The Best One Yet - 🍫 “How KitKat won Japan” — KitKat’s Omiyage strategy. Humane’s iPhone killer. Hot Strike Summer’s sequel.

Episode Date: November 13, 2023

Tickets to TBOY Live in San Francisco here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shack15-live-the-best-one-yet-tickets-755859846147Why were $250K of Japanese KitKats just stolen? Because KitKat is a coveted collectible in Japan — KitKat makes over 300 unique flavors that you can only get in specific Japanese towns.Inspired by a Buddhist monk, Humane just unveiled its iPhone killer — Can this hands-free smart device be the post-phone future?And every strike we can think of is now over — But after Hot Strike Summer, comes the sequel: Jealous Job January.$HSY $NSRGY $AAPL $UPS $DISSubscribe to our newsletter: tboypod.com/newsletterWant merch, a shoutout, or got TheBestFactYet? Go to: www.tboypod.comFollow The Best One Yet on Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok: @tboypodAnd now watch us on Youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Nick. This is Jack. Welcome back. It is Monday, a big Monday, November 13th. And today's pod, it is the best one yet. It's a T-Boy. We are launching something today, Nick. Oh, we are launching something.

By the way, Jack, how was your friends giving over the weekend, man? The brisket? I was curious. It was pulled pork brisket. What kind of meat we were working with? It was delectable. Do you save me a thigh? You're supposed to save me a thigh.

I saved you some call slot. I appreciate that. But we do have some big news, Jack. So let's get things going. What's our first story? for today's show. For our first story, how did England's Kit Kat become the number one best-selling candy in Japan? Thanks to extreme localization by giving every Japanese city their very own Kit Kat flavor. For our second story, Hot Strike Summer is officially over. Every strike we can think

of has finished. So if 2023 was all about strikes, then 2024 will be all about jealousy. For our third and final story, inspired by a Buddhist monk. One tech startup just launched a product to kill the iPhone. Could you Main's hands-free smart device be the post phone future? We'll tackle that in our takeaway. Yes, we will. But Yeties, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories. What? A mix of stories and what a big day, Jack.

Nick and I have some big news. Because this is a big day. Here's our announcement. We are hosting our first ever live T-boy show. Our first ever live T-Boy taping. Come on down and watch us record the best one yet in person. Yiddies, come on down and watch us hit our three stories in real life. The studio audience.

Live. The takeaways. Live. The cookie Kris? Oh, it's going to be alive, man. People, you want to prepare? You got an example for us, Jack? I'm saving it for the show.

And Yeties, we are bringing besties and yeties up on stage, too. You could literally be on this podcast. Here are the details. The date, Jack. Wednesday, November 29th, doors open at 5.30 p.m. The location? At Shaq 15 in San Francisco's iconic ferry building. And the promise?

It will be the best one yet. Tickets are going on sale today. I'm sorry, one second. The tickets are on sale right now, Jack. We have a link in the episode description. You should buy yours now. 20 bucks a pop. Same price is a double-digit latte.

So bring your date Dahlene to this event. Bring your buddy named Timmy. Hey, Zuck, if you're listening, we'd love to have you in the audience. too. Even if you end up copying our show. Yeties, if you happen to be in the Bay Area on Wednesday, November 29th. Besties, if you can cross the Golden Gate Bridge on Wednesday, November 29th. Then buy tickets now. We got a link in this episode description. Buy tickets now. We threw up a link on Instagram at T-Boy Pod. This is not going to be our last live T-boy show. But since it's our first T-boy live show, it's definitely our best T-boy live show. This will be the best one yet. Can't wait to see you there. Jack, I can't wait to see you there.

I can't wait to see you. This is going to be fantastic. I'm going to give you a huge hug in front of all this audience. We need to pause the pod for like five minutes. We're going to be so crumped to see each other up there. Yeah, it's going to be fantastic. Grab your tickets now. Jack, let's hit on three stars.

Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the Northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea to cause a cultural storm. It's the best one yet, but 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. Start the show. For our first story, a wild tale about a Japanese Kit Kat robbery has led Jack and I down a wild path. We have to tell you the extreme growth hack that made Kit Kat the number one candy in Japan. But yet, as in order to tell the story, we have to tell you what that New York Times headline was this past weekend. $250,000 of Japanese Kit Katz were just stolen in America. Um, why? That's a good way, but I did.

It's because Japanese Kit Katz are a collector's item. Um, why? Do you have five minutes? Yeah, I did. Go back 23 years. Let's do it, Jack. Yeties, the year is 2000. Kit Kat is being sold by Hershey's in America and by Nestle outside of America.

And Kit Kat was losing in the Island-Nate. of Japan. Now, we're talking about Kit Kat here, besties. Kit Kat, you know, the chocolate, the wafer, the four flaky bars. Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar. Boom, couldn't have said it better. But yet he's Nestle realized it was behind badly in Japan. So Nestle started to study its Japanese customers. And here's what Nestle observed. They noticed a Japanese tradition known as Omiyage. Omiyage. The Japanese tradition of buying local mementos while traveling to bring back to your friends and family. It's often something edible you bring back for your family. Now, Nestle saw that and they recognized an opportunity. And they recognized a challenge. Can we make a Kit Kat for every single

Japanese hometown? Like a unique Kit Kat? It's like they sat in the corporate meeting and they were like, this is a little crazy. But could we make a Kit Kat for every town in Japan? So over the next 15 years, Nestle did that. Yeah, yet he's Nestle launched the most ambitious customizations. project Jack and I have ever seen. Nestle created more than 300 different Kit Kat varieties, a different one for each Japanese hometown based on their own local flavors. Sit down, stand up, and take another bite. Kit Kat literally baked unique Kit Kat flavors for 300 different Japanese communities. For example, Okinawa Island? Well, they got their own purple Ube sweet potato flavored Kit Kat. How about the prefecture of Miyagi? Ah, they got their own

yogurt rice sake flavored kidcat. A small town outside of Kyoto has their own kit cat. Oh yeah. What was that flavor? Hojicha Green Tea Kit Kat. Jack, I know you like chestnut trees, right? Like you're a fan of chestnut trees? The American chestnut tree specifically. Well, that's a good point. But I dove in tea boy style on your behalf. There is a rare chestnut tree on the island of Hokkaido in Japan where it's snowy. They've got their own unique chestnut flavored Kit Kat. The Japanese, The Japanese are known for their chestnut trees. I do prefer the American one, but Japan has great chestnut trees next. Yetis, I already know Jack's Christmas gift. This is like if New Orleans had a Cajun shrimp-flavored Kit Kat, but you could only get it on Bourbon Street. It's so niche. It's like selling a locks flavored Kit Kat, but you can only get it on the Upper West Side in New York.

Yetis, Kit Kat then realized that there was huge value in restricting the sales of each of these flavors to each of the different regions. That exclusivity drove even more demand. for your local Kit Kat flavor. Oh, and then what's the best part, Jack? Kit Kat doesn't have an expiration date. Right. So a collection of all 300 Japanese Kit Kat varieties, that'd be worth a lot of money.

And that is why $250,000 of Japanese Kit Katz was just stolen in America. If you see a full collection of Japanese Kit Katz on eBay, we found the thief. Kit Kat, it's like the crypto of candy. So, Jack, can you break us off a piece of that takeaway over there for our buddies over at Kit Kat? Every successful growth hack begins with an observation.

So, Yetis, we know what you're wondering here. Did Kit Kat's extreme localization strategy? Did it actually work? You could say that, Nick. Yeah, it did. By 2012, Kit Kat was the number one chocolate in Japan. By 2014, Kit Kat was the number one candy in Japan. Customizing Kit Kat flavors for each of the 300 biggest cities in a foreign country very far away.

Look, Yetis, it works, but that is an expensive and a risky. growth strategy, isn't it, Jack? They needed their own assembly line for each of the 300 flavors. That is costly. But that is why Jack and I think the real growth hack here wasn't the customization. It was the observation. Nestle recognized that Japanese custom we told you about Omiage. Nestle observed Japan's tradition of sharing mementos of where you're from. That recognition and that observation is what led to Kit Kat's extreme localization strategy over in Japan. And that observation is how KitKat growth hacked its way to number one in Japan. See, you had five minutes. We told you the story. For our second story, it's official. The Summer of Strikes, Hot Strike Summer, is completely over.

But 2024 will be a sequel of this year. It'll be even bigger. And we're calling it jealous January. So, Yeties, we just got word which Hollywood shows and movies are going to resume production first. You ready for this? Gladiator, starring Denzel Washington. That's exciting. That's a top priority for Warner Brothers. Yep. And over at HBO, they're prioritizing White Lotus 3.

Oh, where's that going to be, Jack? Thailand. Oh, that's a top priority for HBO. And how about Fast in the Furious 26? I heard Vin Diesel's like already in the gym pumping away on the iron, Jack. Yeah, it is the reason we're talking about new movies again is because the Hollywood strikes are finally over. Finally, we can go and shave Vin Diesel's head.

Get him out there on the pavement again. But Nick, there's a bigger story than just the Hollywood strikes. Yeah, there is Jack. And that bigger story, Eddie's, is that the year of the strike is completely over. Nick and I just created a list. Every major strike of 2023 is over. So it's time to look at the scoreboard and see how things ended up. Let's kick it off, Jack.

Just the threat of a UPS worker strike earned huge pay gains for UPS delivery guys. If you're wearing Brown, you can make up to $175,000. year by the end of this new contract. And over in the car industry, the United Auto Workers, they won, didn't they, Jack? They got a 25% pay raise and increases if inflation happens. Well, let's head over to the healthcare industry, Kaiser Permanente. They were facing a strike from like nurses and doctors, right? Kaiser Permanente's healthcare workers got a 21% pay increase after they striked. Over in Las Vegas, hospitality workers got significant pay raises every year for the next five years, just in time for the adult concerts. And that's just a just. And that's just

on land. Can we talk about what happened in the air? Yeties, American Airlines pilots up at 30,000 feet, they got a 46% pay raise as well. Oh, don't forget about the Hollywood riders. They got what they call an exceptional deal that protects them from AI. Yep, artificial intelligence. It can't replace Nancy Myers. So it looks like unions absolutely crushed it with their strikes or their threats to strike this past year. All right, so Jack, let's whip out the scoreboard here, check the numbers. How did these gains by unions compare to the rest of the workforce? The average U.S. worker, which is mostly non-unionized, got a 4.3% raise in the past year.

But the unions we just mentioned got a 5 to 11% wage gain or more guaranteed for years to come. Plus big benefits and big job guarantees. Jack, when my UPS delivery guy dropped off a package the other day, the person he was delivering to propose to him. Because he's that eligible. It was like the third proposal he's gotten this week. On Tinder, just added your profile. I deliver packages for UPS. I might marry the guy.

So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies who are everyone not in a union? The year of the strike is over. But a sequel, Jealous January, is coming. Yeties, sometimes the sequel is better than the original, right, Jack? Like the Dark Night. It's better than Batman begins. Well, we think that is what's coming for strikes. next year could be bigger than this year.

This year, unions flexed. And guess who noticed that flexing of union bargaining? It was the non-unionized workers. They might be jealous of their buddies over in the unions. Even though union membership has fallen for decades in America, unions right now have the most swagger they've had in 60 years. Case in point, the United Auto Workers Union, it just announced their rallying to organize workers over a Tesla

and at American factories for foreign car makers. Next year could result in a bunch of new unions getting formed. Because for the first time in decades, non-union workers are now jealous of their union buddy. The year of the strike is over, Yetis, and unions officially won. And that is why a sequel may be coming in 2024. For our third and final story, the startup Humane just unveiled an AI pin to wipe out the iPhone. Humane thinks they have the next tech revolution in their hands, and they think so because we all have phone guilt. Phone guilt. Yet he's last week, Imran Chowdry and Bethany Bonjourno revealed their baby.

This husband and wife co-founding couple created a tech baby. Their tech baby, it was actually a, it's a startup named Humane. San Francisco-based Humane is a startup with a major ambitious goal. Here's the big goal. They want to make the iPhone go accessible. They actually want to make all phones go extinct. Yeah, they do. Their vision is for a post phone era, and that era begins with the AI pin. The AI pin is the next generation tech device that they unveiled last week with an 11-minute demonstration video.

It goes on pre-order this week for 700 bucks. And if you buy it, they say you can leave your screens on your desk at home and live life screenless. Now, Jack, we just sprinkle on a little context here. There is some huge hype around this new art. artificial intelligence pin. Humane has received $240 million of venture funding. Boom. Plus partnerships with Microsoft, Salesforce, and OpenAI.

Okay, just to show you how futuristic they are yet, he's Jack. What did we notice about this startup? When I was on their website, I was like, what is this URL? This was interesting. It's hu.m.m.n. I'm sorry. I didn't know you could have them any periods in a website. Their website's just humane.

No.com, no.org, just humane. And they're building not for what the world is today. But as they say, for what the world could be tomorrow. Now, Yeti's, it's tough to describe this next generation product on an audio show. This is a podcast. It's not easy to do, right? We have limitations. But we do our best.

We do our best, Jack. Yes, we do. Now, this product is defined not by what it has, but what it doesn't have. Exactly. Because Yetis, what this product does is everything your phone does, but without a screen. This is a two-part physical device. We've got a tiny computer, the size of a matchbook, and then an equally sized battery. You put the computer on the outside of your shirt and you put the battery on the other

side of your shirt and a magnet keeps it together right there on your chest. It's like one of those I voted stickers that's on someone's chest. That's basically what this thing is going to look like. It's always going to be there on your chest. And to use it, you first tap a button and then you can speak to it, gesture with your hands, or hold your hand up in front of you. And because it projects a screen onto your palm, it's basically like a movie projector in your palm. That's right. There's a movie projector on that little device, and it will project words and images onto your hand. Okay, so it's kind of a phone because it requires a T-Mobile virus plan for $24 a month in order to call people on it.

But it also lets you live life without a phone in your hand. Like Siri or ChatGPT, it accesses the web to tell you everything that you need to know. And like an AI co-pilot, it can summarize your emails, your texts, and your voice messages, and speak to you. So you'd never have to pull your phone out. see what's going on. Besties, this thing has a camera and speakers, and you can log into a computer to see your picks and your videos that you took,

even though you never had a screen. How do we do? That's our oral presentation of this very physical product. We're open to any feedback. Or we're open to any feed forward that you may have for us. Now, Humane says that they begin shipping this product next year to those who pre-order it this week. But right now, Jack and I got a whip up a takeaway. So Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies trying to disrupt the iPhone?

phone over at Humane. If this AI pin succeeds, it's because of one thing. Phone guilt. Phone guilt. Yet is this company, apparently it had a Buddhist inspiration. Like, a Buddhist monk encouraged the founding couple to be present and stay off their phones. Nick and I wish we could be more present and stay off our phones more. Yeah, we really do.

We feel guilty. Like when the phone interrupts a precious moment we're having with our kids, we're both new dads. And like, we want those moments our kids, but we have a phone on. Nick and I have tried to reduce screen time. But the reality is, we have to have our phones. hear us, and so we pick it up. Because you know, we're responsible at adult. You gotta have a phone on you in case a family member calls or someone's knocking at the door

or the Instacart delivery is here. One sec, they're calling me, I gotta go get it. That's phone guilt. And that phone guilt is why this new device could actually succeed. Because with this AI pin, you can be present, but also be connected. You're not distracted by a screen, but you can still receive a phone call if someone has to call you. And that is why not having a screen isn't a defect.

In this case, it's actually the feature. Yetis, this new innovation is really solving for a feeling. And that feeling is phone guilt. Jack, can you whip up the takeaways for us to kick off the week? Kit Kat honored the Japanese tradition of Omiage. Now it's more popular in Japan than any other country. Because every growth hack begins with an observation. For our second story, the year of the strike is over.

Union's got big guaranteed pay raises for years to come. So Jack and I, we think a sequel is coming for 2024, from Hot Strike Summer to jealous January. And our third and final story is humane. They just unveiled their post phone tech device, the AI pin. Yeties, if this AI pin works, it's because of one thing and what is that, Jack? Phone guilt. Phone guilt. We've all felt it.

Maybe you're feeling it right now. But yeties, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today. First, according to the Census Bureau, a man. America's population is expected to begin shrinking for the first time ever by 2080. Lower birth rates and lower immigration rates means a lower number of living Americans. And second, the actor Jared Leto just became the first person to legally climb the Empire State Building. Jared Leto did that to promote his band.

Apparently, he's a rock star too. So he literally climbed the building like King Kong. We should point out, King Kong did it. That was illegal. That's why that doesn't count. That was he did not have permits. Important clarification. Thank you, Jack.

And finally, a 63-foot Norway spruce tree. Grown in West Virginia is heading over to Washington, D.C. It's the capital Christmas tree, and it's also capital Christmas creep. Yeah, it's a little early for that tree, don't you think, guys? Now, time for the best fact yet. This one whipped up by Jack and me because we found something fascinating for you. We just loved that Kit Kat story. That was a blast. We were researching that thing all weekend. That was a great Jack.

Here's one detail we found we had to share. In Japanese, there's a phrase, Kitu Katsu. Kitu Katsu. And Kitu Katsu in Japanese literally means you will surely win. Another translation is good luck. Now, you're noticing something funny here, Yiddies? The phrase Kitu Katsu sounds a lot like the word Kit Kat. So in Japan, when people say Kit Kat, it sounds like they're kind of saying good luck. Yeah, it does. And that's why in Japan, it's common to give kids, Kit Kat bars before they take an exam because it's like saying Kitu Katsu, good luck. Kit Kat, they apparently have the best possible name that they could have had in Japan, Jack.

The only more convenient translation might have been, happy birthday. Kit Kat, congratulations on incredible name translation luck. And the Oscar for most convenient translated name goes to Kit Kat. Kit Kat, congratulations. Come on, Dad. Yetis, you look fantastic to kick off the week. We cannot wait to see you in person at our first live T-Boy taping. If you're going to be in the Bay Area on November 29th and you want a T-Boy live with Nick and me,

snag some tickets by clicking the link in the episode description. We got a link right here for those tickets or check out us on Instagram at T-Boy pod. You can get the tickets right there too. Nick and I, we'll see you tomorrow. Do you know what you're going to wear? We haven't even discussed this yet, Jack. Um, would it be weird if we wore T-boy swag? No, no, no, we should totally do that.

I'm totally down. But I really like how much time you took to think about, Jack. Yeti's Kitukatsu, Jack, save me some slaw. We can't wait to see you in a couple Wednesdays. Before we go, a happy birthday to Yeti Lucas Rodin Barroso di Carvalo, who's turning 27 and graduating from college in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Congratulations to Robbie Manilow, who has a new job and getting a promotion in Austin, Texas. And Lana Wrenshaw is turning 25 with a huge part.

and her buddies in New York City. Congratulations to Gaybreed, who listens every day and just got a new job in Portland, Oregon. And Ricardo O'Siguerre, got a new job in Las Vegas, not too shabby, Ricardo. Congratulations to Lavender Logistics Corp, who's celebrating a business anniversary doing logistics just outside Chicago. And Zach Cohen is opening his very own 3,000 square foot fiscal therapy facility. Go get your knee checked out in Bethesda, Maryland. Zach, is it true that back pain could be because of my wife?

Legs? Hit us up at T-boy pie, Zach. We need some answers. Hit us up with a free consultation through our DM. Much appreciated. And to anyone else, celebrating something today, make it a T-Boy. Celebrate the wins. This is Jack.

Nick and I don't own any stocks of any of the companies we mentioned today, but we do eat Kit Katz.