Novel Ideas is a podcast-style interview series with progressive pros who have the fresh ideas Democrats need to innovate and win.
novelmessaging.substack.com (https://novelmessaging.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)
As we look toward 2026 and beyond, one thing is crystal clear: organic social can’t be an afterthought anymore.
On this episode of Novel Ideas, I talk with digital strategist and creator Gabriella Zutrau about what it actually takes to build the kind of always-on social infrastructure our movements need.
We get into:
* How Gabbi turned a viral moment with Zohran Mamdani’s campaign into 144,000 automated messages and 45,000 click-throughs using ManyChat — and what that model could look like for other campaigns
* Why organic social should be treated as core infrastructure, not a side project
* How under-valuing social holds us back — and what it looks like to treat it like the serious role it is
* Why campaigns should start hiring for “extremely online” skills - even from outside politics - and then train into the political context
* Practical ideas for building a culture of experimentation that help us learn, evolve, and scale.
If you’re planning for 2026 or thinking about long-term progressive infrastructure, this episode is basically a blueprint for how to do organic social better. And Follow Gabriella Zutrau on LinkedIn and check out @extremelyonlinefriend on instagram
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit novelmessaging.substack.com (https://novelmessaging.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
15 Aug 2025
Novel Ideas + Alex Wall
This week on Novel Ideas, we talk with Alex Wall, Chief Strategy Officer at Resonate—a new media organization that’s mapping the real-time narrative landscape to help progressives break through.
In this episode, we break down:
* The disconnect between where voters actually get information and where campaigns still invest
* Why our strategies haven’t caught up to how narrative influence really works in 2025
* How Resonate is identifying what’s gaining traction before it breaks wide—and what progressive communicators can do with that insight
* What it means to train a new generation of messengers, build distribution networks, and amplify messages at scale
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit novelmessaging.substack.com (https://novelmessaging.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
17 Jul 2025
Novel Ideas + MacKenzie Pino
We're still spending political paid media budgets like it’s 2012 —pouring political ad dollars into platforms that no longer reflect how voters actually consume content.
In this episode, Rachel sat down with MacKenzie Pino, Director of Politics and Advocacy at MiQ, a global programmatic media partner. She's one of the most plugged-in minds in political media today - we talked about:
* What “TV” even means now—from Netflix and YouTube to TikTok and Reels
* How audience-based buying flips the traditional strategy on its head
* Why programmatic doesn’t mean cheap or low-quality anymore
* The myth that only older voters watch cable (spoiler: they’re streaming, too)
* How purchase and browsing behavior can help us find new voters
* Why relying solely on voter file data is a trap—and how to expand our reach
If you're a digital director, media buyer, campaign strategist, or just someone who cares about building better media for progressive causes, you don’t want to miss this one.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit novelmessaging.substack.com (https://novelmessaging.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
2 Jul 2025
Novel Ideas + Ashwath Narayanan
Founder and CEO Ashwath Narayanan discusses building people-powered media with host Rachel, emphasizing distribution, authenticity, and creator partnerships as a form of organizing in this interview.
17 Jun 2025
Novel Ideas + Cayana Mackey -Nance
Cayana Mackey-Nance, VP of Brand & Social for State at Courier, discusses scaling digital organizing and rethinking social media's role as an organizing tool in an interview on the Novel Ideas podcast.
3 Jun 2025
Novel Ideas + Nina Smith
Political strategist Nina Smith discusses how the Democratic party must embrace digital media and innovation to win future elections in this interview episode.
20 May 2025
Novel Ideas + Good Influence
On this episode of Novel Ideas, we sat down with two of the sharpest minds building the future of democratic media—Stuart Perelmuter and Josh Cook from Good Influence.
We talked about:
* The massive infrastructure gap between the right and the left in supporting creators
* What Democrats must do now to sustain authentic, independent media voices
* Why investing in creators isn't about “pay to play”—it’s about building a functioning information ecosystem
* And their novel solutions —like helping to launch Chorus, a nonprofit creator-led network helping progressive voices scale their impact
This conversation is a must-listen if you're working in digital, organizing, fundraising, or comms—and especially if you're feeling stuck with old strategies in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit novelmessaging.substack.com (https://novelmessaging.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
8 May 2025
Novel Ideas + Ryanne Brown
In our debut episode, host Rachel Campbell sits down with digital media powerhouse Ryanne Brown – Chief Digital Communications Officer at Priorities USA.
Ryanne breaks down how digital strategy in Democratic politics needs a major reboot:
* Why we over-rely on voter file targeting.
* Smarter ways to meet voters where they actually are online.
* And why asking ONE junior staffer to do SIX different jobs is hurting our digital strategy.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit novelmessaging.substack.com (https://novelmessaging.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
Who has been a guest on Novel Ideas
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Ashwath Narayanan
Cayana Mackey-Nance
Nina Smith
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 15 / 100
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17
Social presence
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YouTube
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Engagement
32
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