BRANDED
BRANDED is the podcast where bold ideas meet brilliant minds. From the unconventional marketing of Liquid Death to the visionary leadership of Nike’s former CMO, we uncover the stories behind the world’s most iconic brands. Hosted by top industry leaders, BRANDED takes you behind the scenes to explore the strategies, risks, and creative sparks that make brands stand out. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer, a business enthusiast, or just curious about the magic behind the labels, BRANDED delivers insights and inspiration in every episode.
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Dr. Squatch Bought for $1.5B?! Why Unilever Is Betting on Bros & Soap | Branded Weekly
Nike’s back to its roots. Unilever just paid $1.5B for a soap brand. Cloudflare declared war on AI. Oh, and Pamela Anderson is suddenly a branding icon again. This week, Ben Kaplan and Tom Cain unpack the smartest (and strangest) marketing moves across the globe: Nike ditches lifestyle for core athleticismDr. Squatch a
This week on BRANDED Weekly, Ben Kaplan and Tom Cain dissect the marketing strategies hidden in world news, tech headlines, and viral campaigns. Why did Iran give advance notice before launching missiles? Is Meta’s $100M talent grab a turning point in the AI arms race? Why did job site giants like CareerBuilder collaps
In this episode of BRANDED, Ben Kaplan and Tom Cain dive into the biggest business and culture stories of the week, blending serious insight with sharp wit. They discuss Meta's aggressive push to poach OpenAI talent with $100M offers, the Trump family launching a gold-plated smartphone and mobile network, and why Airbu
In this episode, Tom and Ben unpack the branding implications behind this week’s biggest business headlines. They start with Apple’s latest developer conference and whether the company is still seen as an innovation leader or has shifted into incrementalism. They also discuss a quirky new hold-music feature that Tom is
Welcome to the new era of BRANDED. In this refreshed format, Ben Kaplan and Tom Cain team up weekly to break down the biggest stories in branding, marketing, tech, and business—with sharp takes, bold questions, and zero fluff. In this episode:Hailey Bieber sells her skincare brand for $1B—how attention became the most
In this episode of Branded, Ben Kaplan sits down with Bridget Evans, the Global Head of Business Marketing at Spotify, to unpack the platform’s growing role as a multimedia advertising powerhouse. Bridget breaks down Spotify’s evolution from a primarily audio-based brand into a dynamic player in video advertising and p
