The Best One Yet - ⚽ “Confidence wins Championships” — Euro Cup’s German assist. Band-Aid’s window of loyalty. Jake Paul’s Walmart deodorant.

Episode Date: June 17, 2024

The European Championship kicked off last weekend… but confidence wins economic championships.Band-Aid is America’s top-trusted brand for a 3rd straight year… thanks to the Window of Loyalty. And Jack Paul launched a men’s skincare line with Walmart… because likes and love don’t equal dollars and cents.Plus, China introduced the toilet timer… but it doesn’t count-down to pressure you to finish, it counts-up.$WMT $JNJ $KVUESubscribe to our Saturday Newsletter: tboypod.com/newsletter  Watch us on YouTubeGet the Saturday Newsletter: tboypod.com/newsletter  Submit Facts & Shoutouts Socials: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn (Nick) & LinkedIn (Jack)About Us: From the creators of Robinhood Snacks Daily, The Best One Yet (TBOY) is the daily pop-biz news show making today’s top stories your business. 20 minutes on the 3 business, economics, and finance stories you need, with fresh takes you can pretend you came up with — Pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal ritual. Hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Nick. This is Jack. Welcome back. It is Monday, June 17th. And today's pod, this is the best one yet. The top three pop business news stories you need to know today. And yes, I am wearing the same shirt again. I know. I don't mind. I have no problem with it.

What's the deal? I guess you washed it over the weekend? Maybe. Maybe I didn't. All I know, Jeff, is that every time I wear the sweatshirt, the stock market hits a record. Okay. All right. Keep that thing on.

Yes, and I have to wear it until Dow hits 50,000. In the meantime, Jack, three stories for today's T-Boy. What do we got, man? For our first story, for the third straight year in a row, the number one most trusted brand in America is Band-Aid. Band-Aid, because Band-Aid comforted your boo-boo during your window of loyalty. For our second story, the Euro Cup soccer tournament began last weekend in Germany. But the biggest player isn't Ronaldo.

It's Germany's economy. And our third and final story, is Walmart. Walmart just partnered with Jake Paul, the influencer, on a Gen Z men's deodorant brand. So Jack and I are going to answer the big question everyone's asking. Why don't famous celebrities launch high-speed trains instead of seltzers? We got plenty of beverages. We could use more trains. But yeties, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories. What a mix of stories to kick off the week. Smells great over here, by the way.

3.2.1.0. China just introduced the toilet timer. Yet is China just introduced timers that are above every public toilet over there. Yeah, get this. The goal of these toilet timers, it's to get you to do your business a little bit faster. But don't worry, this timer's not going to kick you off the pot midway. We'll explain. Jack, could you please wash your hands and then sprinkle on some context for us over there? That is the Young Yang Buddhist statues over in China? are a major world tourist attraction. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 51,000 statues and a whole lot of visitors.

Last year, those statues attracted a record 3 million tourists. But here's the problem. Those 3 million visitors, when they gotta go, they gotta go. So this 1,500-year-old site just got the most modern technology on the planet to deal with those 3 million visitors. The first ever toilet timer. A countdown clock that sits over the urinal. A timer sits over the toilet. And the whole bathroom gets to see that timer.

Now yet is China hasn't released the full results quite yet, have they, Jack? But early reviews say that the toilet timer is already whacking down the wait times for you to get in that washroom. And Jack, could you please wash your hands again and then tell us the wildest part about this story. The toilet timer? It doesn't count down like most timers. No, besties, the toilet timer actually counts up. Also, you don't get kicked off the toilet if the timer reads 60 seconds. No, instead, everyone can just see that you've been in there for 16, 17, 18 minutes. What are you doing in there?

This toilet timer, there's no time limit. Instead, it's a public shaming that's supposed to nudge you to flow and flush a little bit faster. Can you believe this guy in stall number three? He's been there for seven minutes. Because nothing motivates a human brain quite like guilt. One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, four Mississippi. Yeties, whether it's number one or number two, Jack, let's hit our three stories. Guy installed number three, still in there. What the heck?

Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the Northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea that caused a cultural storm. It's the best one yet, but the best is an 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. If you know, you know, because we're ready to go.

We can't wait no more. So just start the show. Start the show. First, a quick word from our sponsor. For our first story, the most trusted brand in America, it's actually Band-Aid. Band-Aid is a case study in branding because the most trusted brand in America is actually connected to the least trusted brand in America. Yet he's 103 years ago.

Dixon was chopping chicken in the kitchen and then she cut her hand. So her husband, Mr. Dixon, came to the rescue with an adhesive bandage that he whipped up all by himself. Boom, back in 1921, that is how the Band-Aid was invented. True story. That's right. We have Band-Aids thanks to a really sharp piece of kale in a kitchen. And Jack, what was the real innovation of the Band-Aid after millions of years of humans getting sick and injured? The stickiness of that bandage, because you could do it all by yourself. You didn't need a second person to hold the bandage while someone else held the gauze. For anyone who's played the Oregon Trail, you know that like everyone died of dysentery and

snake bites back in the day. So you really needed a bandage with an adhesive to stop you from getting infected. Too soon. Well, 103 years later, Band-Aid has become the prime example of genericization. Genericization. When the brand becomes the entire category, like Kleenex has achieved with tissues and like chapstick has achieved with chapstick. Well, here's the news, Yetis, for the third straight year in a row.

Band-Aid has been named the number one most trusted brand in America. That's according to a morning consult survey. And Jack, what does the Band-Aid brand do with all of that brand trust? You know what they do. They charge a higher price. Oh, Besties, you will pay 50% more for the Band-Aid Band-Aid than the Walgreens brand because of that high trust. But here's the wildest part. Band-aid is the number one most trusted brand

across all American generations. We repeat from Baby Boomer Bob to Gen Z. Every generation has bonded over the Band-Aid. But here's the fascinating part of the story, Yetis. The Band-Aid brand is the most trusted brand, but its parent company is the least trusted brand. Get this, until last year, Band-Aid was actually owned by Johnson and Johnson.

J&J, the 350. $50 billion pharmaceutical giant. But here's that funny thing Jack was talking about. Johnson and Johnson ranks near the bottom of that same exact brand survey. Johnson and Johnson is trusted less than Southwest Airlines. Now Johnson and Johnson actually spun off

many of their beloved consumer brands to raise money for a whole bunch of lawsuits lately. This is why they're so untrusted yeties. Just last week, Johnson and Johnson paid $700 million to settle lawsuits that have been going on for years. Those lawsuits allege that Johnson

and Johnson's baby powder contained talc that was causing cancer. So Johnson and Johnson's trust rating has fallen for five straight years. Johnson and Johnson has got a big brand boo-boo. But Johnson and Johnson-associated Band-Dade has gone unscathed. Band-Aid is enjoying the polar opposite perception from the public than its parent company. So Band-Aid was owned by the boogeyman of pharma, but it's the number one most trusted brand anyway. How did they pull that off?

Well, I kind of want to say, ouch. but instead, I'll serve up the takeaway for you. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies? Ouch! Over at Band-Aid. Band-Aid is the perfect expression of the window of loyalty. Yeties, Jack and I have told you about the window of loyalty before. We love calling it out when we see it.

The window of loyalty. When a consumer connects with a product at a young, impressionable age, and therefore sticks with that product for their whole life. Jack, why do sports teams love focusing on kids all the time? Because if a kid falls in love with the team, they're going to be a fan of that team their whole life. But Band-Aid may actually be the ultimate window of loyalty product. Because we all used Band-Aids when we scuffed our knee when we were kids. Band-Aid, it's the brand that fix that ouchy on your knee and probably was one of the very first words you learned.

Band-Aid is one of Wilder's first words, no joke. It makes sense. Mama, Dada, Band-Aid. Since toddlerhood, we all associate Band-Aid with safety and a warm, fuzzy feeling of healing. So why is Band-Aid the number one most trusted brand across every generation for three years in a row? Because Band-Aid didn't just comfort us. They comfort us during our window of loyalty. For our second story, the European Championship Soccer Tournament just began this past weekend.

But the biggest thing Europe needs right now, it isn't championships, it's confidence. Jack, can I go full Macbeth on you for a second over there? Love it. Scotland versus Germany? Who have we got, Jack? Who do we got? Well, Scotland's got the Lock Nest monster, which is pretty cool. Well, on Friday, Scotland visited host nation Germany to compete in the European Championships.

The European Championship, also known as the Euro Cup, it's the European version of the World Cup. And the Euro Cup features 24 of Europe's best national soccer teams. The Euro Cup happens every four years, and it awkwardly wraps up two weeks before the Summer Olympics begin. Quick side note, the Eurocup features the national teams from each country. But the Olympics feature the U-23 soccer teams for each country. But back to the Euro Cup, instead of talking about which country flops the best on the soccer pitch. Is it France or is it Italy? In France, it is not possible to flop.

Well, instead, Jack and I are talking about the economies of the Euro Cup. Because the host nation, Germany, was the world's worst performing major economy in 2023. We repeat, Germany's economy shrank 0.3% last year. Germany's national anthem opens with Germany above all. But right now, it's below all. So besties, Jack and I got to ask, what is wrong with Europe's biggest economy? The problem with Germany's economy is that their biggest clients are in the penalty box.

Yeah, besties, when Russia invaded Ukraine back in February 2022, Germany, it realized they'd made a big mistake. The big mistake was budding up with Vladimir Putin for their biggest oil and gas supply. Because get this, half of German gas was coming from Russia at the time. Now, Germany punished Putin with economic sanctions like the rest of the West did, but the result is a huge spike in the cost of fuel for the entire country. Okay, so that's Germany's problem with Russia. But Germany's second problem is with China.

Last week, the European Union passed a 38% tariff on Chinese-made EVs to try to even in the playing field. But if China retaliates to those car tariffs, then that would hit Germany the hardest. Because China is the world's biggest buyer of Volkswagen, Mercedes, and BMW cars. So 40%, 36% and 33% of Germany's big three car sales would be at risk of a trade war. Add it all up, Germany's business and consumer confidence just hit its lowest point last month since the outbreak of the pandemic. Jack, how are Germans feeling right now exactly? Germans are feeling less. Yes, Heidi Klum, more rumple-stilskinned. Yeah, yes, Akia, a little more niche, niche.

Exactly. A little less hassle-hoff, a little more hassle, oof. Guzuntite, Jack, is untight. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over in Deutschland? Confidence wins economic championships. Yeties, back in 2006, Germany hosted the World Cup. Their first time as a reunified Germany feeling really patriotic. Germany's soccer team finished third that World Cup,

which was a huge success. It was a barbaric yop for all of the German people. And what followed that success was the two best years of German economic growth in more than a decade. Because the secret of economics

is that confidence is everything. Yet is when it comes to economics, confidence is everything. Economic and financial crises, they happen due to fear. Yeah, people stop spending, which begets even less spending, and then things get worse and worse and worse.

economic booms, on the other hand, they happen due to confidence, actually. People start spending, which begets more spending and things get better and better and better, baby. Confidence is key. That's why the best thing that could happen to Germany's economy right now is it's soccer team. Because yet these economic championships, they're actually won with confidence. No pressure, German national soccer team, but your economy kind of depends on it. Now a quick word from our sponsor. for our third and final story YouTuber, influencer, and boxer

Jake Paul just launched a brand new brand with Walmart. And that brings up the big question. Should influencers launch deodorant or build high speed rail? I think Shakespeare said the same thing at one point, Jack. But first, Jack, I got to ask him. If you're Walmart and you want to like hang at the cool kids table, do you wear pink on Wednesdays? What do you do exactly?

You partner up with a famous influencer. Ah, you're fine. Find an influencer, you hug that influencer, and you just don't let go, man. Which leads to the news. Walmart just partnered with Jake Paul, the 27-year-old YouTuber turned boxer who has 21 million subscribers. Yeah, Jake Paul, he's a boxer, he sweats, and so he launched a line of body wash, face wash, deodorant wash, and hair care wash.

This stuff is going to stand out in the aisle. It's got a yellow logo, graffiti font, and a big W, which stands for winning. Beauty and body care products for men, Jack? Yeah, they tossed a winning in there to make them feel macho. Yes, they did. And interestingly, Jake Paul is launching this brand new deodorant brand with Walmart. And why is that, Jack? 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of one.

One of our favorite stats ever. 90% of America is within 10 miles of Walmart. But Nick, the top-selling makeup, it's Selena Gomez's brand, right? Yeah, and Jack, the top-selling shapewear, it's Kim Kardashian's brand right now. Yet these odds are the next canned coffee you crush is going to be launched by some TikTok and celebrity. One sec, Jack, I got to go quench my thirst with a pre-establish. prebiotic, post-priotic, celebrity-infused functional beverage, if you don't mind. Pause the pod. Pause the pod.

Which leads to the big question. Instead of another drink brand, why can't famous people launch something epic like high-speed rail? Did we need another deodorant? Or could we use a super fast bullet train, Jack? Yet is this viral video from a woman named Kira Sullivan put the question best. Jack, let's roll the tape. Let's hit it. Wow, this famous actor is starting their own line of sparkling beverages. This famous actor is starting yet another tequila company.

This famous actor is starting their own wellness brand. All I can think in my head is, like, grow up. You have all this awesome celebrity and wealth, and what are you doing with it? Making beverages? We have enough beverages. We have plenty of beverages. You know what?

We don't have? A high-speed rail rug. Now, besties, we hear exactly what Kira is talking about in that video. We do need some better. infrastructure while we don't need any more celebrity mess cows. The wealthy used to build massive public goods, but now the wealthy build consumer packaged goods. But there's an interesting point, Nick and I want to bring up. There's actually a reason that influencers launch branded consumer products. It's a business reason why Jake Paul launched a deodorant, not a bullet train.

So Jack, what's the takeaway for all our buddies in the creator economy? Likes and love don't equal dollars and cents. Yeah, it is, most influencers who have become internet famous, they're rich in followers, but not rich in cash. Because on social media, the conversion rate of followers to revenue is actually quite low. Yeah, on the other hand, television, podcasts, YouTube, those were built with monetization in mind, so ads provide a reliable source of revenue. But a post with millions of likes on Instagram or billions of views on TikTok, those can

generate zero revenue. So influencers have to convert online fame into a real-life business. Promo videos you see on social media with product placement, those are one-off brand deals that might not be enough. They're not as reliable and consistent as other types of business models. That's why influencers launch branded consumer products. They need a reliable and consistent revenue stream. Besties, most influencers, they aren't rich enough to launch a high-speed train

until they first launch a whole bunch of beverages. That's why stores are stocked with celebrity shelters, and influencer deodorants. Save us, Jake Paul. You're our only hope. Jack, can you whip up the takeaways for us to kick off the week? Band-Aid is the number one most trusted brand in America for a third year in a row.

And it's all thanks to the window of loyalty. When you use a product before you're 10, you're loyal the rest of your life. For our second story, the Euro Cup began last weekend and it lasts all month. The German people could really use a win. Yeah, because confidence, it wins. wins economic championships.

And our third and final story is Jake Paul. He launched a men's skincare brand with Walmart. He didn't launch a bullet train. Because with the influencer business model, likes and love don't equal dollars and cents. But Yeties, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today. First, Taylor Swift just wrapped up playing in Scotland,

and she caused an earthquake. Literally and financially. First, literally. The British Geological Survey recorded seismic activity, 3.7 miles away from the 73,000 Swifties who were jumping to her music. Financially, the economic frenzy of Taylor's UK stretch was so robust that the UK may delay interest rate cuts from the Bank of England. Long live the Queen. And second, the G7 announced interesting new financial lifelines for Ukraine. Interest on Russia's money. So yet his Western

banks, they actually froze $300 billion of Russia's financial. reserves back in February of 2022. That frozen money still belongs to Russia, but the $50 billion of interest it's generated along the way, they're sending to Ukraine. Yes, they are. And finally, in the biggest travel news of the year, you can now renew your passport completely online. U.S. travelers can now renew their passports without visiting their local passport office or having to mail anything in. Yeah, starting that's week, the State Department will open a limited number of online renewal spots every day at 1 p.m. And you can snag them to renew online.

And remember this like travel secret that shouldn't be a secret at all. Oh, this is key. You got to share this, yeah. If your passport expires within the next six months, they won't let you leave the country. Have you checked your passport for your trip to France, by the way? Yeah, I'm good. But like, barely. Okay.

Yeah, I was worried you would show up to France and try to get in and they'd be like, Not possible. If you can't use it if there's six months left, why don't we just say it expires like six months prior. You know what I mean? Jack, your questions? Not the bus about it. Now time for the best fact yet this one whipped up by Jack and me because honestly, today is a day. 30 years ago today was the wildest day in sports history by far. First, on this day, 30 years ago, the New York Rangers celebrated their Stanley Cup victory in a parade in New York City. And I was there, by the way. On the same day, 30 years ago, legendary golfer Arnold Palmer competed in his final U.S. Open in golf.

Oh, and in the same day, 30 years ago, in soccer, the United States was competing in the debut game of the 94 World Cup tournament, which the U.S. was hosting for the very first time. And on the same day, in basketball, the New York Knicks were playing game five of the NBA finals against the Houston Rockets. But despite those huge sporting events on that same day, they were all overshadowed by one former athlete. TV networks on that day interrupted their programming of all those sporting events to show a white Ford Bronco that was being chased on the highway in Los Angeles. Because on that same day, in that white Ford Bronco was OJ Simpson. June 17, 1994. It was a different era. And the wildest day in sports and media history. If you want to learn more about this, watch the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about it. Oh, it's absolutely unreal check. It's entirely composed. It's entirely composed.

posed of news clippings from that day. Because that day was, what a day. Bob Costas could barely handle himself. Yetis, you look fantastic to start the week. If you've got the best fact yet, or you want a shout out on this show, what is the best way to do it, Jack? Go to tiboypod.com or click the link in the episode description.

But yeties, in the meantime, we hope your week looks less Rumpel-Stiltzkin, more Heidi Klune. Less 99 Luft Balloons, more 99 nish-nished balloon. Let's Hassel Hoof, more Hasselhoff. Nick and I have exhausted our Germans, so we'll see you tomorrow. And before we go, a happy 35th birthday to Jesusolande from Munich, Germany, celebrating in lovely Puerto Rico. And apparently missing the craziness of the Euro Cup. And Claire Pittstick is turning sweet 16 years old in Austin, Texas, four-year Yeti.

Not too shabby. Thank you, Claire. Happy birthday to Max Lobbyak in New York City, who's really? working at base monkeys. And Jamarian B and Pensacola, Florida, where they have fantastic oysters, by the way, just got a new job, hopefully celebrating with some oysters. And congratulations to Dylan Steinfeld in Atlanta, Georgia, who just got promoted to senior manager at the Home Depot. And Will Martin in Cork, Ireland has won three, count them three awards at hashtag sports. Congratulations. And congratulations to Nick Alves, also from Atlanta, Georgia, also working at the Home Depot. this man is now a manager.

Apparently the Home Depot's giving out promotions these days, not too shabby Home Depot. Speaking of promotions, I wouldn't mind a promo code from one of these two. Yeah, he's who's working there. And Davey in Kansas City, Missouri just got a new job going on tour with Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. Beetle juice. And to anyone else, celebrating something today, make it a T-boy.

Celebrate the wins. This is Jack, I own stock of Ford, and Nick and I both had boo-boos. covered with Band-Aids, and we got a kiss from our moms on him. It was really nice.