Memes & Machines

Hosted by Oliver Yonchev & Catty Berragan

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Aug 2025

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About the show

Memes & Machines is a podcast for marketers, entrepreneurs or anyone who wants to understand how to capture attention. Oliver Yonchev & Catty Berragan have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest, and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry.

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August 11, 20251 hr 19 min

The 5 Best AI Audio Tools in 2025 & How to Monetise AI Content

We're back and this week's topics include: 🔗Major AI updates: ChatGPT-5, Google, ElevenLabs, Runway, Grok 4. 🔗 The front-runners in the AI tool space (Udio, Riffusion/Producer AI, ElevenLabs, Suno, Mureka AI). 🔗 How to monetise AI content and turn your content into a business. 🔗AI security threats, ethical hacking, and the risks no one's talking about. 🔗5 steps to position yourself ahead of the competition when it comes to AI. 🔗The future of AI? Inside Google's Genie 3 (AI world simulator). Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/

June 27, 20251 hr 19 min

MrBeast Pulls AI Thumbnail Maker?? The Future Of AI Content Creation And Content Theft...

We're back again! This week's topics include: 🔗Networking & filtering noise: The importance of in-person connections. 🔗Dopamine loops & the future of content: Are AI characters here to stay or are we just diluting content even further. 🔗The MrBeast thumbnail controversy: MrBeast pulls AI thumbnail generator after backlash - Should all AI tools be held to the same standards? 🔗Real Use Cases for AI Tools: Our breakdown on where AI is practically helpful and how to use it properly. 🔗Virality as Central Currency: Are we optimising for impact or just visibility? 🔗Closing thoughts: Reactions and overarching point of how creative expertise will always win. Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/

May 22, 20251 hr 8 min

INSANE New AI Video Generator... Higgsfield: Full Breakdown & Live Reactions

We're back! This week's topics include: 🔗Higgsfield: The new leader in AI content creation? 🔗Who wins? Competing in a content world that never stops evolving. 🔗The AI baby podcast trend: What's the long term value? 🔗Zuckerberg's advertising theory: New gen marketing or the death of human emotion in feedback loops? 🔗Leveraging your existing skills in to AI– How to apply what you already know to thrive in the AI spaces. 🔗Whop: The dangerous positioning of advertising that's undervaluing creators. Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/

April 13, 20251 hr 9 min

Vibe Marketing is Here: Agentic AI Tools (ChatGPT, Higgsfield, Claude, Slack, Notebook LM…)

The return of Catty! This week's topics include: 🔗Vibe marketing: The next step from vibe marketing. 🔗Agentic era: The best marketing use cases, for smarter tools and bigger wins. 🔗The power of distribution: Are the accumbens (Apple & Microsoft) best placed to win the AI war? 🔗Ethics and privacy: Do people actually care? 🔗How to win: The steps we're taking to stay ahead and get the most out of these models. Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/

April 4, 20251 hr 17 min

ChatGPT Update: The Good, The Bad And The Dark...

We've took the pod live! This week's topics include: 🔗The New Benchmark: Why ChatGPT's latest update Is a actually a true game-changer this time. 🔗 Text is here: Prompting text to 100% accuracy is here and why it feels like the next step in AI generation. 🔗The AI Impact on Young People: How younger generations will navigate an AI-driven world. 🔗The Metrics of AI Harm: Exploring risks, scams and challenges of widespread AI adoption. 🔗 Winning Strategies vs. Lazy Marketing: Community-driven content wins—while generic, AI-generated marketing fails. 🔗Personal brands: The importance of keeping truly authentic. Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/

March 19, 202552 min

Short Form Content Is Broken: The Age Of Plagiarism And Deceit🚨

This week's topics include: 🔗Manus AI: The Deepseek 2.0? 🔗Truth seeking operators: How great products gain mass adoption without the need of marketing. 🔗The importance of being a practitioner, not just a reporter: Real platforms - Giving real opinions. 🔗Short form content is dying? Shorts plagiarism, clickbait, lack of integrity and even a Vine comeback on the cards🧐? Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: / ben-kaluza Follow Chris on LinkedIn: / chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips

March 12, 202551 min

AI Influencers... They Need BANNING

This week's topics include: 🔗Creator marketing in 2025: Pricing structures and how to target your ads more effectively. 🔗 The world of faceless influencers: How it differs and do the same trust principles apply? 🔗 UGC ads are not user generated content: Here's why. 🔗AI ads should be banned: The overwhelming argument needed with advertising standards over UGC advertising. 🔗The dark side of AI content: How scalability could be the biggest threat. Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/

February 20, 202553 min

Want To Start An AI Business??? 5 Things You Must Do…

This week's topics include: 🔗A playground for entrepreneurship: The Google VO2 release & why big tech is playing catch-up. 🔗Y Combinator: Why starting with AI ideas as a first principle may not be as effective. 🔗Measuring trust: An exposé on the scammers and creators stealing your business. 🔗The key benefits of partnering with industry insiders early in your entrepreneurial journey. 🔗Our new business idea: How lifted barriers to entry is changing tech as we know it. Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/

February 6, 202556 min

How To Grow On Linkedin in 2025🚨

This week's topics include: 🔗LinkedIn's Big Shift: How to get ahead of the evolution. 🔗Which is more important: Follower based feeds or discoverability? 🔗Winning on LinkedIn and the steps you need to take. 🔗How to stand out and get noticed using these engagement behaviour hacks. 🔗Finding you're self-serving motivation. Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0/ Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliveryonchev/ Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/

January 17, 202543 min

The TikTok Ban Explained: Who Wins, Who Loses, and What's Next???

This week's topics include: 📱The TikTok Ban: What's next, and how we think it'll shake out. 📱Impact on Music: Why this could be a major blow to artists and the U.S. music scene. 📱The Domino Effect: Will other countries follow suit, and what could it mean globally? 📱Winners & Losers: How brands are reacting—and who stands to gain if TikTok disappears. Oliver Yonchev, Catty Berragan, Chris Branch & Ben Kaluza have supported the world's biggest brands for over a decade and want to give you their unfiltered, honest and occasionally humorous opinions on the industry. Follow Catty on LinkedIn: / cathal-catty-berragan-8a2270a0 Follow Oliver on LinkedIn: / oliveryonchev Follow Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaluza/ Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-branch-digital-marketing-tips/