AdExchanger Talks
Episode: "Turning Snark Into Strategy, With The Onion"
Guest: Leela Brillson, CMO of The Onion
Host: Joanna Gerber
Date: January 13, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Joanna Gerber (AdExchanger) sits down with Leela Brillson, Chief Marketing Officer of The Onion, to explore how the iconic satirical news outlet operates at the intersection of publishing and brand marketing. The discussion unpacks The Onion's unique approach to monetization, engagement strategies, irreverent content creation, and its stance on AI and media trends—blending snark with real strategy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Leela Brillson’s Background and Editorial Roots

• Editorial-to-Marketing Journey:
  Leela started in editorial, spending significant time at Refinery29 as a lifestyle editor before transitioning to marketing.

  "I come from editorial... I spent a long time at Refinery 29... A lot of people don't know that about me. They think that I have an MBA, which I do not." (04:02)

• Approach Influenced by Editorial Mindset:
  Her editorial experience shapes her marketing philosophy, focusing on storytelling and audience connection.

2. The Onion as a Publisher-Brand Hybrid

• Caters to Multiple Audiences:
  The Onion maintains a multigenerational readership, from long-time fans to Gen Z discovering “mummified” Onion posts on social media.

  "This younger generation... are very much consuming the Onion, but doing it in a mummified format... unsure whether or not this is real." (15:31)

• Brand, Not Just Publication:
  The team is intentional about The Onion’s role as a cultural touchstone and social object that people want to share, not just read.

3. Marketing by Leaning into Controversy

• Taking Risks Others Avoid:
  Unlike prior roles at Bumble and TikTok—where the aim was to avoid controversial content—at The Onion, Brillson leans in:

  "It's just like leaning into all of my worst habits and like, is there a hornet's nest we can kick?" (10:27)

• Purposeful Provocation:
  The Onion seeks to provide catharsis by voicing uncomfortable truths, and aims to stay culturally relevant through stunts, live events, and bold content.

4. Innovative Monetization: Membership Over Advertising

• Intentional Shift Away from Ads:
  Brillson spends minimal time focusing on traditional ad partnerships, focusing instead on direct audience support via a paid membership model.

  "I spend 10% of my time thinking about partners for the Onion because we just do not want to play an advertising game." (17:16)

• Membership Experience:
  Fans pay for tangible artifacts like a printed newspaper, exclusive content, and ongoing surprises.

  "Will people pay for essentially a 24 page newspaper? And the answer is yes. Yes, they will." (18:11)

• Ambitious Goals:

  "I will not rest until we have more subscribers than the Washington Post... We're going to make it happen." (18:50)

5. The Onion’s Strategic Agency

• "America’s Finest Agency":
  The Onion has launched a white-label comedy agency that applies its satirical writing expertise to brand campaigns for high-profile clients including streaming platforms, Patagonia, movie launches, and more.

  "Instead of us generating headlines about the news, we're generating headlines about a brand or a TV show or an entertainment franchise." (20:59) "We've worked with, I will say almost every single streamer except for two... Patagonia for their Black Friday activation... NBC Universal's the Paper relaunch..." (22:26)

6. How The Onion Deals with “Fake News” Confusion

• Intentionally Deadpan:
  The Onion does not label its coverage explicitly as parody; it plays it straight in both voice and presentation.

  "We absolutely are not a parody in voice. We do not take charity labels... We are the most important news website in the world." (32:44)

• Letting Audiences Decide:

  "If you do not understand that, we're very sorry... it's a skill issue." (33:19, deadpan)

7. Distribution & Virality

• Social as Core:
  The Onion encourages the viral spread of its content—even if the branding is stripped in the process—because it extends their humor and reach.

  "People love to screenshot our Instagram and then cut out our branding and then just repost it... it's still just getting the branding out there." (16:25)

8. On AI’s Impact on Media and The Onion’s Position

• Immune to AI Overviews:
  The Onion is less affected by AI content summarization because AI struggles with satire, sometimes even quoting Onion articles as fact.

  “AI cannot. It cannot, does not get satire. In fact... AI has sometimes a boon because it will read the Onion as fact and then present us, use us as a source.” (36:15)

• Critical of AI Content in Publishing:
  Brillson is sharply critical of AI-generated media content.

  "No one likes consuming AI-generated content. We don't like it." (40:01) “AI does not take swings, it does not understand nuances, it does not find those hidden insights that make marketing important.” (43:21)

• No Generative AI for Onion Content:
  The Onion relies on human creativity for its content and marketing, only employing machine learning for operational tools, not content creation.

9. Onion Headlines, Personal Favorites & Tone

• Deadpan Humor Remains Central:
  Brillson’s favorite Onion headlines highlight the publication’s signature absurdity:

  "Misbuttoned coat makes perfectly sane woman look like a raving lunatic." (34:24) "Nation vies for approval from cool dog." (34:14) “Apology screamed.” (35:26)

• Encourages Readers to Explore:

  "If you are just interested in some of our best headlines... go to theonion.com and look at our newswire." (34:42)

10. Future of Marketing & Final Reflections

• On Great vs. Good Marketing:

  "Great marketing doesn't cost a lot of money... good marketing does. Great marketing costs a lot of mind." (45:32)

• On AI and Brand Identity:

  "When things are made with AI... you feel like a real sense of cringe, man." (43:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Is there a hornet’s nest we can kick?" (10:27, Leela Brillson)
• "I will not rest until we have more subscribers than the Washington Post... We're going to make it happen." (18:50, Brillson)
• "We are the most important news website in the world. And if you... do not understand that, we're very sorry... it’s a skill issue." (32:44 & 33:19, Brillson)
• "No one likes consuming AI-generated content. We don’t like it." (40:01, Brillson)
• "Great marketing doesn’t cost a lot of money... great marketing costs a lot of mind." (45:32, Brillson)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:47] Leela’s editorial background and transition to marketing
• [05:06] The Onion's creative process—staying relevant, riffing on current news
• [10:27] Brillson’s experience embracing controversy at The Onion
• [13:46] Launching The Onion's Epstein documentary film
• [17:16] Membership model over advertising; monetization strategy
• [20:59] Strategic agency—The Onion writes for brands
• [32:44] On the Onion’s parody/non-parody voice and social strategy
• [36:15] AI, publishing, and The Onion’s immunity to AI overviews
• [40:01] Critique on AI-generated content
• [45:32] Reflections on marketing, AI class wars, and creative standards

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation mirrors The Onion’s trademark irreverence—witty, dry, and unapologetically critical of both industry trends and itself. Brillson shares strategic candor, humor, and strong opinions in a tone that’s smart, iconoclastic, and deeply “on brand” for The Onion.

For listeners and marketers alike, this episode underscores how a 40-year-old satirical media company thrives by deliberately refusing to play the standard advertising game, instead betting on authentic voice, creative risk-taking, and a fiercely loyal audience. The Onion is, and intends to remain, America’s 'most important news source.'