The Best One Yet - 🥸 “Espionage Advertising” — Bilt’s comedy series. Taco Bell’s everything plan. Hertz’s Amazon deal. +Summer Song Recession.

Starting point is 00:00:00 This is Nick. This is Jack. It's Thursday, the new Friday. August 21st. And today's pod. It's the best one yet. This is a T-Boy. The top three pop business news stories you need to know today.

Starting point is 00:00:12 You know, if you're a new listener to the show right now, welcome. You're either a Yetty or a bestie. It's up to you to decide in the next few days. And also, we'd love you to jump into our show notes and fill out a two-minute survey. Where'd you come from? Who are you? Tell us a little bit about yourself. I want to get to know you.

Starting point is 00:00:28 This is Nick. That's Jack. He was born in Flannel. and I have an affinity for not jeans. So Jack, we got three fantastic stories for today's Tea Boy. What do we got in the pop biz pod? For our first story, Taco Bell is officially the winner of fast food in 2025. Get this.

Starting point is 00:00:45 They launched twice as many products this year as last year. So Jack and I dove in T-boy style and got the recipe for instant gratification. For our second story, this one's wild. Hertz is now selling cars on Amazon. You could drop them in your shirt. shopping cart right now. But this is Wilder. Hurts is now the second biggest car seller in America. And our third and final store is built. The $10 billion credit card startup that gives points for rent just launched a comedy show. I'm sorry, Jack, a covert comedy show, if I will. We'll tell you why

Starting point is 00:01:21 a credit card company made a comedy series and kept their role a secret. Shiness. But Yeties, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories. Fantastic. A fantastic mix of stories, Jack. No one else doing the mix today. Love the mix. It's not just you. It's not just your ears either. No, no, no, no, no, yeties.

Starting point is 00:01:41 There is no song of the summer 2025. And we have numbers to prove it. Hey, DJ, play that data. Shaboosy's a bar song, aka Tipsy. It's in the top 10 right now in the Billboard Hot 100. But, Jack, it's been there for 62 weeks since 2024. Teddy Swim's Lose Control is also a top 10 track right now. But it's been up there 70 weeks since 2023.

Starting point is 00:02:08 Benson Boone, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, all top 10 right now with songs from last year. Besties out it all up and the song of the summer of 2025 is all songs of the summer from 2024. What's next? Last year's fashion trends, this year's fashion trends? Skinny jeans are the denim of the summer? I'm sorry, Jack, one second. Let me just change into some bell bottoms for the rest of the pie. Well, you would know because you don't wear jeans.

Starting point is 00:02:32 It was a trick question, Jack. But yet he's, if you object to our thesis that there's no song in the summer, drop your song in the comments. But here is the wildest part. The music industry executives, they think that this is the new normal. They think there may never be another song of the summer again. And for that, who can we all blame, Jack? Tick-Tac.

Starting point is 00:02:53 Because old songs are trending so much on social media that they're hanging out in the top charts longer than ever these days. And we spend so much time on social media. Yeah? What's trending there is trending everywhere. That's why you keep hearing that it's a thrill to have a jet two holiday. And that's also why you're dancing on Montauk right now to a Miley Cyrus hit. From your senior year in college, man.

Starting point is 00:03:19 But yet is Nick and I do have a song in the summer for you, and we think it's number one. In fact, we got legal permission from the artist to play it for you right now. Push and play. Hey, DJ! Hit the track. Fifteen years before this song. Two boys from the Northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea to cause a cultural storm.

Starting point is 00:03:38 It's the best one yet, but the best is anoint. That's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50% that's a fat tip. Tea Boy City on your at list. If you know, you know, because we're ready to go. We can't wait no more, so just start the show. First, a quick word from our sponsor.

Starting point is 00:04:02 For our first story, Taco Bell is having its biggest year ever because it's launching a new menu item every single month. Taco Bell keeps your attention more than any other restaurant because it's not a musician. It's a DJ. Now, Yetis earlier this week, Jack and I warned you about the fast casual bowl recession. Sweet green, Chipotle, and Kava, they've all stopped growing. A few months ago, we warned you about the fast food slowed down. McDonald's Wendy's have started shrinking. Jack and I got curious, and we found one exception in food right now, and it's led by a retired Chihuahua. Jack, can you tell us, Moss, please?

Starting point is 00:04:50 Yo Kato Bell stock. Taco Bell is part of Yum brands, but it is outpacing its sister brands, Pizza Hut and KFC. It's beating them down like a big burrito. Taco Bell is even seeing more diners from all income spectrums, they just told us. Taco Bell revenue grew 6% last quarter. Like we said, while other restaurant chains are shrinking. Now, Jack, could you turn off the friar and sprinkle on a little context for us like it's case so? Taco Bell is the number four biggest restaurant chain in America.

Starting point is 00:05:19 16 billion in sales, they're only behind McDonald, Starbucks, and Chick-fil-A. The CEO credits Taco Bell's magic formula for they're growing while everyone else shrinks. So, Jack, I got to ask, I know you, Kiro, Taco Bell stock, but Yo, Kiero, what's the recipe for their innovation formula? Here it is. Taco Bell has doubled the number of new product launches this year. Yeah. They launch a new thing on the menu every four to five weeks. It's like Jack and I love to tell you, Yeti's A-B-L-E. Able. Always be launching everything. McDonald's took six months to announce and launch their snack wraps, which is just an old menu item they brought back. Meanwhile, Taco Bell launched six brand new things. Jack, the birthday cake churro, the Calienta Cantina chicken, the Tropical Punch

Starting point is 00:06:07 Rockstar Refresca. I feel like I'm playing a game of like Madlib calories right now. The chefs feel the same way. Also, they're testing a beverage-focused cafe called the Livmas Cafe at Taco Bell. That's right, Starbucks, a Mexican-themed cafe within Taco Bell restaurants. Did you see they launched a beef canoe? You know what that is? I've heard about that. What is it? It's a story for another pot. It's like the most diesel item on the menu. But besties, Jack and I got to share a reminder with you. Remember the Taco Bell Innovation Lab? scientists work at the Taco Bell headquarters in Irvine, California, whipping up inventions. We did an entire The Best Idea Yet episode on it. This innovation lab was created in 2009.

Starting point is 00:06:48 They invented the first ever viral social media food. When Doritos Locos tacos launched in 2011, it was the first food to go viral on social media. And one key reason for Taco Bell's innovation success is that they don't care about being successful. At a speed of 12 new menu items per year, Oh, boy. Most of those are going to miss. Like, if they were going to invent them, they'd be here right now. You know what I mean? They're going to end up in the trash, man. But that's okay. Because with recipe roulette at that speed, it keeps Gen Z coming back in just to try it out for fun. Chipotle's guac. Yeah, same recipe, still extra. Taco Bell? They're putting skittles in that guac, Jack. I wouldn't call it guack, actually. I'd call it avocado adjacent product. One second, I think I found a starburst in here. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at

Starting point is 00:07:36 Taco Bell. Taco Bell isn't an artist, it's a DJ. It doesn't create, it remixes. So, Yetis, what's Taco Bell's real secret recipe for successfully scaling one crazy concoction a month? Taco Bell knows it isn't an artist. It just isn't. No. It's a DJ, because every item is a remix. Every option is a variation on a three key ingredient list, cheese, carbs, meat, and a surprise. This year's surprise was cheese hits, milk bar cakes, and rock star energy drinks. Or Jack, how about the Cheez-It Tostata? It's just cheese, salsa, beef on a giant cheese-it. Make it a supreme. Then you add some sour cream and wrap the whole thing in a grilled tortilla. But besties, you must respect this. Because like Diplo the DJ works with someone else's

Starting point is 00:08:22 songs, remixing is still a skill. And while many don't respect the remix, it's faster and it's beloved. Both in music and apparently in quasi-mexican-inspired fast food. Taco Bell is the only fast food chain thriving right now because it's okay being a DJ, not a musician. Our second story, one of the biggest car sellers in America, it's Hertz. That's right, Hertz buys 300,000 rental cars every year, which means they also sell 300,000 rental cars every year. And you can now buy those Hertz used cars on Amazon. Shocker. But first, Jack, how do we start with some trivia? You want to kick us off and know you're a trivia guy. owns the most vehicles in the United States. I want to sprinkle on a hint here. It's not Jay Leno,

Starting point is 00:09:15 and it's not the U.S. government. Jay Leno is constantly boasting about how many cars he owns. But the answer to the owner of the most vehicles in America is not Hertz. It's Enterprise. It's a bigger rental car company with two million cars. But Hertz is right up there because Hertz owns 550,000 vehicles. And because those Bachelor and Bachelorette party weekends put serious wear and tear on Hertz's Nissan Ultima, pull over! They got to replace their cars every 12 to 18 months. Oh, you need a new chassis, and here's the news. Hertz just announced you can buy one of their old rental cars on Amazon.com. Amazon autos. It launched in December with new Hyundai's, but now you can add used Hertz cars to your shopping cart. That's right. I'm getting some baby lotion. I'm getting some baby lotion. I'm getting

Starting point is 00:10:02 some paper towels and one pre-owned Hertz used Nissan Altamut. Vesties, this program starting in four cities, you buy it on Amazon, you pick up at a Hertz location, it's coming to 45 more cities soon. They're not going to drop it off at your door in two days with Amazon Prime. And it's all part of Hertz's back to basics business turnaround plan. You know why it's called Back to Basics, Jack? Why? Because they're basically trying to make money any way they can. Because yet, for a couple years, Hertz wasn't in the car business. they were in the roller coaster business. Yeah, because Hertz went from bankrupt to meme stock, zero to 60 back to zero again, baby.

Starting point is 00:10:38 We covered it on our pot. In early 2020, as the economy and travel shut down, Hertz had to pretty much shut down, too. They declared bankruptcy. But by late 2020, road trips were all the rage as people got pandemic wonderlust and cars beat flying. Planes were scary back then, renting a car was totally fine. So meme stalkers correctly picked Hertz as a pandemic winner. And then Hertz stock emerged from bankruptcy with a heck of a lot of mojo, baby. But then, like the cool guy in your neighborhood, Hertz got a little ahead of itself.

Starting point is 00:11:09 It went all in on Tesla's and electric cars. Yeah, so Jack, to quote Julia Roberts and pretty woman, huge mistake. Because Nick, when do you need a rental car after flying somewhere? And if you just flew to like Boston Logan Airport, you rent to Hertz car to drive to some Airbnb, and be in the woods. You don't want an electric car. You don't know where to charge that thing. So the electric vehicles, yeah, they didn't really work for the rental car company. No, they didn't. So Hertz announced they were selling all of those electric cars at a steep discount, and the stock is down 85% since their all-time highs. Jack, it's kind of like Hertz went on a blind date

Starting point is 00:11:45 with electric cars. Like high expectations, but no second date. Yeah, everyone told me these Tesla's were awesome, man. And besties, that is why Hertz is going back to basics. Fleet. management. The efficient buying and selling of their rental cars. And now Amazon is opening up a huge new market for Hertz, because they could probably sell that Nissan on Amazon for a higher price than a car auction could. The only remaining question, yes, Jack? Will there be a Cyber Monday Amazon discount on that Prius that Hertz is trying to foist on us? One can only hope, Jack, one can only hope. So what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Hertz? Every business makes money in at least three ways.

Starting point is 00:12:27 Yeties, let's talk numbers. First, Hertz has $15 billion worth of cars on their balance sheet, and they make their money mainly from renting them. But Nick, that's just one way they make their money. They also make money acquiring and disposing of those assets. Yeah, Hertz. They have to buy their cars, a lot of them, like 300,000 cars every year.

Starting point is 00:12:47 But if they can negotiate bulk deals to get those cars at a discount, that's another way that they make money. And they have to sell cars every 12 to 18 months or 20,000 miles. If they can sell them at a higher price, that's another way Hertz can make money. So the way we see at Besties, every company's bio describes just one of the three ways that they actually make money. What they usually leave out is the acquiring and selling of assets, the unsexy part, which can be just as important. Now a quick word from our sponsor. For our third and final story, it's Roommies, the new,

Starting point is 00:13:26 comedy series is actually made by Built, the credit card company. It's espionage advertising. Built has earned 3.2 million views on TikTok and Instagram with this show without paying TikTok or Instagram a dime. All right, Jack, and we're going to talk about roommates. There's a couple of guys who have roomed together for like half of our lives. I mean, are there few dramas any more dramatic than trying to find an apartment in New York City? Do you remember that that was like in the East Village like 15 years ago? It's somewhere between. a safari and hunger games. And you need like a $6,000

Starting point is 00:14:00 cashier's check in your pocket at all time. People moving out are warning you about bedbugs. You need a guarantor 20 minutes ago and management wants your unborn future child as part of the deposit. I'm sorry, my guarantor needs to make 120 times my monthly

Starting point is 00:14:16 income. Remember our buddy Timmy called us and said, there's a problem. It's a story for another pod. But besties, there is a new show on social media right now about this topic and it's called Roommies. Two-minute episodes are very short, it's basically quibby, because these episodes are published only on Instagram and TikTok. Jack, what is a typical episode of Roommies like? Well, it starts with a wide-eyed country girl from Ohio moving to the big city of New York.

Starting point is 00:14:40 No job, no apartment, but she's got a can-do attitude. Although the Times Square Spider-Man mascot steals her phone on day one and then scampers away his Spider-Man output. Classic. Vesties, this show, this comedy we just described, it is racked up 3.2 million views. Not too shabby. But here's the kicker. The company behind this show isn't Comedy Central NBC and it's definitely not quibby. It's built. Yeah. A $10 billion credit card company for startups. But here's the kicker to that kicker. What is it, Jack? Built isn't mentioned anywhere, anywhere in any of the first 10 episodes. We're talking no product placements, no ads. It's just a free, fun, short form show, but produced and paid for by built.

Starting point is 00:15:26 Now, the social media handle that publishes this show on social media is at Roommies, Roommies. The only mention of Built is subtly in the show's bio. But what's happening here is actually a trend according to reporting from the Wall Street Journal. Little Caesar, Sephora, they are also making shows seemingly for our viewing pleasure. But for them, their ulterior marketing motive is clear. Hashtag ad. Little Caesar's branding? Yeah, it is going to be all over that spoof of Survivor.

Starting point is 00:15:53 And eventually, this built show will be like that, too. A Built executive told Wall Street Journal that for season two, they do plan to include some product placements. Yeah, the main character in this show, Roommies, will cash in on her built credit card points earned through her rental payments. And she'll redeem those points at Barry's boot camp, which is shocker. Surprise. A Built Rewards partner. Of course. So, Jack, we do kind of love this.

Starting point is 00:16:19 Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Built? Espionage marketing is the new ad hack. Yeties, every marketer wants the same thing. The eyeballs of 18 to 34 year olds with disposable income. And where do those young people spend their time, Nick? Where did you? Tick-Tock and Instagram. That's where. But here's the problem. Demand from advertisers is so high these days. The economics of social media ads are tough. They are expensive. So brands try to reach us organically. But our knee-jerk reaction as users of social media is to swipe past branded posts. So instead, brands now have a...

Starting point is 00:16:56 a new cover to get your attention and trust. And Jack and I call it espionage advertising. It's risky because producing good content is pricey. And again, they barely show their logo anywhere. But, but, but, but if it works like a spy, you can achieve your true objective, subtly marketing to them. Like James Bond, brands establish a cover, they develop access, they gain trust, and then they go in for the kill. So to earn free marketing views, besties, ad teams are like double agents. And for Roomies, Roommies, Roommies, they're going to go in for the kill in season two.

Starting point is 00:17:36 Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for the new Friday? Taco Bell is the only fast food business growing right now because they launch twice as many products this year as they ever have. Taco Bell, they don't create, they remix. They're DJs, not musicians. For our second story, Hurtstock jumped yesterday. On news, they're now using Amazon to sell their used rental cars. It's a reminder that every business really makes money in at least three different ways.

Starting point is 00:18:02 And our third and final story is built. It's the low-key, almost silent producer behind a popular comedy series on social media called Roommies. We call it espionage marketing, and this is the new ad hack. But Yeties, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today. First, stocks fell for a fourth straight day on Wednesday. The reason, AI bubble burst in concerns. MIT published a report that 95% of corporate tests to use generative AI have failed.

Starting point is 00:18:34 And our economy and our stock market right now are riding on the backs of a huge AI investments nationwide. If AI isn't what it's panned out to be, we're due for a huge correction. So investors, they've been cashing out. And second, Target just named their new CEO who started as an intern 22 years ago. Mark Fidelke was a senior at Northwestern University. he graduated with a degree in finance in 2003. The fighting wildcats. But that's when he got a summer internship gig at Target.

Starting point is 00:19:03 22 years later, he's now the top wildcat of Target. He's the top dog. But he's got a tough job as the CEO. He needs to make Target targe again. Yeah, the stock is down 62% from its all-time high. And finally, Laboooo Boo-Boo, the little monster dolls, they are only accelerating and we just got the numbers to prove it. Get this, Pop Mart, the maker of Laboo-Boo-Boo-Dolls, said revenue is up

Starting point is 00:19:26 200% and profits pop 400% in just the first half of the year. You just ordered one on Cheyenne because we want one dangling from your IV Birken bag thing, right? Yeah, yeah, I've got my blood bag of Birken right here, my Air May's IV. And yeah, the Labu-Boo doll arrives on Friday, Jack. I'm excited. We got to unbox it on the pod. All right, I ordered six of them. Now, time for the best fact yet. This one whipped up by Jack, because we had so many questions and comments about our Marvel episode yesterday. Yeah, so we did that story yesterday about marble quarries. Ah, Italian marble.

Starting point is 00:19:59 So I ended up in a deep Wikipedia rabbit hole. And I discovered that my favorite stone-based product, the Brooklyn Bridge, do you know where that stone came from? I know you're a granite guy. I know you're a granite guy, Jack. So where did it come from? Where did the Brooklyn Bridge stone come from? Not Vermont.

Starting point is 00:20:14 No, not New Hampshire. Uh-huh. But the place I'm going to be vacationing at in two weeks. In Maine. Vinyl Haven, Maine. Yes. A place I used to vacation at, they have three granite cores. there that you can swim at.

Starting point is 00:20:27 And that's where the Brooklyn Bridge originally came from. It all comes full circle. Two years ago, you read a book about the Brooklyn Bridge. Now you're going on vacation where the bridge was really born. And I'm going to swim where the Brooklyn Bridge used to be. I'm just going to shed a deer right now. Yeties, you look fantastic. Oh, one second.

Starting point is 00:20:47 Taco Bell just launched a giant burrito rib mix sandwich thing. Oh, my God. That's like the third one this month. Yetis, you look fantastic. You look fantastic. And if you're a new Yetty, Jack and I have a quick request for you. Fill out the new listener survey.

Starting point is 00:21:02 The link is in our show notes. It takes two minutes. We love getting to know you. And Jack and I, we'll see you as always tomorrow. And before we go, a shout out to our talent agents, Oren Rosenbaum and Rebecca Steinberg from UTA, who were just listed on the Hollywood Reporter's Podcast Power Players list. Congrats, guys.

Starting point is 00:21:24 Although, if they were really doing their job, we'd be on that list, too. Jokes. Jokes, jokes. And Lila Adler, down in Venice Beach, California, just got a dream job with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Congrats Lila. L.A. 2028, Lila will be there. And Chloe Zohie's turning 12 years old. Congratulations in Chicago doing logistics.

Starting point is 00:21:45 Happy birthday to Rico Garcia in Austin, Texas, who's walking their dog Paloma right now to some T-Boy. Oh, is a good boy. And Caruso Pachele's turning one-year-old, just outside Boston, rocking that T-boy-1-Z, Caruso, yellow. look fantastic. And a big shout out to Brooke Morgan, who got a new job in San Diego, California. And all those Detroit teachers who are coming back to school, congratulations, welcome back. Happy 10-year work anniversary to Courtney Reber in Orlando, Florida, who's also celebrating a five-year T-boy anniversary. Love that bestie. And Cat and Tyler enjoy the anniversary in the dry heat of Phoenix, Arizona. Happy 11-year anniversary to Ryan and Tia Brooks in Houston, Texas. And Juan LaFeld in

Starting point is 00:22:27 Miami, Florida is just having the best day yet. And to anyone else you celebrating something today, make it a tee boy. Celebrate the wins. This is Jack. I own stock of Amazon and Kava, and Nick and I both own stock in Chipotle.

The Best One Yet - 🥸 “Espionage Advertising” — Bilt’s comedy series. Taco Bell’s everything plan. Hertz’s Amazon deal. +Summer Song Recession.

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