👓 “Supermodels” — Snap’s $2200 Specs. World Cup’s half-halftime. Oatly’s crazy convention. +Wedding Witches

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Best One Yet

Episode: 👓 “Supermodels” — Snap’s $2200 Specs. World Cup’s half-halftime. Oatly’s crazy convention. +Wedding Witches

Date: June 17, 2026
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell

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Main Theme

This episode dives into three pop-biz stories: Snap’s splashy new smart glasses, Oatly’s wild comeback strategy, and FIFA’s latest money grab with new in-game ad breaks—each analyzed with humor and fresh business takes. Bonus: an exploration of “wedding witches” hired to ward off rainy wedding days.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. Snap’s $2,200 “Specs” Smart Glasses: Wearables Get the Supermodel Treatment

• [06:09] Snap launched new smart glasses called “Specs”—the 6th iteration, but these are an entirely new line.
• Early Snap Spectacles (since 2016) flopped, despite $1 billion in investment and clever pop-up vending machine hype.
• Innovation: Specs are a “new kind of computer designed for real life, built into see-through glasses” with both AR and functional audio/visual features.
  • Cameras on each side (with indicator lights for privacy)
  • Built-in screens in the lenses, music/podcast capability, phone call functionality—no AirPods needed
  • Battery: 4 hours per charge, lightweight at 5 oz, case doubles as charger
• Price Shock: $2,200, positioning as a fashion device rather than a mass consumer tech product.
• Fashion Over Function: Specs are inspired by supermodels—and look the part.
  • The first face on the launch site: Model Kaia Gerber, followed by Jack Harlow, Jimmy Butler, Imogen Heap.
• “Ugly Test”: Unlike Apple Vision Pro (“made you look ridiculous”) or Meta Ray-Ban (“the Zuck ick”), Snap is “selling supermodels.” Fashion meets tech at designer prices.
• Takeaway ([10:45]): “For wearables to win, they must pass the ugly test. So Snap is selling supermodels.” — Nick
• Memorable Quote:
  • “[Specs] are the first and only smart glasses that pass the ugly test.” — Jack [09:42]
  • “Spiegel is doing the one thing Zuck can’t: launching something in good taste.” — Nick [10:37]

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2. Oatly’s Comeback: The “Davos of Drinks” and Secret Barista Army

• [11:00] Oatly, the oat milk brand, is down 98% since its IPO, a symbol of the “millennial cringe stocks” era (see also: Buzzfeed, Lulu’s, Allbirds, Everlane).
• Despite the fall, Oatly is positioning itself for a comeback.
• Crazy Convention: Hosted “The Aftertaste” — a wild beverage industry event (“the Davos of Drinks”) bringing together mixologists, food scientists, and influencers.
  • Offerings included tortilla milk, oat Jell-O, and a matcha latte drinking fountain (yes, really).
  • Purpose: Reinforcing Oatly as a creative, premium brand and beverage consultant to industry players (e.g., Shake Shack, Starbucks, artisanal cafes).
• Revenue is Up: 15% last quarter, with three consecutive quarters of growth.
• Barista Strategy ([14:04]):
  • Instead of just ads, Oatly hired 70 top baristas, turned them into evangelists/salespeople, and seeded trendy cafes.
  • “[They] influenced the influencers” — shifting coffee-shop tastemakers, not just the public.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “The best salespeople are the people who understand the sales situation—the best.” — Jack [14:41]
  • “They were informing the tastemakers for a profit.” — Nick [15:08]
• Takeaway ([15:16]): “How did oat milk get so big so fast? The secret barista strategy.”

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3. FIFA’s “Half-Halftime” and the Commercialization of Global Sport & Gaming

• [17:36] FIFA’s World Cup has introduced mandatory hydration breaks at the 22nd and 67th minutes—regardless of weather—creating two extra commercial breaks per match.
• Ads Creep In:
  • Sideline water bottles with Powerade logos = perfect product placement
  • 12 new “sellable” 30-second ad slots per game
• “Most Americanization of a global sport ever.” — Jack [18:34]
• Parallel in eSports:
  • EA Sports (Electronic Arts) launching dynamic in-game stadium ads (“EA Advertising”) in FIFA/Madden/etc.
  • Ads for brands like Visa, Red Bull, Peacock, Mountain Dew to appear in virtual stadiums.
• Quote ([19:52]): “When the fan throws their PS5 controller at the screen, there’s going to be a Visa ad on that screen.” — Jack
• The real and virtual worlds collide: more eyeballs, more ad inventory.
• Takeaway ([21:06]): “Where there are eyes, there will be ads.”
• Memorable moment: The irony of calling a water break while it’s raining [18:29] — “Just look straight up, open your mouth and catch the raindrops already.” — Nick

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Buy one spell, get one hex half off.” [02:35] — Nick (on wedding witches)
• “It’s psychological insurance.” [02:31] — Jack (on why people hire weather witches for weddings)
• “Pricing is a signal, Yetis. And Snapchat is signaling that these are not your regular smart glasses. These are a supermodel—little less Volkswagen, a little more Porsche.” [09:29] — Jack
• “It’s like Disney, but you’ll be peeing clear by the end of this thing.” [12:23] — Nick on Oatly’s Aftertaste event
• “Influence the influencers: Like a CIA spy campaign to trick the tastemakers.” [15:01] — Nick
• “This is the most Americanization of a global sport ever. We’re adding two new halftimes into the game.” [18:34] — Jack
• “Where there are eyeballs, there are ads.” [21:52] — Jack

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Important Timestamps

• [06:09] Snap launches Specs smart glasses
• [09:42] “These are the first and only smart glasses that pass the ugly test”
• [11:00] Oatly’s “Davos of Drinks” comeback
• [14:04] Oatly’s “barista strategy”
• [17:36] FIFA’s “half-halftime” and ad breaks
• [19:52] EA Sports brings dynamic ads into video games
• [21:06] Takeaway: “Where there are eyes, there will be ads”

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Bonus Segments

“Wedding Witches” on Etsy: The Magic of Psychological Insurance

• [01:32] People are hiring witches for wedding weather spells on Etsy (~$14/spell), seeking to control what they can’t: the weather.
  • “Brides are going on Etsy to hire witches for good weather spells. Basically, scare away the rain for a few bucks.” — Nick [01:48]
  • Real wedding testimony: “And the weather? It was 65 and sunny for those nuptials in Scotland.” — Nick [02:43]
  • Science says there’s no proof the spells work, but economics says it’s the next “profit puppy.”

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Final Takeaways (Recap at [22:01])

• Snap is reinventing smart glasses as fashion tech that actually looks good.
• Oatly is executing a creative business turnaround, rooted in influencer marketing at the barista level.
• FIFA (and now EA Sports) is monetizing every spare second and pixel via advertising.
• “Where there are eyes, there will be ads.”

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For listeners pressed for time:

This episode is a brisk, witty breakdown of how brands are blending tech, fashion, influencer culture—and relentless monetization—into today’s business landscape.

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Want to know what to do with a free hour in Positano, or how to boost the odds of sunny wedding weather? Don’t miss the open threads and closing banter!

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The Best One Yet continues to live up to its name—TBOY style.

Transcript

[A]

This is Nick, this is Jack. It's Wednesday. Ceviche Wednesday, June 17th. And today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T, boy.

[B]

The top three pop business news stories you need to know today.

[A]

Grab that melatonin. Jack is getting some beauty rest tonight. And why is that, Jack?

[B]

First trip without kids since we had kids.

[A]

And you're flying. First time to Italy. There you go, Jack. I know.

[B]

First time in my life to Italy. I was supposed to go for my honeymoon with Alex. Yeah, that got Covid canceled. We're going to Italy, baby.

[A]

Just five years later. Flynn out to Amalfi tomorrow night. Jack's got one hour in Positano. By the way, what are you thinking, Jack?

[B]

Yeah, I have a travel agent. Everything is planned. Except I have one free hour in Positano. I don't know what I'm gonna do.

[A]

So drop your Amalfi recommendations in the comments. Positano, specifically, Jackson is Stanley Tucciera. He's going full Bourdain on that buffalo mozzarella. Jack, three fantastic stories for today's show. What do we got on the best show in biz?

[B]

For our first story, Snapchat launched specs yesterday. These are smart glasses that could actually

[A]

beat Zuck because Snapchat are inspired by model Miranda kerr.

[B]

For our second story, Oatley's stock is down 98%. But it's a candidate for comeback stock of the year.

[A]

And it's all thanks to Oatley's barista strategy.

[B]

And our third and final story. This World cup just invented something new.

[A]

Half halftime, half half time. This World cup has got a new commercial break. But the winner is the video games. But besties, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories, I mean, what a mix of stories to send you off to Italy. Love the mix, Jack.

[B]

If you're getting married this weekend, it's not to hire a witch. A wedding witch to protect your wedding investment. Pay a witch to bless the weather.

[A]

Because, besties, you can control the caterer, you can control your mother in law, but you can't control mother Nature.

[B]

Because get this, brides are going on to Etsy to hire four. Hire witches for good weather spells.

[A]

Basically scare away the rain for a few bucks.

[B]

Simply Venmo, Glinda, Cersei or Hermione. And they'll curse away the clouds for you.

[A]

I mean, Jack and I jumped in T boys, now we're looking at Sophia the witch right now. She calls herself a medium by the what kind of numbers we see in

[B]

Jack, she's got 4.8 star average rating on Etsy and she charges only 14 bucks per spell. I guess she can do the spells remotely, which is convenient. It's like a zoom spell.

[A]

Let's break down the business model, besties, because the average wedding price is at 34k right now. That's an all time high.

[B]

Average wedding anxiety therefore is also at an all time high.

[A]

So why not drop 28 bucks on a couple of spells this weekend?

[B]

It's psychological insurance.

[A]

And it all costs less than a single crew to take.

[B]

Buy one spell, get one hex half off.

[A]

Full disclosure, my in laws just went to a wedding in Scotland where the bride bought a wedding spell.

[B]

And the weather, it was 65 and sunny. For those nuptials in Scotland besties, there

[A]

is no scientific evidence that ecchi witch spells for wedding weather really worked.

[B]

But there is economic evidence that this could be the next profit.

[C]

Puppy.

[B]

Somebody's watching a little too much widow's payneck.

[A]

Jack, what's hideous our three stories.

[C]

Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the northeast met in the do. They had an idea that caused a cultural storm. It's the best one yet. But the best is the norm. Jack. Nick, that's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50%. That's a fat tip. T boy city on your at Liz. If you know, you know. Cause we read to go we can't wait no more so just start the show, start the show, start the show.

[A]

First, a quick word from our sponsor,

[B]

Bero premium non alcoholic beer.

[A]

All right. Yet he's a little behind the scenes here. Before our New York City live show back in April, Jack and I went sober for two weeks. True story.

[B]

Couldn't risk getting sick. I didn't want to be groggy. I couldn't afford a hangover. It was New York, baby.

[A]

Okay, but Jack, celebrating the wins is what we do. And so for our live shows, we crack open something special.

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So we drank Biro, the premium non alcoholic beer brand co founded by Tom Holland.

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Yeah, actually first saw it in my grocery store. Delicious. Tastes like a celebration. Feels fantastic and looks legit. More on the looks in a sec.

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And if it's good enough for the actor who played Spider man, it's good enough for us.

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You see, it pairs well with a pickleball game of profitable earnings report or with the best podcast.

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So yetis, if you want to celebrate the wins with all the taste of a premium lager or ipa, but none of the alcohol, there's no better choice than beer.

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Okay, pause the pod. Did we mention the can is straight up gold? This thing will stand out at every one of your next parties. Trust us, we've done it.

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So Basties, if there's a win, you're celebrating every day. Beero is the non alcoholic brew brand you gotta bring.

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So use Code t boy for 20% off your first order at bureaubrewing.com monarch

[A]

yetis one lobster roll. No joke. 50 bucks on Nantucket. And why is that a problem?

[B]

J Going to Nantucket this summer on a joint family T boy trip.

[A]

It's a write off. It is expensive, but we will travel with peace of mind because our finances are organized in Monarch despite the lobster rules.

[B]

Monarch is the personal finance app that tracks everything. Accounts, investment, savings goals and spending.

[A]

Get your first year of Monarch Core for half off, just $50 with promo code Tboy.

[B]

Monarch shows visually how much you're spending this month compared to the average month, which is really useful.

[A]

So like, honestly this month been a doozy. Jack booked a lot of travel, but I know the future months won't be as bad after lobster roll season.

[B]

You know, because Monarch showed you last year you had a spike in May for travel bookings, but a dip in the summer because the travel was already paid for.

[A]

You can even ask Monarch's AI assistant anything about your finances.

[B]

Like what are the key changes in my spending so far this year compared to last year?

[A]

And how much was spent on lobster rolls last summer?

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Use code [e-mail] to get your first year of Monarch Core at half off, just $50.

[A]

That's 50% off your first year at monarch.com with code T BOY. For our first story, snap just launched Speck smart glasses designed to make you

[B]

look hot even though they cost $2,200. These smart glasses could win because they're inspired by a supermodel.

[A]

Oh Jack, what's the line about? Fetch. I'm sorry Gretchen. Fetch. It's just not happening baby.

[B]

Right? Well, Snap doesn't agree with that philosophy because they've been trying to put a camera on your face since 2016 back

[A]

when they dropped the old spectacles 1. The real first consumer smart glasses out there.

[B]

The original Snapchat smart glasses were 130 bucks. Remember they sold them out of those random pop up vending machines.

[A]

They were kind of cute. They took 10 second videos and synced directly to your Snapchat account and then would disappear.

[B]

Spectacles version 2 was slimmer, version 3 had better tech, but One problem, none of them sold.

[A]

Yeah, V4, V5, they never even reached US consumers. Oh, man.

[B]

Add it all up and Snapchat has spent 10 years and $1 billion on smart glasses that nobody wanted to buy.

[A]

Because the only thing they have to

[B]

show for this huge initiative is Meta Ray Ban glasses.

[A]

That's right, another OG Snapchat idea that got zucked by Zuck.

[B]

And yet Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, who has 51% voting control of this tech company, refuses to give up on glasses.

[A]

That's right. He recently spun off his hardware division as a separate business to accept outside investors for the first time.

[B]

Because he a 2020 vision of his goal beat Zuckerberg, the guy who loves to copy him with smart glasses.

[A]

In fact, this Snapchat founder, his LinkedIn profile says his title is really VP of Product at Meta. You see what he did there?

[B]

He develops every product that Meta eventually launches a copy of.

[A]

But here's the news besties. Snap just launched specs, and they didn't call them Spectacle 6 because these things are different.

[B]

No, specs are a quote new kind of computer designed for real life built into see through glasses.

[A]

But Jackson, my first impression when we saw these brand new Snapchat specs, Beefy.

[B]

They look beefy. Not just because there's a computer inside those frames. They look beefy because it was a fashion statement.

[A]

They're beefy because it's kind of a flex. Like, yeah, we fit a whole computer in here, guys.

[B]

So these smart glasses have the table stakes. They have cameras on both sides with a light to clearly show when the

[A]

cameras are recording and the lenses double as screens like Meta's not yet launched display glasses.

[B]

There's a speaker in the arm so you can listen to music, a podcast, or make phone calls. Or with no AirPods needed, just need your glasses.

[A]

Nope, as long as you're connected via Bluetooth to your phone.

[B]

And the long term vision here is where your eyes are pointed.

[A]

It's eye direction. Because right now the world is focused down. As in you're looking down right now, we see you at your screen.

[B]

But with these augmented reality glasses from Snapchat, the world's vision would look up, back to normal with information overlaid on the lens.

[A]

As Evan Spiegel put it, a computer on your face that is fully standalone with no puck and no tether attached.

[B]

No tether. That's a digital dig at Apple, by the way, whose Apple Vision Pros are tethered like a string to a heavy battery that you have to put in Your pocket.

[A]

But the built in battery has just four hours of life. It's five ounces, so it's light. And the case doubles as a charger.

[B]

So these specs are a novel piece of tech. Hardware that could do well, but the price. Yeah, Jack, that could be a problem.

[A]

Oh. Because the price of these Snap specs is less Aviator, more Aston Martin.

[B]

$2,200. Yeah, you have to put a $200 down payment when you order it. What is this, a car?

[A]

It's closer to a vehicle than it is to a Warby Parker, Jack.

[B]

Pricing is a signal, Yetis. And Snapchat is signaling that these are not your regular smart glasses. These are a supermodel.

[A]

A little less Volkswagen, a little more Porsche. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Snap?

[B]

These are the first and only smart glasses that pass the ugly test.

[A]

Yetis, this is what Jack and I find fascinating. Evan Spiegel is married to supermodel Miranda Kern. And that is a relevant detail here.

[B]

Because these specs are designed to be a fashion statement.

[A]

Because the launch website includes black and white photography of beautiful famous people, like it's the front page of Vogue.

[B]

The first face you'll see is the model Kia Gerber wearing these specs.

[A]

Daughter of Cindy Crawford.

[B]

Then the rock star Jack Harlow, the NBA player Jimmy Butler, Grammy winning British singer, songwriter Imogen Heap, all wearing specs and looking good.

[A]

Now, besties, let's talk ugly tests. Because when Apple Vision pros launched, we knew they'd fail because they made you look ridiculous.

[B]

Meta Ray Bans look fine, but the cameras in the corners give the Zuck ick.

[A]

And yet Snapchat's new specs have fashion built into them as much as they have technology built into them.

[B]

And the words Los Angeles are emblazoned onto the arm, giving it a designer vibe.

[A]

You see, with Zuckerberg harassing every move Snap makes by copying them, Spiegel is doing the one thing Zuck can't.

[B]

Launching something in good taste.

[A]

Besties for wearables. To win, they must pass the ugly test. So Snap is selling supermodels for our second story. Oatly has a turnaround recipe for oat milk. And it looks, it tastes like it's

[B]

working because Oatly has created the davos of drinking and it's filled with Matcha flavored water fountains. No joke. Oh, yeah.

[A]

It is a whip out the whiteboard. Jack and I have been keeping track for you all year of the millennial

[B]

cringe stocks, breakout brands that define the 20 teens not living their best lives anymore.

[A]

See, Buzzfeed got bought for pennies. Lulu's down 75%. Casper is no more. Allbirds is now AI and Everlane. Jack Everlane.

[B]

No, they got she in.

[A]

Yeah, they got she and, yeah, it's a verb now.

[B]

And you might have to add Oatly to the list. The stock is down 98% since their 2021 IPO besties.

[A]

For a decade, oat milk was the disruptor of the cafe.

[B]

They made almond milk drinkers look out of touch. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, almond milk, you're a carnivore.

[B]

Oat milk is the first alternative milk that was so in demand that Starbucks charged a surcharge for it.

[A]

That'll be a double digit latte because it's 50 cents extra for the oat.

[B]

But like plant based meat, plant based milk fell victim to fads.

[A]

The consumer pivoted back to the cow.

[B]

Big carbon footprint and all.

[A]

But besties, here's what Jack and I find fascinating. Oatly has got a turnaround plan and you can actually experience it.

[B]

It's the Davos of Drinks, an event Oatly hosted last week.

[A]

It's called the Aftertaste, where they invite beverage industry experts to discuss the future of of what you drink.

[B]

This is a concoction convention of the wildest, smartest, and most creative minds in liquid nick.

[A]

It's like Disney, but you'll be peeing clear by the end of this thing. You see, it's inspired by the Davos Economic Forum over in Switzerland.

[B]

But instead of inviting Jamie Dimon, an MIT economist and the Sultan of Brunei for speaking roles, it's an award winning

[A]

Swiss barista, a food scientist and a matcha influencer.

[B]

How extreme did this event get? Well, they served coffee with tortilla milk, a new kind of milk.

[A]

They were doing Jell O shots with oat. Jell o, Jell oat.

[B]

And yes, there was a drinking fountain serving matcha latte.

[A]

You sit from that thing for 30 seconds, that's like $47 of value.

[B]

Jack, don't worry, it was iced. It wasn't scalding hot.

[A]

Now, yes, we know you're thinking Starbucks does have their investor day. We got to go this year.

[B]

But no other company hosts a crazy convention like this.

[A]

So Oatley's chief marketing officer, they're happy about it, but interestingly, so is the cfo.

[B]

We think, yes, this event was costly, but this is how Oatly remains a premium brand in the market because the

[A]

creative director, Michael Lee told the Journal that Oatly acts as a beverage consultant now. Yeah, that's part of its business with

[B]

the cafes and the restaurants that it supplies oat milk to.

[A]

So, like, hey Shake Shack, that coffee milkshake is cool, but Gen Z, they're going to want to drink it at

[B]

9am that kind of insight is why everyone from Dunkin Donuts to the artisanal cafe in Williamsburg pay a premium price to stick with Oatly. Instead of using Kirkland oat milk for

[A]

a lower price to advise them on the next $18, treat yourself.

[B]

And with Oatly revenue up 15% last quarter and three straight quarters of accelerating revenue growth. Nick.

[A]

Jack. It tastes like this turnaround recipe is already working. So, Jack, as a three times a day coffee guy, please educate the decaffeinated over here. What's the takeaway for our buddies over at Oatly?

[B]

How did oat milk get so big so fast? With the barista strategy.

[A]

Yetis the wildest part of studying Oatly is how they created a new category from scratch. That's hard.

[B]

So in the early days, Oatly had to explain to the world what oat milk was and why it's better than the other creamer option.

[A]

Now, they did the basic stuff, the at home advertising, spending big on billboards, bus stop ads and subway spots.

[B]

But they also hired 70 of the top baristas from the top cafes in the world.

[A]

And then they turned them into salespeople and told those barista salespeople to go out there and spread the gospel of the oat milk.

[B]

Because the best salespeople are the people who understand the sales situation. The best.

[A]

So these Oatley former baristas hit up the five trendiest cafes in a city, preached to their baristas about this new thing called oat milk.

[B]

And before you know it, all the trendy coffee snobs were sipping oat milk instead of dairy.

[A]

I mean, Jack, what did they do there? You see what they did there?

[B]

They influenced the influencers.

[A]

Exactly. Like a CIA spy campaign to trick the tastemakers.

[B]

I wouldn't say trick though, because some deviousness in the word trick.

[A]

Yeah, they were.

[B]

They were informing the tastemakers for a profit.

[A]

So, besties, how did oat milk get so big so fast?

[B]

The secret barista strategy.

[A]

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That's indeed.com podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need a hiring hero? This is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. For our third and final story, FIFA's biggest money grab yet is so brazen. Jack and I are calling handball on

[B]

that thing because this World cup invented halftime. So for each half. But the biggest winner of this move is actually EA Sports Yetis.

[A]

Last week, Jack and I dropped for you our World cup pop Biz preview.

[B]

We said that the planets were aligning in this World cup for an unprecedented FIFA Money grab.

[A]

Well, update. We got an even bigger money grab, didn't we, Jack?

[B]

FIFA created two new money making opportunities at the 22nd and 67th minute of each match.

[A]

Say hello, besties, to the mandatory hydration break. You may have seen it already.

[B]

The ref blows the whistle and the players have to go to the sidelines to drink water bottles that have huge Powerade logos on them.

[A]

Now, Jack, pause the pot. I gotta ask, has this ever been a thing at a previous World cup soccer game before?

[B]

No. Refs have always had the discretion on very hot days to take a voluntary water break for the players. But this is mandatory regardless of the weather conditions.

[A]

Do you see the irony here? Like it could start raining and they'll call a water break.

[B]

This is the most Americanization of a global sport ever. We're adding two new halftimes into the game.

[A]

Like, dude, just look straight up, open your mouth and catch the raindrops already.

[B]

Now, of course, FIFA is framing this as like they're being the good guy. They call it a new commitment to player health and well being.

[A]

But it is conveniently giving them something very particular.

[B]

Right, Jack, 12 newly sellable 30 second commercial slots.

[A]

Today's hydration break is brought to you by Pretzel. These pretzels are making me thirsty.

[B]

This is hilarious timing because what's happening in the real world World cup is happening in the virtual world world cup as well.

[A]

Get this. Yetis Electronic Arts, the famous video game brand just said, I'll have what FIFA's

[B]

having because ads are coming into video game stadiums.

[A]

That's right. They're launching EA advertising. It's in the game. Literally, it is in the game. At this point, they want to let

[B]

brands get in the game to advertise in this fake game.

[A]

You see, like Qatar Airways, they're already the sponsor of real life soccer. Why not sponsor.

[B]

Why can't they be the sponsor of the video game soccer that you're playing on your screen right now?

[A]

The Marathon Sesh till 3am electronic art

[B]

says they're going to give brands access to highly engaged sports audiences at scale.

[A]

Jack, could you whip up a translation for us, please?

[B]

When the Fan throws their PS5 controller at the screen, there's going to be a Visa ad on that screen.

[A]

So these ads, they'll be inserted directly into the gameplay through dynamic real time

[B]

playscreen, like stadium signage in game content.

[A]

You know, like you'll be in the middle of your penalty kick when a fake video game announcer is suddenly going to mention his craving for cocoa Puffs.

[B]

That could be it now. I actually think this could be okay because I used to play video games, and the NFL stadiums in Madden, they look strangely off without ads.

[A]

Like they look too much like a virtual world.

[B]

Like you're playing a home game for the 49ers and the stadium just has 49ers logos everywhere.

[A]

It would really bring the video game to life if you saw a diverse corporate branding across the entire thing.

[B]

And instead of fake ads, why not have them be real ads?

[A]

We just gotta hope these virtual stadiums don't get flooded with some trashy gaming ads. Jack.

[B]

The press release did name drop Visa, Red Bull, Lowe's, Peacock, and Mountain Dew as the launching sponsors.

[A]

But we don't need a video game ad for thytasters all on the screen.

[B]

Speak for yourself, Nick.

[A]

But besties, add it all up, and if EA Sports stock was still publicly traded, we think it would rise because of our takeaway. So, Jack, time for our halfway through the podcast timeout. And we're back. What's the takeaway for our buddies over at World Cup?

[B]

Where there are eyes, there will be ads.

[A]

Now, besties, in announcing this new advertising business, Electronic Arts, shocked and awed with a huge video game humble brag.

[B]

They calculated that Madden players playing their Madden video game play the equivalent of 23,000 entire NFL seasons each year in their video game.

[A]

And on their soccer, video game players compete more than a billion virtual matches every month in the EA Sports video games.

[B]

And if all the stadiums in all of those games could have ads. Yeah, Jack, that is enormous inventory for future ad placements.

[A]

So, besties, those stadium walls in the video game you're playing, they're soon gonna have a Bud Light logo right there.

[B]

And the sneakers that the players are playing in, they're soon gonna be branded.

[A]

Because where there are eyeballs, there are ads. Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for saviche Wednesday?

[B]

Snap launched specs yesterday. A computer on your face that replaces your for the price of a small car.

[A]

They're the first smart glasses that pass the ugly test.

[B]

Our second story was Oatly. They're keeping their brand premium by hosting the davos of drinks.

[A]

But what got oat milk on the map in the first place? It was Oatly's secret barista strategy.

[B]

And our third and final story. EA Sports is gonna start doing what FIFA's doing, commercializing every square inch of that arena with ads.

[A]

Because, besties, where there are eyeballs, there will be ads.

[B]

But besties, this pod's not over yet. Here's what Else you need to know today.

[A]

First, if you ever said that you wanted to buy Pizza Hut, you're too late. Someone just bought it. As in the company Yum Brands, the

[B]

publicly traded company that owns Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut, or Kentaco. Hut just sold one of the brands, Pizza Hut, to a private equity firm for $2.7 billion.

[A]

PE's buying Pizza Hut, so expect that crust to get a little less stuffed as they cut costs like a meat slicer.

[B]

Second, we got an update on the Texas Tech gambling quarterback we covered last week.

[A]

Brendan Sorsby's putting down the textbooks and officially declared for the NFL draft.

[B]

Reminder. He gambled $90,000 his freshman year, including on his own sports games.

[A]

Pete Rose was banned from baseball for life for gambling. Sorsby was set to play this season after a shocking ruling from a Texas judge.

[B]

So his declaring for the NFL draft ends a major controversy for the ncaa.

[A]

And finally, Airbnb hosts are claiming that a guest caused $12,000 in damages in

[B]

a h. Specifically, the guest ran a startup AI robot company, and that robot caused all those damages.

[A]

Now, of course, this happened in San Francisco, where the bot company's alleged six foot robot apparently damaged chairs, tables and walls while trying to learn how to become a robot housekeeper. Now time for the best fact yet. This one sent in by Tomas, a lefty living in New York City. Jack, what do we got?

[B]

Okay, according to the Nature Communications Journal, a majority of human beings prefer to

[A]

turn left, and science has no idea why.

[B]

One study found that given the choice to turn Left or right, 80% of human beings chose to turn left.

[A]

Another one, using kindergarteners at a Japanese school, found that 75% of them choose to turn left, not right.

[B]

It doesn't matter. The culture, the country. Most of us turn left if given the arbitrary choice to turn left or right.

[A]

It doesn't even matter. A majority of us are righties. We all tend to turn left.

[B]

It looks like we apparently have a natural bias for. For moving in a counterclockwise direction.

[A]

No hypothesis yet as to why, but the next study will hopefully tell us why we all go lefty. Lucy Yetis, you look fantastic for ceviche Wednesday. Jack, you are glowing over there. Should we. Oh, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna book you a wedding witch to cast a spell on the weather so your flight gets out to Italy. Is that okay?

[B]

That's a great idea. Dude, if my flight gets canceled, that'd be a disaster.

[A]

No, no, no. 14 bucks for a spell. So you get to Italy, I mean, I mean that's a write off. It's on the business.

[B]

And remember Yetis, I have one open hour. My whole itinerary, it's in Positano before dinner. So if you know like the perfect lemon cello spot, send it my way.

[A]

Little Panino and Positano, if you know, you know. But drop it in the comments and Jack and I will see you for tomorrow's pot. And before we go, a happy birthday to legendary Yeti Naga Gioti Bellarcar, data crushing as she turns 37 in Chatham, New Jersey.

[B]

And happy 37th birthday to Jesus Hollande in Munich, Germany.

[A]

And Aaron Tabor Happy birthday down in Melbourne Beach, Florida have the best one yet.

[B]

Happy 18th birthday to Claire Pittstick in

[A]

Austin, Texas and Joaquin Baez over in Weston, Florida. Celebrating the birthday.

[B]

And Carole with a K is celebrating a birthday in a big promotion in Brooklyn, New York. And to anyone else who celebrates something today, make it a T boy.

[A]

Celebrate the wins.

[B]

This is Jack Nickel in stock of Airbnb and Lululemon.

[A]

This episode is brought to you by Bill, the intelligent finance platform that helps businesses scale with proven results.

[B]

Yet he's paying and getting paid. That is a pain for small and medium sized businesses.

[A]

Jack, did you send the invoice? Did they see the invoice? Did you remember to remind them to see to pay to remember to pay the invoice?

[B]

If you drop the ball in any one of those steps, you don't get paid.

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Nope.

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See offer page for details.