From an under-promoted Netflix drop to a full-blown global fandom, K-Pop Demon Hunters became one of the most unexpected cultural explosions of the year.

In this episode of Speak Easy, Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski unpack how a 90-minute animated film with zero marketing turned into a viral movement—powered by music, mythology, and the unstoppable force of fan culture.

🎯 We talk about:

• How K-Pop Demon Hunters went from 9 million views to a global phenomenon
• Why TikTok became its secret marketing engine
• The perfect storm of music, myth, and authenticity that drove the fandom
• How dads, daughters, and even BTS fans joined the movement
• What creators and studios can learn about organic fan growth
• Why this might be animation’s most important case study since Frozen

Show Notes

00:06 – Cold Open:
Amar and Kaylee introduce Speak Easy and the K-Pop Demon Hunters craze—plus Amar’s daughter’s Rumi-themed birthday party.

01:12 – The Unlikely Hit:
How a movie with almost no promotion found its audience weeks after release.

02:21 – The TikTok Storm:
From under-the-radar to unstoppable—how fans turned songs into viral trends.

04:44 – Authenticity and Easter Eggs:
Why the film’s mix of music, mythology, and insider jokes made it irresistible to real K-Pop fans.

07:06 – The Power of Fan Culture:
How dads, kids, and global audiences created a new kind of community.

09:29 – Behind the Magic:
The team behind the film—Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, and the voices who made it sing.

11:49 – Fandom as a Bridge:
How the film opened doors to Korean culture and reshaped how kids discover new worlds.

14:03 – Pixar vs. Netflix:
A case study in originality—why K-Pop Demon Hunters thrived while others stalled.

16:24 – Animation Reinvented:
How a new hybrid style blended anime and Western storytelling.

18:46 – Serving the Fans:
Netflix’s smart, intentional response to fan demand and sequel buzz.

20:57 – Final Takeaway:
How K-Pop Demon Hunters showed the future of storytelling—powered by fans, not algorithms.

Official Show Description

Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski is where storytelling meets strategy and fandom becomes community.

Hosted by Emmy-winning storyteller Amar Shah and Shorty Award-winning strategist Kaylee Chicoski, the show explores how fan engagement drives culture, connection, and business growth.

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, each episode, produced by West Egg Ventures, dives into how brands, creators, and fans build lasting loyalty through emotion, authenticity, and shared story.

Our Mission
We help sports, lifestyle, and culture-driven brands grow through fan-first strategy, creator-led content, and cultural activations that turn engagement into loyalty.

Learn more at WestEggVentures.com

📩 info@westeggventures.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@WestEggVentures

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/west-egg-ventures

From free continental breakfast to viral TikTok phenomenon, Hampton by Hilton turned a simple waffle into a billion-dollar branding lesson.

In this episode of Speak Easy, Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski explore how a single small luxury — the make-your-own waffle — became a masterclass in scalable hospitality, user-generated content, and fan engagement. It’s proof that in a world chasing perfection, the most powerful brands win through consistency, comfort, and community.

🎯 We talk about:

• How Hampton Inn turned waffles into one of the most recognizable hotel experiences in America
• Why “glamorizing the mundane” drives modern fandom and virality
• How fan-led TikTok trends became free marketing gold for Hilton
• What “small luxuries” teach us about brand experience and emotional connection
• The secret to creating scalable, repeatable rituals that build loyalty
• Why every brand should ask: What’s our waffle?

Show Notes

00:06 – Cold Open:
Kaylee and Amar introduce Speak Easy and the power of fan-first thinking through the story of Hampton’s breakfast waffle.

01:23 – The TikTok Effect:
How a viral POV creator turned the Hampton waffle into an internet obsession.

02:22 – UGC and the Breakfast Economy:
Fan-led videos, celebrity collabs, and the rise of “glamorizing the mundane.”

04:47 – Scalable Hospitality:
How small gestures — from DoubleTree cookies to Costco samples — create emotional connection and community.

07:09 – The Costco Connection:
Why customer rituals and small perks make fans feel like insiders.

09:29 – Designing for Feeling:
How brands can craft consistency and warmth without overproduced experiences.

11:47 – The Takeaway:
Every brand has a “waffle.” Find the small, repeatable experience that builds loyalty, love, and community.

Bloomberg article: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-06-10/why-hampton-inn-is-the-hotel-brand-to-beat

Official Show Description

Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski is where storytelling meets strategy and fandom becomes community.

Hosted by Emmy-winning storyteller Amar Shah and Shorty Award-winning strategist Kaylee Chicoski, the show explores how fan engagement drives culture, connection, and business growth.

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, each episode, produced by West Egg Ventures, dives into how brands, creators, and fans build lasting loyalty through emotion, authenticity, and shared story.

Our Mission
We help sports, lifestyle, and culture-driven brands grow through fan-first strategy, creator-led content, and cultural activations that turn engagement into loyalty.

Learn more at WestEggVentures.com

📩 info@westeggventures.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@WestEggVentures

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/west-egg-ventures

From arthouse cinema to Tokyo storyboards, this two-part premiere of Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski explores how two global storytelling engines — A24 and Manga — have turned creativity into culture.

A24 built a $3.5 billion studio by making film feel rebellious again. Shonen Jump built a billion-dollar ecosystem by listening to fans and turning feedback into franchises. Together, they reveal a simple truth: when you put community first, your audience builds your world for you.

🎯 We talk about:

• How A24 replaced Miramax as the modern rebel studio
• Turning controversy and creativity into community
• Why A24’s fanbase treats a movie logo like a luxury brand
• How Weekly Shonen Jump turns reader surveys into global IP
• The creative ecosystem behind One Piece, Naruto, and Dragon Ball
• Lessons for brands on collaboration, content flywheels, and fan trust

Show Notes

Part 1 – A24: The Indie Studio That Became a Brand
00:00 – Cold Open: Rebel DNA and the birth of A24
01:16 – The A24 aesthetic and why audiences trust the logo
03:30 – Marketing magic: grassroots campaigns and viral activations
05:49 – Building a fanbase around a production house
08:04 – Scaling up without losing soul: AI, blockbuster stars, and creative risk
10:23 – The business of community: A24 as a case study in fandom

Part 2 – Manga: The World’s Most Engaged Storytelling Ecosystem
15:49 – Inside Weekly Shonen Jump: audience-first creativity
17:51 – The editor–artist relationship as creative production model
19:47 – Fan feedback loops and why weekly manga never sleeps
23:07 – How digital distribution globalized manga and anime
24:56 – From Webtoon to Netflix: the new creative pipeline
27:09 – The content flywheel every brand should study
30:43 – The power of niche communities and fandom culture

New Yorker articles:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/01/a24s-empire-of-auteurs

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/01/how-weekly-shonen-jump-became-the-worlds-most-popular-manga-factory

Official Show Description

Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski is where storytelling meets strategy and fandom becomes community.

Hosted by Emmy-winning storyteller Amar Shah and Shorty Award-winning strategist Kaylee Chicoski, the show explores how fan engagement drives culture, connection, and business growth.

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, each episode, produced by West Egg Ventures, dives into how brands, creators, and fans build lasting loyalty through emotion, authenticity, and shared story.

Our Mission
We help sports, lifestyle, and culture-driven brands grow through fan-first strategy, creator-led content, and cultural activations that turn engagement into loyalty.

Learn more at WestEggVentures.com

📩 info@westeggventures.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@WestEggVentures

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/west-egg-ventures

From small-town baseball experiment to sold-out stadium phenomenon, the Savannah Bananas have redefined what it means to be a sports franchise. In this episode of Speak Easy, Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski break down how founder Jesse Cole built a fan-first empire that feels more like a movement than a minor-league team.

🎯 We talk about:

• Why the Bananas have become the Taylor Swift of sports entertainment
• How fan-first thinking created a sold-out global tour
• What brands can learn from putting joy and storytelling above tradition
• Why authenticity beats perfection when building community
• How decentralizing content turns players and fans into co-creators
• Lessons for sports leagues, teams, and brands about reimagining fandom

Show Notes

00:06 – Cold Open:
Kaylee and Amar introduce Speak Easy and dive into the rise of the Savannah Bananas.

01:02 – The Hype:
How the Bananas filled stadiums nationwide and reached Taylor Swift-level attention.

02:16 – The Critics:
Why some “traditionalists” are pushing back and what that reveals about baseball culture.

03:00 – Not for Everyone:
How Jesse Cole intentionally built a fan experience outside of MLB’s core audience.

04:29 – Reinventing Baseball:
From fan-catch outs to flaming bats — innovation that puts fun before formality.

06:41 – Media Machine:
YouTube, TikTok, documentaries, and dance teams — how the Bananas turned into a full-scale content studio.

08:49 – Fan-First Playbook:
Lessons every brand can learn from meeting audiences where they are and giving them ownership of the story.

11:06 – The Takeaway:
Why creativity, connection, and community always win over tradition.

Official Show Description

Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski is where storytelling meets strategy and fandom becomes community.

Hosted by Emmy-winning storyteller Amar Shah and Shorty Award-winning strategist Kaylee Chicoski, the show explores how fan engagement drives culture, connection, and business growth.

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, each episode, produced by West Egg Ventures, dives into how brands, creators, and fans build lasting loyalty through emotion, authenticity, and shared story.

Our Mission
We help sports, lifestyle, and culture-driven brands grow through fan-first strategy, creator-led content, and cultural activations that turn engagement into loyalty.

Learn more at WestEggVentures.com

📩 info@westeggventures.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@WestEggVentures

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/west-egg-ventures

From teenage songwriter to billionaire icon, Taylor Swift has rewritten the rules of fame, fandom, and ownership.

In this episode of Speak Easy, Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski break down how she turned storytelling into strategy and fans into a global movement—proving once again that the future belongs to those who build connection, not just attention.

🎯 We talk about:

• Why Taylor Swift is bigger than Madonna, Britney, and Michael Jackson combined
• The storytelling magic behind her longevity and fan connection
• How she built an empire through content curation, Easter eggs, and fan intimacy
• What brands can learn from her authenticity, reinvention, and emotional intelligence
• Owning your IP and controlling your narrative in the digital age
• Why the Swift model of fandom may never be replicated

Show Notes

00:06 – Cold Open:
“Drop it like it’s a new Taylor Swift album.” Amar and Kaylee set the stage and share their vinyl obsessions.

00:23 – The Taylor Effect:
How Swift transcended pop icons to become a generational cultural force.

01:16 – Why She’s a Unicorn:
Balancing relatability with superstardom—the secret to enduring fandom.

03:17 – Storytelling as Strategy:
Taylor as writer, producer, and brand architect. Hidden messages meet Harvard case studies.

04:39 – The $2 Billion Tour Economy:
How one artist lifted city economies and redefined the concert as an economic engine.

05:23 – The Easter Egg Machine:
Intentional, playful, and deeply personal—how she gamified fan engagement.

06:29 – The Fandom Blueprint:
Emotional intelligence, trust, and loyalty as the foundation for lasting fan connection.

07:20 – Reinvention & Resilience:
How being “anti-fragile” makes Taylor unstoppable—and why embracing mistakes fuels longevity.

08:25 – Grace, Grit & Parenting Goals:
Early fame, humility, and how authenticity sustains relevance.

09:40 – Lessons for Brands:
From Duolingo to Rascal’s Diapers—how brands can build communities the “Swiftie” way.

12:06 – Finding Underserved Audiences:
What Taylor’s rise in a male-dominated country scene teaches marketers about voice and niche.

13:46 – Evolution as Brand Strategy:
Why showing growth, vulnerability, and past mistakes deepens audience trust.

15:44 – The Power of Ownership:
Owning your masters = owning your narrative. The case for protecting your IP.

17:06 – Final Takeaway

Official Show Description

Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski is where storytelling meets strategy and fandom becomes community.

Hosted by Emmy-winning storyteller Amar Shah and Shorty Award-winning strategist Kaylee Chicoski, the show explores how fan engagement drives culture, connection, and business growth.

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, each episode, produced by West Egg Ventures, dives into how brands, creators, and fans build lasting loyalty through emotion, authenticity, and shared story.

Our Mission
We help sports, lifestyle, and culture-driven brands grow through fan-first strategy, creator-led content, and cultural activations that turn engagement into loyalty.

Learn more at WestEggVentures.com

📩 info@westeggventures.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@WestEggVentures

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/west-egg-ventures