) overhyped and underdelivered on years of premise, HBO sought to write a new story: One of redemption. Learning from history, the show bought in heavily to an “underdog” of a story, The House of the Dragon.

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#5 The Blair Witch Project

Everyone wants to go viral. But at what cost? With Halloween around the corner, the Marketing Pop team takes a look back at the film that started it all, The Blair Witch Project. What originated as a student film project with a sparse budget exploded into a worldwide sensation and one of the most profitable movies of all time in terms of sheer ROI.

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#4 Thor Film Franchise

After a mediocre opening and less-than-stellar sequel, the Thor film franchise aimed for a complete rebrand. Helmed by director Taika Waititi, Thor: Ragnarök paved the way for inclusivity, relatable characters, and a nostalgic 80’s palette for a fresh new take on one of the original Avengers. With the release of Thor: Love and Thunder, Rick and Maria enter the world of Asgard for this episode of Marketing Pop, discussing what worked (and what didn’t) with the God of Thunder’s marketing strategy.

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#2 "The TikTok War" — Ukraine vs. Russia

Since the end of February, the Russia-Ukraine War captivated cable television, radio stories, and kitchen table conversations. But most importantly, it became the year’s biggest talking point throughout the social media world, and has been dubbed "The TikTok War".

The Rizzo Young team of Maria & Rick explore how social media is shaping the ongoing conflict in Episode 2 of Marketing Pop.

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