Podcast Summary: "What If? A Billionaire Bought CNN or CNBC, Pepsi Was Cut In Half, and Connected Car Ads Were Amazing"

Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast
Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Marcus (EMARKETER)
Guests: Paul Werner (VP of Content), Suzy Davidkhanian (VP of Content, Retail), Oscar Orozco (Senior Director of Forecasting)

Episode Overview

In this lively, Shark Tank-style episode, Marcus and the EMARKETER team make bold, highly specific, and unlikely predictions for the next six months in the world of media, consumer packaged goods, and advertising technology. Each analyst gets 60 seconds to pitch their “wild card” idea, and the others decide whether to “invest” (i.e., believe it’s plausible)—all with the mix of competition, banter, and practical insights that fans of Behind the Numbers love.

The three predictions up for debate:

1. A billionaire will buy a major U.S. news organization (CNN/CNBC).
2. PepsiCo will split its beverage and snack businesses.
3. Connected car advertising will see breakthrough innovation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Billionaire Buys CNN or CNBC

Pitch by Paul Werner
[05:22-11:45]

• Prediction: In the next six months, a billionaire will acquire a major U.S. news organization like CNN or CNBC.
• Rationale:
  • Traditional news media is under financial/industry pressure, now worsened by AI and fragmented audiences.
  • Recent precedent: Jeff Bezos (Washington Post), Elon Musk (Twitter/X), Michael Bloomberg, and David Ellison (Paramount properties).
  • Industry is seeing breakups, mergers, and legacy TV networks being split off or sold.
  • Quote: "I think the writing is on the wall for something like this to happen in the relative near future." (Paul, 07:01)
• Debate Points:
  • Suszy questions whether left-leaning properties are less likely to be bought due to political climate and risk-averse buyers (07:25).
  • Paul counters that distressed properties are actually likelier acquisition targets for buyers willing to play the long game.
    • Quote: "[These are] recognizable brands that, prior to the current moment...had a lot of appeal and maybe still do in some future." (Paul, 08:03)
  • Oscar brings up the consumer perspective: will this benefit viewers, or just entrench media echo chambers?
    • Quote: "Would it be a good thing or a bad thing for the American consumer?" (Oscar, 09:29)
• Investment Votes:
  • Suszy: OUT (“Not a now kind of thing, much longer term, too messy, billionaires like easy money.” – 12:10)
  • Marcus: HALF IN (concerned about timing)
  • Oscar: IN (“I could see it happening...especially as we move into sort of midterm elections next year.” – 13:21)

2. Pepsi Splits Snack and Beverage Business

Pitch by Suzy Davidkhanian
[13:28-21:23]

• Prediction: PepsiCo will spin off or split its beverage business from its snacks division, creating two modular companies.
• Rationale:
  • Pepsi lags behind Coke and Dr. Pepper; innovation in beverages (e.g., probiotic soda) isn’t compensating for declining relevance in health-conscious markets.
  • Pepsi owns successful snack brands; snacks have higher margins and loyalty than beverages.
  • Precedent: Kraft-Heinz and Kellogg's recent splits, pointing toward a larger industry trend to unlock “pockets of growth.”
  • Investor Elliott Management pressuring change due to lagging stock performance; Pepsi shares down 15% versus Coke’s 15% gain, S&P up 40% over 2 years.
  • Quote: “For shareholders, you get more value...If not, you can opt out of the Pepsi Cola business in an easier way than right now...you also have to absorb the drag that is colas.” (Suzy, 17:41)
• Debate Points:
  • Paul asks: How does the split resolve Pepsi's issues? Kraft-Heinz had cultural incompatibilities; is Pepsi comparable?
  • Suzy argues splitting allows tailored innovation/investment and unlocks value by preventing snacks from subsidizing lagging drinks.
  • Oscar questions risk from private label competition; Suzy contends snacks’ unique formulations are harder to copy than cola.
    • Quote: “Doritos or other Frito Lay snacks seem to be so specific in their formulation.” (Suzy, 19:58)
• Investment Votes:
  • Marcus: HALF IN (“You’ve convinced me. I think this is a clever strategy.” – 20:15)
  • Paul: IN (“If I survived Nutella with my cornflakes, I’m ready for this one.” – 20:49)
  • Oscar: HALF IN (doubts about whether a spinoff changes long-term outlook)

3. Connected Car Ads Will Become Amazing

Pitch by Oscar Orozco
[22:02-32:11]

• Prediction: Within six months, the auto industry and partners will create breakthrough connected car advertising experiences, using advanced targeting and partnerships.
• Rationale:
  • Connected car users are already 165M (58% of Americans), and forecast is climbing.
  • U.S. drivers spend close to an hour/day in the car—more than on tablets or laptops.
  • Enormous opportunity for in-car targeted ads using location and behavioral data (navigation, shopping habits, etc.).
  • Future could include interactive, contextual, shoppable ads and partnerships (e.g., Amazon/Tesla).
  • Quote: “It’s more time per day than people spend on their tablets, on their laptops. I mean, it’s close to the CTV number we’re seeing now.” (Oscar, 23:19)
• Debate Points:
  • Suzy clarifies: Will ads be shoppable via screen, voice, partnerships?
  • Oscar: Yes, spanning touch, voice, cross-device and data integrations—“targeted ads...mix what people search for at home, in the car, their shopping carts.”
    • Quote: "Providing this data...to target these consumers, not just in the car...but eventually...much more prominent in people's lives." (Oscar, 28:04)
  • Paul raises privacy/regulatory concerns: more ads in cars could be “a marketer’s dream, but maybe a consumer’s nightmare.” (27:26)
  • Suzy: Voice activation, timing at red lights, and tie-ins with digital wallets (e.g., Starbucks stablecoin) could boost adoption.
• Investment Votes:
  • Marcus: HALF IN (timing ambitious, but opportunity real—cites Audacy data on motivated drivers: “the car’s captive environment...create[s] significant opportunities.” – 30:57)
  • Suzy: HALF IN (inevitable, but needs more time/partnerships)
  • Paul: HALF IN (will happen, but not in next 6 months; “a lot of partnerships and no pun intended, moving parts.” – 31:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Paul: "The consumer and media itself have splintered to where there's no middle ground anymore." (09:42)
• Suzy: "There's a lot of moving parts happening now in CPG...sometimes you can be too big and fail, and the pockets of growth don't shine when they have to help the lagging businesses." (18:40)
• Oscar: "We're talking targeted ads here...adding layers of what people are searching for...providing something that doesn't exist yet." (25:28)
• Suzy (on snacks vs. private label): "It does make a difference versus colas. A lot of people are buying private label colas, and also a lot of people are just not buying colas anymore." (19:58)
• Marcus (on the connected car market): "165 million folks already drive a connected car. That's 58% of Americans." (22:36)
• Paul (humor): “If I survived Nutella with my cornflakes...I’m ready for this one.” (20:49)
• Suzy (competitive spirit): “Always about that behind the curtain, listeners, is Susie...she said that their predictions were terrible.” (04:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fact of the Day & Competition Setup: [00:00-05:07]
• Paul's Prediction: Billionaire Buys CNN/CNBC: [05:22-13:21]
• Suzy's Prediction: Pepsi Splits Business: [13:28-21:23]
• Oscar's Prediction: Connected Car Ads: [22:02-32:11]
• Recap / Scoring: [32:14-32:55]
• Closing Banter: [32:55-end]

Final “Investments” Leaderboard

• Suzy (Pepsi split): 2 points – Winner
• Paul (Billionaire buyout): 1.5 points
• Oscar (Connected car ads): 1.5 points

Takeaway

This episode offers a sharp, energetic look at three provocative “what if” ideas for Q4 2025/Q1 2026 in media, CPG, and adtech.

• Consolidation (media mega-acquisitions) is chilling but plausible.
• Restructuring (CPG splits) could unlock fresh momentum.
• Innovation (connected cars) is poised to disrupt, but may need more time.

Throughout, the analysts inject industry wisdom with humor, skepticism, and a dash of competition, making the episode a must-listen for marketers and strategists trying to stay ahead of the “next big thing.”