Hello Merge Tag: Where Social Media and Politics Intersect

Reverbal Communications
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Hello Merge Tag is a podcast about social media, politics and where they intersect. We check in with candidates, strategists and digital practitioners to find out what's working, what's not and a whole lot more. Stream all episodes at HelloMergeTag.com or wherever you stream podcasts.

  1. Rethinking Personalization in Digital Ads with Maya Hutchinson of BattlegroundAI

    3D AGO

    Rethinking Personalization in Digital Ads with Maya Hutchinson of BattlegroundAI

    "We do not need to run the same ad to everyone. It’s 2025 — we don’t need to do that.” Maya Hutchinson is a data-driven marketer with roots in Democratic politics. She started her career on the digital team of President Obama’s re-election campaign and has continued to work at the intersection of tech and politics ever since. She helped build the European market for NationBuilder, the first community organizing software supporting candidates, parties and campaigns across the EU. She then helped launch the analytics, polling and paid advertising division of DKC, one of the largest independently owned PR and comms agencies in the US. She’s worked with brand like Uber, Honest Company, Health Ade and OpenTable and political campaigns like Bloomberg for President, the DNCC and Amy McGrath’s Senate race. She’s the founder and CEO of BattlegroundAI, a platform built to help progressive agencies, non-profits and political campaigns create high-impact, platform-ready digital ads. She joined us on the pod to talk personalization in digital ads. Throughout our conversation, we spoke about the role of AI in supporting the people doing the work, why you should be A/B testing everything, how her toolkit works and a whole lot more. Find video of our conversation, links, a transcript and more at HelloMergeTag.com.

    51 min
  2. How Zohran Mamdami Engaged A Grassroots Army Using Automation with Gabbi Zutrau, the campaign's Chatbot Wizard

    JUL 28

    How Zohran Mamdami Engaged A Grassroots Army Using Automation with Gabbi Zutrau, the campaign's Chatbot Wizard

    “You don't want to be caught in that high volume moment and not have a way to capture people, not have a way or a plan to funnel people from Instagram onto your owned list.” You might not recognize today’s guest by name, but you’ve seen her work in action. Gabbi Zutrau is a freelance digital consultant in the progressive space, with clients ranging from MoveOn to Stop AAPI Hate. She’s also the creator of Edna the Runt, an adorable pup who anchors her own lively social community with a ton of followers and massive engagement. As an independent digital consultant, Gabbi built the Zohran Mamdani campaign’s chatbot automation infrastructure during his recent New York City mayoral primary campaign. By deploying Manychat automations, she played a pivotal role in turning social engagement into real-world impact—helping Mamdani defeat Andrew Cuomo and his billionaire backers.It was low-cost, high-scale organizing in action. Throughout our conversation, we cover: Building ladders of engagement that nurture supporters step-by-step from interest to actionDifferences in how automation can be deployed for campaigns versus advocacy groupsUsing automation to support fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and event sign‑upsLeveraging automation to lean into — rather than try to fight — the endless scroll and capture attentionThe role of engagement bait—and how ManyChat flows can avoid feeling spammy while maintaining their effectivenessAnd more! 📊 Some key metrics from the campaign: Over 77,000 automated messages sent across comment, DM and Story flows20,000+ clicks generated directly from Instagram DMs3,000+ emails collected via in-app conversation flowsA 76% click-through rate on trigger-word comment flowsAll achieved for roughly $318 total—about $0.03 per action In a world where “link in bio” gets ignored and the platforms are designed to keep people scrolling, this campaign shows what’s possible when you meet supporters where they are—and have a plan to keep them engaged, both online and off.. Tune in to hear how campaigns can—and should—embrace automation to turn online momentum into real-world organizing power. Find links, YouTube video and more at HelloMergeTag.com.

    58 min
  3. Living Your Values: Content Creation in Complicated Times with Jess Zander from You Can Do It Gardening

    JUL 8

    Living Your Values: Content Creation in Complicated Times with Jess Zander from You Can Do It Gardening

    "It can't just be about the things that affect us as individuals. It has to be broader." There’s been a lot of talk lately about looking for a Joe Rogan of the left. The whole thing is ridiculous… for so many reasons. Instead of banking on a single, superstar personality to magically unite our movement, what we really need is to amplify the many voices of folks aligned with our values who are already creating great content online for large audiences. That’s why I was so excited to welcome Jess Zander of You Can Do It Gardening to the podcast. Jess is a Boston-based garden coach and consultant who launched You Can Do It Gardening in 2022 to help everyday people feel confident tackling their gardens—no matter their experience level. My wife is the green thumb in our household, but Jess’s content is super relatable and fun, even if you’re not a gardening aficionado. Jess is known for her no-nonsense, encouraging style. Think Mary Poppins—but for your garden. So is Jess the Joe Rogan of the left? Of course not! But she is a content creator with a large and engaged audience. And while she’s definitely not leading with politics, she’s also not shying away from her progressive values. Throughout our conversation, we discussed: How she got started (not that long ago!)The types of content that's working for herThe difference in response she sees across platformsHow she would start now, if she were starting from scratchWhy she’s public about her values, despite working in a non-political spaceWhy she’s comfortable losing followers to speak her truthsAnd so much more As Jess puts it: “It’s a business decision, but it’s also just a values decision… I don’t feel that this is the time to be silent. Silence is complicit.” Find links, a transcript and more at HelloMergeTag.com.

    41 min
  4. From Zero to 3  Billion Views: The Social-First Content Strategy Behind Courier Newsroom with RC Di Mezzo

    JUN 30

    From Zero to 3  Billion Views: The Social-First Content Strategy Behind Courier Newsroom with RC Di Mezzo

    "Every newsroom, whether they acknowledge it or not, is values-driven. The choice to cover something or not cover something, the choice to use a word in a headline or not, is a statement on your values and your mission. We are just more transparent about it." RC Di Mezzo is a Democratic digital strategist with a decade of experience building online brands that connect directly with voters. As Vice President of Brand & Social at Courier, he led the 2023 launch of @Couriernewsroom—a social-first, values-driven progressive newsroom that became the fastest-growing news brand in the US, reaching over 100 million weekly views and generating more than 3 billion social views throughout the 2024 cycle. Courier’s rapid growth—from 1.8 to over 5 million subscribers in a year—has positioned it as a benchmark for both legacy and emerging digital news outlets. This episode is especially timely: a recent Reuters/Oxford report reveals that 54% of Americans now get their news from social media, surpassing TV’s 50% for the first time. While the right has spent years building creator-driven narrative ecosystems, the left has lagged—Courier Newsroom has emerged as our leading response, creating shareable, social-first content built for group chats and feeds. 🎧 What we covered: How Courier built a digital-first content machine for today’s social audienceWhy editorial and digital teams must work in lockstep—no silosWhy context outperforms clickbait Creating content in the app without fancy 3rd-party editing toolsBalancing national messaging with state-level storytellingLessons from successful campaigns—from Gavin Newsom to Kamala HarrisWhy campaigns should invest in digital earlyWhich social platform is Courier’s fastest-growing (hint: it's not TikTok!) Plus: RC’s tips for campaigns and creators building momentum from day one. If you want to unlock the digital tactics that drove billions of views, this is your behind-the-scenes guide. 🎙️ Find links, full video of our conversation and more at HelloMergeTag.com.

    1h 2m
  5. Sell The Brownie with Anat Shenker-Osorio

    JUN 2

    Sell The Brownie with Anat Shenker-Osorio

    "Sell the brownie, not the recipe... So instead of taking your public policy out in public and thinking that that is a message, which it is not, you talk about the outcome of your policy." Anat Shenker-Osorio is a political strategist, messaging consultant, and communications researcher renowned for helping progressive campaigns win by using more effective language. She is the founder of ASO Communications, a firm that specializes in crafting compelling narratives for progressive causes. Anat is also an author, podcast host, and one of the most respected messaging experts on the left. Recently, she released a concise yet impactful glossary titled Fascism and the English Language—a guide on how we should (and shouldn’t) discuss the authoritarian threats facing our country. I invited her on the podcast to delve into that piece and to help all of us become better, more strategic, and more disciplined communicators. Throughout our conversation, we explored the what, how, and why of Free America. We discussed values, villains, and vision. We examined the importance of focusing on shared values and avoiding "zombie writing." Anat renamed the so-called "Big, Beautiful Bill" the "MAGA Murder Budget." We emphasized the strategy of highlighting outcomes (the brownie!) rather than processes (the recipe). Additionally, we reviewed messaging from elected officials, identifying posts that missed the mark and discussing how they could be rewritten to be more effective. You can listen to the episode where you stream podcasts, or watch it in full on YouTube. Find links, full transcript and more at HelloMergeTag.com.

    1h 2m
  6. Scaling Up: Lessons from WisDems’ Remarkable Digital Growth with Ben Wikler

    MAY 21

    Scaling Up: Lessons from WisDems’ Remarkable Digital Growth with Ben Wikler

    "Democrats can absolutely win, even in the face of this flood of money from the right and every horrific tactic that the right wants to use." Y’all know Ben Wikler. He’s currently the head of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin — a role he’s held since 2019. Here’s a quick relevant fact for you: I live in Wisconsin and do a lot of work in Wisconsin politics. Back in 2018, I was hired by WisDems to help train their comms team on digital — because at the time, they literally didn’t have a single digital staffer. Ben came in shortly after and… let’s just say things changed real quick. Before leading WisDems, Ben served as the Washington, DC Director and Senior Advisor for MoveOn. One of my favorite parts of his very long and impressive bio: as a student, he was recruited by Al Franken to help write Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them — a book that absolutely needs a second edition. Ben’s done a lot of cool things to push the Democratic Party forward in innovative and important ways. But now, his tenure as chair is coming to an end — and I invited him on the pod to reflect on what he’s learned and what others can take away from the powerhouse digital program he helped build here in Wisconsin. Throughout our conversation, we spoke about: How Ben’s feeling as he steps away — a mix of gratitude, fury, and hopeHow WisDems went from a minimal digital program to a national modelWhat lessons he brought from MoveOn and Avaaz to shape that transformationThe importance of building trust through your digital programThe power of visual communication — if you can't reach voters who watching TV in a bar with the sound off, you have a problemWhat he’d do differently if he were starting from scratch todayWho his biggest adversary was throughout his tenure leading the Democratic Party of WisconsinWho he’s looking to for inspiration nowWhere he’s spending time onlineThe diminishing, but still relevant, role Twitter plays for progressive orgsWhat he’d do now if he were running the DNCWhere he’s excited to see WisDems go from here You can find this full episode on YouTube, at HelloMergeTag.com or wherever you stream podcasts.

    51 min
  7. What The F*ck is Dark Woke? with Bhavik Lathia

    MAY 5

    What The F*ck is Dark Woke? with Bhavik Lathia

    “Dark woke is Democrats breaking out of the respectability prison that Republicans have put us in for decades and finally saying shit and doing things that stop voters in their tracks and actually get their attention.” Bhavik Lathia is a political strategist and technologist. He’s led campaigns in India, Australia, and the US, and supported activists around the world as they built and executed strategies superpowered by technology. He recently served as Battleground Mobilization Director on the Harris-Walz campaign. Before that he was Senior Digital Director for WisDems. He helped lead the distributed organizing team on the Bernie 2020 campaign and served as Digital Director for Color Of Change. This past month, he was one of several democratic strategists quoted in a New York Times piece on the idea of “Dark Woke.” Throughout our conversation, we spoke about: The origins of “Dark Woke”What voters actually care aboutWhy Republicans’ shamelessness is their superpower — and why we need to combat itWhere Democrats got it right in 2024 — and where we got it wrongWhy we need to keep pushing back on the right wing’s bad-faith attacks — and how to turn them into liabilities Why Democrats need edgier ways to talk to votersWhy Senator Booker’s filibuster was more effective than most folks realizeThe role of podcasting in Democratic messaging (and who’s doing it well)Why our party needs to invest in and empower content creators who know how to speak directly to their audiencesThe power — and importance — of WhatsAppHow WisDems thinks about winning State Supreme Court races and what we can learn from themHow WisDems used Elon’s money against him during the SCOWIS raceHow technology has evolved in the industry — and why progressives must keep evolving with itWhy everyone working in digital should focus on becoming a better writer And a whole lot more! "Dark Woke is about Democrats doing and saying things that optimize for getting attention. We all want to drive our messages with voters and build narratives to help us win campaigns. But we can’t do any of that unless we first get the attention of voters. And Republicans have basically spent my entire life — the past few decades — investing in and optimizing for talents and topics that grab voters attention. And Democrats basically started caring about attention as a strategy on November 6th, 2024." Find all episodes at HelloMergeTag.com or wherever you stream podcasts.

    52 min
  8. Running a Bluesky-First Campaign with Kat Abughazaleh

    APR 18

    Running a Bluesky-First Campaign with Kat Abughazaleh

    “What I’ve been most frustrated with politics is how impersonal it is and so we’re trying to make it accessible and personal again.” Kat Abughazaleh is running for Congress, challenging long-time incumbent Jan Schakowsky in Illinois’ 9th District. Needless to say, Kat doesn’t look like, sound or act like your typical candidate. Her announcement video led with the simple question: What if we didn’t suck? She’s called on Democrats to “drop the excuses and grow a fucking spine,” and has made it clear she’s not interested in playing it safe while Donald Trump and Republicans steamroll the country. In her words: “while current Democratic leadership might be fine cowering to Trump, I’m not.” One of my favorite parts of her digital program so far: her website lists anti-endorsements, which include personal attacks leveled against her from Elon Musk, Libs of TikTok and Tucker Carlson. Epic. She’s also doing something I’ve never seen before from any political campaign: she’s prioritizing Bluesky—yes, Bluesky—as her primary platform. She’s not just hedging her bets on Twitter. She said during her launch, “I’m prioritizing Bluesky this election not only because it’s more ethical—but because it just makes sense.” Which is fascinating to me. Throughout our conversation, we spoke about: Why she’s prioritizing Bluesky over the cesspool that is TwitterFeatures on Bluesky she’s really excited aboutWhat she wishes Democrats were doing with their social programsWhy we need to give progressive content creators more room to be themselvesHow Fox News built its power on the bedrock of fearWhy we need to focus on the “puncture” to help break folks out of the Fox News/rightwing media bubbleHow America should be fighting back against Elon MuskAnd a whole lot more! ”Republicans control the narrative because democrats often let them. They’re always reacting, and you can’t always be reacting. Otherwise, you’re letting them set the terms — you’re letting Republicans say this is what reality is.” Find links and more episodes at HelloMergeTag.com.

    47 min
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Hello Merge Tag is a podcast about social media, politics and where they intersect. We check in with candidates, strategists and digital practitioners to find out what's working, what's not and a whole lot more. Stream all episodes at HelloMergeTag.com or wherever you stream podcasts.

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