Morning Brew Daily

Episode Title: 'Roomba' Maker iRobot Files for Bankruptcy & ‘Zootopia 2’ Rakes in $1B
Date: December 16, 2025
Hosts: Neal Freyman & Toby Howell

Episode Overview

This episode covers the dramatic bankruptcy of iRobot (maker of the iconic Roomba), Ford’s financial reckoning and strategy shift in electric vehicles, the global box office domination of Zootopia 2 (especially its historic run in China), and a fresh trend in corporate hiring for “storyteller” roles. Along the way, the hosts also discuss Australia’s response to a mass shooting, the legacy of Rob Reiner, and Merriam Webster’s Word of the Year—“slop.” As always, the show is laced with wit, banter, and sharp business analysis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mariah Carey’s Christmas Chart Domination

[00:51-02:40]

• Neal celebrates Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” hitting 20 weeks at #1, making Billboard Hot 100 history—a testament to seasonal music’s rising power.

• Toby marvels at the explosion of Christmas songs in the top streaming charts: 33 out of the top 50 on Spotify, compared to just 15 in 2019.

• Economic uncertainty could be pushing people toward the comfort of holiday classics.

  Notable Quote:

  • “Musicologists have identified 13 different chords in [All I Want for Christmas Is You], far more than the average pop track.” — Neal [01:20]

2. iRobot Bankruptcy & Roomba’s Legacy

[03:43-07:11]

• Roomba’s parent company, iRobot, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; it will be acquired by a Chinese supplier.

• iRobot still controls 42% of the US robot vacuum market, akin to “Kleenex” for robot cleaners.

• Intense Asian competition, crushing tariffs (especially a 46% tariff rate on Vietnamese-made Roombas), and a failed $1.7 billion Amazon acquisition doomed the company.

• Originally founded at MIT in 1990, iRobot was inspired by studying insect locomotion and early deployments included military use and disaster response (9/11, Gulf of Mexico oil spill).

  Notable Quotes:

  • “This was the future that was promised.” — Neal [03:56]
  • “It did have a momentary moment in the sun... Trump said we’re going to prioritize robotics, so shares...shot up 80%...now it’s unfortunately down 80% on news of its bankruptcy.” — Toby [05:22]
  • “You can’t tell the story of iRobot without telling the story of this failed Amazon acquisition.” — Toby [07:10]

3. Ford’s Painful Pivot on Electric Vehicles

[07:12-11:43]

• Ford announced a $19.5 billion impairment on its EV division—the largest in US corporate history—admitting its electric ambitions were wildly overestimated.

• CEO Jim Farley: “We now know enough about the US market where we have a lot more certainty.”

• Ford is scrapping an all-electric F-series truck, pivoting the F-150 Lightning to a hybrid, and refitting battery plants to make gas and hybrid vehicles.

• Ford lost $132K per EV sold as of April 2024, and has lost $13 billion on EVs since 2021.

• The US consumer, for now, remains uninterested in large, expensive EVs.

• Industry skepticism: Can US automakers both compete with Chinese EV manufacturers (like BYD, Geely, Tesla—who have 40% of market share) AND sustain profits on hybrids/gas?

• Honda’s more measured “wait and see” hybrid strategy is praised.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “Ford was literally lighting $100 bills on fire for years.” — Neal [09:32]
  • “Knowing these large EVs will never make money, that was where they miscalibrated a little bit… one thing Americans do love is big cars.” — Toby [10:37]

4. Zootopia 2’s Record-Smashing Box Office (Especially in China)

[11:43-15:50]

• Zootopia 2 has grossed $1.1 billion and is 2025’s biggest movie; $500M+ of that comes from China.

• It is bucking two trends: Disney’s supposed decline in animation quality and the growing irrelevance of US blockbusters in the Chinese market.

• Hollywood movies have faced shrinking access or outright bans in China, but Disney worked overtime with local engagement: theme park ‘Zootopia Land’ in Shanghai, partnerships with China Eastern Airlines, and marketing that tied into local culture (e.g., Year of the Snake).

• The film’s success shows that if US studios can clear regulatory hurdles, China remains a massive growth opportunity.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “They really put their thumb on the scale here to create that patented Disney flywheel.” — Neal [15:04]
  • “I just like that the sloths talk really slow in Zootopia.” — Toby [15:50]

5. The Rise of the Storyteller as a Corporate Job

[17:47-21:13]

• There’s an explosion of corporate job listings for “storytellers,” with companies from Microsoft to Notion and USAA hiring for these narrative-driven roles.

• Over 70,000 LinkedIn users now list “storyteller;” executive usage of ‘storytelling’ in job titles has tripled over a decade.

• The title’s popularity is both mocked (“story ninja,” “words guru,” “bard”) and rationalized—especially as companies need to make complex topics accessible, create their own narratives in the social media era, and replace the dwindling pool of journalists.

• Compensation is high and growing: Vanta’s “head of storytelling” can earn up to $274,000.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “Maybe a decade ago this would be called a story ninja or a words guru. Now the in-vogue title is Storyteller.” — Toby [18:31]
  • “This is something that companies do when a department maybe has a little taboo around it. They change the name to get people thinking that it’s something else.” — Neal [19:19]
  • “Let’s just go all the way in. I’m thinking we hire a spinner of yarn, a chronicler, or a bard.” — Neal [21:00]

6. Quick Headlines & Final Thoughts

[21:13-25:28]

• Australia’s Gun Law Response: New, tighter restrictions planned after the country’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly 30 years; leaders invoke rapid post-1996 reforms.
• Rob Reiner’s Death: His son Nick Reiner, with a troubled history, is suspected in the murders. Rob’s cultural legacy recapped, including his love story changing the ending of When Harry Met Sally.
• Merriam-Webster’s 2025 Word of the Year: “Slop”
  • Now refers to “low quality, AI-generated digital content.”
  • “There’s an almost an air of defiance around slop…” — Toby [24:49]

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “All I Want has got infectious energy, classic Christmas flourishes…enough complexity to keep you listening again and again.” — Neal [01:12]
• “Roomba…created the category to begin with.” — Toby [05:04]
• “After [the bankruptcy], it’s business as usual. Your robots will continue to vacuum while you sit on the couch…” — Neal [04:48]
• “Detroit’s big three collectively have less than 5% of the global EV market…Tesla, Geely, and BYD together have nearly 40%.” — Neal [11:46]
• “You want these big, you know, hulking American vehicles. But it turns out that is not the case…” — Toby [10:37]
• “They really put their thumb on the scale here to create that patented Disney flywheel…” — Neal [15:04]
• “Let’s just go all the way in. I’m thinking we hire a spinner of yarn...or a bard.” — Neal [21:00]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Mariah Carey & Holiday Music: 00:51–02:40
• iRobot Bankruptcy/Roomba: 03:43–07:11
• Ford EV Writedown/Pivot: 07:12–11:43
• Zootopia 2’s Global Success: 11:43–15:50
• Storyteller as Corporate Role: 17:47–21:13
• Quick Headlines:
  • Australia Gun Reforms: 21:13–22:09
  • Rob Reiner Legacy: 22:09–24:20
  • Word of the Year - “Slop”: 24:21–25:28

Tone and Takeaways

• Language: Conversational, topical, dryly humorous, with bursts of banter (e.g. “Bring back bards!”).
• Attitude: Skeptical realism toward corporate spin, wide-angle view on business and culture.
• For Listeners: Rich context for each story; major trends in tech, media, and the global economy; and a sense of how business news connects to culture and daily life.