How We Used AI and a Stolen Phillies Home Run Ball to Reach 7.4 Million People Organically

We set out to see if AI could help us create something that felt more real than a meme. The idea landed right in front of us: the Phillies “Karen” who took a home run ball from a young fan. Silver wig. Glasses. Phillies hoodie. She already looked like a Spirit Halloween costume. So we made one.

Step 1: Use More Than Just Text Prompts

Most people type in a quick description and let AI do the rest. We wanted more control. Instead of just describing her, we gave Gemini multiple photos from different angles. That detail made the output sharper and far more believable.

Step 2: Get the Look Right

At first we tried using a Spirit Halloween template, but it locked us into a style that looked flat. We scrapped it and started again with just the photos. The result was exactly what we wanted: a bagged costume with wig, Phillies hoodie, ripped jeans, and glasses. From there we added our client’s logo, Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub, so the piece carried branding too.

OG post embedded below…

Step 3: Publish and Watch It Spread

We posted it, marked that AI was used, and the internet took over. The image raced across Facebook, X, Instagram, and Reddit. People added their own captions, made their own edits, and kept it moving until we couldn’t even track where it was anymore.

The Results

  • 7.4 million views on Facebook: Original Post Link

  • 376,000 engagements

  • Shared worldwide within days

  • Zero ad spend, all organic reach

Why It Worked

The viral spark wasn’t just the subject. It was how we used AI. Feeding it multiple angles and multiple photos gave us an image that looked real enough to make people pause. That pause made them laugh, share, and remix it.

The Takeaway

AI does not have to be complicated. With the right inputs and a cultural moment everyone recognizes, you can create something polished that people want to share. We set out to make something that would stand out and it worked.