Hey everyone,

In some ways it's hard to believe it's been a year now since the pandemic changed daily life. I think hearing that Tom Hanks had Covid and the image of the Jazz/Thunder getting suspended just before tipoff will be "tell your grandkids" kind of stories, similar to everyone remembering where they were on 9/11. That said, I'm grateful for rapid vaccine development and the hope I'm feeling for the rest of the year. On to this week's idea:

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The Genius of One Bite Pizza Reviews 🍕

A couple months ago, I came across the YouTube channel One Bite Pizza Reviews. On first glance, it appears to be exactly what it says on the tin. But I dug a bit deeper, and realized it's actually a genius content play.

You see, the channel is part of a company called Barstool Sports, which is like Bill Simmons' The Ringer if The Ringer were taken over by frat bros. The head honcho is a guy called Dave Portnoy, who you may have heard of. He gained a lot of notoriety for his Davey Day Trader series at the start of lockdown last year when sports betting dried up.

Given the tone of the whole enterprise, it'd be easy to dismiss Barstool as being fueled by sensationalism, raunchiness and some dumb luck. And it is. But I would also say there's a deeper strategy at work, and it's genius. Here are a few top-notch plays that Portnoy is using with this channel:

Document, Don't Create

This is a quote from Gary Vee, and it's pretty self explanatory: capture what you're already doing, and you'll never want for content ideas. Apparently, Portnoy loves pizza. He wanted to find the best slice in New York. But instead of doing that in isolation, Portnoy decided to bring a cameraman along to capture the experience. The result is another media property for Barstool, which makes the company more valuable.

Shared Rituals

If you watch the reviews, you'll realize that Portnoy always says, "one bite, everyone knows the rules" before proceeding to blow through 1-2 slices. Seth Meyers asked about this and Portnoy admitted that it's a "schtick." It makes us wonder if he's doing it on purpose, and then you come to expect it–the "one bite" rule makes you feel as if you're part of an inside joke.

There are a few other shared rituals like the one bite rule. See: never giving a whole number score. The point is, the schticks draw you in, and give a sense of shared community. It's powerful.

Increase Your Surface Area for Luck

There's a serendipitous nature to the YouTube algorithm. It's why we like YouTube (and any other discovery-fueled site). There's a slot machine aspect. To quote Forrest Gump's mom, you never know quite what you'll get.

That dynamic works in favor of the pizza reviews. The more content they put out, the more likely it is that someone finds a review. The more people find reviews, the more people subscribe, and the more people they can direct to their other media properties. It's a virtuous circle, and it's how I found them to begin with (they were on my front page). More reps = more upside.

Cross-Promotion

Because the pizza channel has a significant viewership, Portnoy is able to cross-promote any other Barstool thing he wants. He talks about their sports betting. He talks about their other shows. Celebrities make appearances on the channel. They even have an app dedicated to the reviews. The pizza reviews appear to be a random one-off project, but Portnoy uses them to bring you deeper into the Barstool world.

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I never miss a pizza review. YouTube knows this, so the reviews are always at the top of my page after a new one's been published. Ultimately, the techniques I mentioned support the ultimate goal of breeding a consistent habit. And these days, there are few things more powerful or valuable than your eyeballs and your loyalty.

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Pete's Picks ✅

1. What I'm Reading: I came across Ryan Kulp's blog this week and have been devouring it. Ryan is a marketer/developer/musician who owns a portfolio of small apps which support his attempt to become a K-pop star. He's as interesting as he sounds. I'd start with these posts if you're interested: How Jail Saved My Life or I Have OCD.
2. What I'm Watching: Van Neistat (Casey Neistat's brother) started a YouTube channel, beginning with a series called The Spirited Man. It's hard to put in words, but these videos are unbelievable. They have the trademark Neistat home movie quality and are also incredibly meticulous. I watched the first full-length video about 4 times straight. If you like these and want to support Van, you can back the project here.

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This Week's Video

My Code Story | How I Became a Software Engineer

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Tweet of the Week 🐦

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Cheers,

Peter