The premise of the Remember When? podcast is summarized by creator / host Jose Colon-Cruz: "It's the Home of Zillennial (Gen Z and Millennial) nostalgia. Three Zillennial cousins revisiting the late 90s to mid 2000s. Buckle up and take a trip on the nostalgia rocket ship."
That's a clever and inventive premise, and I'm pleased to say that Jose delivers on his podcast pledge.
Remember When? is a classic example of an independent podcast that went through on-the-job training and graduated into a full-blown podcast that can capture the interest of Jose's target audience -- Gen Z and Millennials or Zillenial.
This podcast began pre-COVID in March 2020. The first episode started strong with a discussion of Pokémon.Like many beginning independent podcasts, improvements are made, processes locked down, and the talent roster solidified.
The first sixteen episodes ran until late May 2021. These shows were strong, with nostalgia-laden topics such as Wii Sports, Chuck E Cheese, Teen Titans, and board games.
Then, taking time to retool and come back strong, Jose began recording and releasing episodes in April 2023. Since then, Remember When? has released episodes just about weekly.
Now, with cousins Amir and Johnny as co-hosts, and recording in Suite Recording in Voorhees, NJ, one of the state-of-the art audio / video studios run by Joe Gangemi and Rich DeSisto, Remember When? is hitting its stride as an indie podcast.
With sound quality now dialed in with Suite Recording, and Jose and co-hosts Amir and Johnny gelling as a hosting team, the podcast has produced its most ear-worthy episodes in the last 18 months.
My favorite episodes include Pillow Pets and Snuggies, the Goosebumps scary book collection, the best TV holiday specials, Veggie Tales, the Got milk ad campaign, and the last episode of Ripley's Believe It Or Not!.
Jose Colon-Cruz is a superb host who researches his topics, acts as gatekeeper for the conversation so it doesn't head too far astray, creates a strong connection with listeners, and has an innate curiosity that is instrumental when discussing nostalgia.
Colon-Cruz understands that nostalgia is fascinating when it is evaluated during its "time," and then dissected with the benefit of years or decades to more objectively assess its impact. All this is accomplished with humor and with a focus on their Zillennial listeners.
Jose Colon-Cruz is like many independent podcasters. He does it for the love of the medium and to connect with people. A graduate of Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, he's an energetic, hard-driving, articulate 30ish man who works multiple jobs, including the National Guard Reserve. In fact, Jose just completed his personal trainer certification.
Podcasts are successful when they deliver content to their target audience. Jose Colon-Cruz has accomplished that goal with Remember When?. It's nostalgia, but not for Boomers (they have plenty of nostalgia podcasts designed for them) but for his generation.
Remember When? serves listeners nostalgia wrapped in silliness, insight and a communal recall session with Millennials and GenZers. It's a must-listen, regardless of your generation.
After all, Jose Colon-Cruz believes that "Nostalgia is the only friend that stays with you forever."
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