Fists Up, Scroll Down

BRENDAN BRADLEY TALKS:
THE ALGORITHM FOR ACTIVISM

How a volunteer with a pineapple hat and a phone found himself at the center of the Hollywood Actor Strike and gained thousands of new followers, millions of views, major media and hung up his hat in the Smithsonian Museum.

“I’m not a celebrity,
I’m not a millionaire,
I’m a Jobber.”

In a culture of endless swiping on platforms owned by billionaires, how can everyday labor use social media to spread their message and movement?

FISTS UP, SCROLL DOWN
Brendan breaks down the myths and methods he encountered to stop the scroll and use the algorithm for activism.

This keynote presentation combines elements of filmmaking, storytelling, and lessons in thinking outside the box, including:

  • WHO H.O.O.K.S. the audience

  • What the algorithm really wants

  • WHERE TO POST

  • WHEN YOU’RE UNDER THE INFLUENCE

  • WHY TO read the comments

Brendan hopes to entertain and inspire your team to harness their inner scrappy-storyteller™ and find their community online.

 
 

🍍 A B O U T B R E N D A N

Brendan Andolsek Bradley is a multi-award winning actor and creator, known internationally as "America's Scrappy Storyteller" with 100+ film, television, and video game credits, 50M+ online views, and three years as the “The Staples Guy” international spokesperson in over fifty on-camera, radio and print campaigns. He established The Innovation Lab at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and has presented and performed at major film and technology events worldwide.

🍍 S T R I K E C A P T A I N
The day after the Hollywood Writers Guild went on strike, Brendan was on the line showing his support and was recommended to SAG-AFTRA’s own organizing committee. Almost instantly, Brendan became a recognized leader at the Paramount Studios Strike Location, coordinating scheduling, training, safety and donations for the duration of the strike. You should see his sock tan line!

Every morning, Brendan posted a video from the Paramount entrance about business and legal lessons from his 100+ television and film credits and became an accidental “influencer” on Instagram and TikTok, recognized as “the pineapple hat guy,” tripling his follower count and earning over 2M views in three months. Journalists and celebrities specifically sought out Brendan in-person and online for selfies and updates about the union’s position on key topics; and Brendan remains a figurehead in union service and the community while his pineapple hat and strike uniform are now on display at The Smithsonian American History Museum.