We’re living through a shift in how online culture emerges.
The ‘Let Them Eat Lore’ report from OK COOL digs deep into this change: the idea that commentary (not just polished content) has become the heartbeat of digital culture.
Let’s dive in lore marketing!
TL;DR
→ Comments are now cultural currency: 91% of users lurk in comment sections; 65% say strangers in comments are funnier than creators.
→ Culture is co-created, not broadcast: Real-time replies, memes, and riffs shape digital culture more than polished content.
→ Creators are becoming curators: They spark ideas and let audiences remix, joke, and evolve the narrative.
→ Private spaces are gaining influence: Reddit, Discord, Substack, and group chats are where raw, honest dialogue thrives.
→ Brands must shift from control to connection: Sanitized messaging risks irrelevance; participation and listening build cultural relevance.
Actionable takeaways for marketers:
→ Treat comment sections as live research labs
→ Engage actively — reply, riff, joke
→ Invite co-creation through polls, memes, and remixes
→ Explore micro-communities for deeper insights
→ Use AI to support creativity, not replace it
Bottom line: In 2025, the real content is the lore. And the lore lives in the comments.
Comments are the new stage
OK COOL’s 2025 report finds that 91% of people lurk in comment sections, and about a third of users actively participate. Meanwhile, 65% of respondents say strangers in the comments are funnier than the actual content creators.
That’s wild. But also telling.
The internet now amplifies reaction as much as creation.
Culture is no longer just broadcast from creators or brands. It’s happening in replies, jokes, memes, and riffing on ideas in real time.
As the report notes, some even believe culture now lives only in private chats and comment threads, rather than main feeds.
This evolution elevates comments into a kind of public feedback lab, where brands can observe unfiltered thoughts, co-create lore with audiences, and adjust before scaling campaigns.
Reddit, Substack, private groups… all these “niche” spaces are gaining cultural influence as people seek honest, spontaneous dialogue over highly produced content.
From creator to curator of conversation
One of the more striking shifts in the report is how creators are evolving.
They’re not just content producers. They’re becoming curators of conversation.
They spark ideas, then let audiences fan them into something new (sometimes funnier, sometimes sharper). Gen Z, especially, is remixing AI trends into human formats — not replacing creativity, but layering their own voice onto it.
Brands that try to stay in control, with ultra-sanitized messaging and safe content, risk losing cultural relevance.
Instead, the report argues, success now belongs to brands willing to hand over ownership, to show up where culture is happening, and to invite participation.
“Culture lives in the comments… audiences value human sentiment over brand sentiment or AI.”
“Stop broadcasting, start listening.” Brands that play in the comments, allow remixing, and co-create with their audiences will be the ones that matter.
What lore marketing means for your brand
So how should marketers respond to this shift?
Here’s where the rubber meets the road:
- Listen deeply in comments. Think of comment threads as your most immediate research lab. What jokes are people making? What objections or insights are bubbling up naturally?
- Participate; don’t just post. Respond, riff, correct, joke — as long as it’s on brand. Don’t stay above the fray.
- Co-create with permission. Let your audience help shape ideas. Run polls in comments. Ask for memes. Invite remixing of your content.
- Focus on micro-spaces. Private chats, Discord, Reddit sub-threads… These may become more potent than public posts.
- Treat AI as a fueling tool, not a crutch. Use it for inspiration, not as a substitute for voice. The audience sees through hollow automation.
Control < connection
If ‘Let Them Eat Lore’ teaches us anything, it’s that control is losing ground and connection is rising.
Brands that cling to broadcast-only models will feel increasingly irrelevant. Meanwhile, those who enter the comment trenches, let the audience speak, and lean into the messiness will gain the kind of cultural relevance that outlasts trends.
Because in 2025, the lore of the people is the real content.
