Business Wars

The fast food industry is raking it in, but they still have to feed the beast. We bite into how they create hype in order to boost sales and capture our ever-scattered attention, before we drive on past them. On this episode, we're joined by Heather Haddon, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and comedian and writer Josh Gondelman.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's 1984 and Taco Bell CEO John Martin's looking for a fight. The PepsiCo-owned chain might be America's número uno when it comes to Mexican fast-food, but growth is tepid. So Martin's on a mission to convince a skeptical nation to put down their Big Macs and eat tacos and burritos instead.But even as Taco Bell goes all out to disrupt the fast-food status quo, a young chef with a burrito habit is rustling up a different business recipe that will shake fast-food to its foundations.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!Podium - Get started for free at Podium.com/bw. Or sign up for a paid Podium account and get a free credit card reader. Restrictions apply.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s safe to say that Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun are…never, ever, getting back together. Taking us inside their battle is Chris Willman, senior music writer at Variety, who’s covered Taylor since her early days as an up-and-coming young artist on the country music scene.Later, we’ll dive into the growing artist labor movement with Damon Krukowski, the drummer for the late 80s indie band Galaxie 500. Damon shares how the band bought back its masters from their label and why most bands aren’t as fortunate. He’s also breaking down the impact of streaming on musicians' pocketbooks, and what smaller artists are doing to advocate for their rights.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By 2019, Taylor Swift's battle to get her masters back from Scooter Braun has gone public. She decides to fight by deploying her own, very dangerous weapon -- the Swifties. And Braun pulls out all the stops to protect his $300 million asset.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!ZipRecruiter - Make the hiring process easier by trying ZipRecuriter for free by going to ziprecruiter.com/bwSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By 2014, Taylor Swift has spread her wings into pop. But as her self-confidence grows, so does her discontent with her label. So she makes a bold move. Meanwhile, mega-manager Scooter Braun sees a business opportunity in Swift's early masters. The problem is, Swift has serious beef with Braun and his clients. And when she finds out about his plan, it'll be all out war.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!Policygenius - Head to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While music streaming platforms have exploded, many critics argue the status quo isn't working for artists. We're taking a deep dive into the music industry, exploring the relationship between artists, labels, fans and the internet. On this episode, we're joined by music journalists Brittany Spanos, senior staff writer at Rolling Stone, and Naima Cochrane, a music and culture journalist and a former record label executive at some of the industry’s biggest outlets.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Taylor Swift signed to an upstart country label as a teen, she probably didn't realize that she was signing away the rights to something she would spend decades getting back -- her masters. Swift’s fight for her $300 million master recordings is a scrimmage that could reshuffle the entire business model of the music industry. But first, Swift has to make it big. And that's a one-in-a-million shot.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!ZipRecruiter - Make the hiring process easier by trying ZipRecuriter for free by going to ziprecruiter.com/bwSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can the former crown jewel of Hollywood keep up in the age of the streaming giants? To understand Paramount’s future, you’ve got to understand its past. So today, we’re throwing it back with Doug Herzog, a former executive at Paramount’s parent company Viacom. Doug greenlit some of cable’s biggest shows. South Park, anyone? He now hosts Basic, a podcast about the time when cable was cool.Later, we’ll check in on what’s in store for Paramount going forward with Matt Belloni. He’s a founding member of the entertainment industry newsletter Puck, and host of The Town from The Ringer, a podcast that goes behind-the-scenes in Hollywood.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!Podium - Get started for free at Podium.com/bw. Or sign up for a paid Podium account and get a free credit card reader. Restrictio

It’s Christmas 1993. The bidding war for Paramount is underway and QVC is far out in front.But Viacom owner Sumner Redstone’s not giving in. He’s trying to engineer a merger with Blockbuster that will arm him with the billions he needs to catch up with QVC.But Blockbuster chairman Wayne Huizenga isn’t about to roll over, and with the deadline for final offers approaching, Redstone’s almost out of time.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!ZipRecruiter - Make the hiring process easier by trying ZipRecuriter for free by going to ziprecruiter.com/bwSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s the fall of 1993 and Viacom owner Sumner Redstone thinks he’s got Paramount all sown up.But QVC chief Barry Diller is about to launch a counter-strike and ignite an all-out war for control of the movie and publishing giant.And as the fight intensifies, both men are depending on their partners to have their back. But they’re about to find their back-up isn’t as solid as they think.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s summer 1993 and QVC boss Barry Diller is ready to pull the trigger on his hostile takeover to buy Paramount.But he’s about to find he's got an enemy in his ranks who’s playing both sides.And while Diller tries to get his bid back on track, Paramount chairman Martin Davis is getting cosy with another suitor – Diller’s pal and Viacom owner, Sumner Redstone.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!ZipRecruiter - Make the hiring process easier by trying ZipRecuriter for free by going to ziprecruiter.com/bwSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Streaming services are having to get creative to keep our attention amid a sea of competition — from big-screen movies to video games to each other. On this episode, we're joined by Matt Patches, Deputy editor at Vox Media’s Polygon and Clay Keller, host and producer of the ScreenDrafts podcast to look at stories about the TV and movie business from our sister show, Business Wars Daily.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s early 1993 and television’s about to make a quantum leap into a multi-channel world where viewers can access movies from the comfort of their own sofa.But with Hollywood’s movie studios set to clean up in this new world, every media player wants a film factory to call their own.Including Hollywood hot-shot Barry Diller. And he wants to get on the ground floor of the revolution by buying Paramount – the studio he used to run.But to succeed he’ll need to first defeat his old boss – Paramount chairman Martin Davis.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!Podium - Get started for free at Podium.com/bw. Or sign up for a paid Podium account and get a free credit card reader. Restrictions apply.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gucci and Louis Vuitton are still the crème de la crème in high fashion. But between shifting consumer values, TikTok and Gen Z, these brands have a lot of work to do to keep up — if they don’t want to end up sooo last season.It’s a glamorous world in the middle of a transformation. That’s why we invited Rachel Tashjian, Fashion News Director at Harper’s Bazaar, back to Business Wars to walk us down the runway. She joined us for our season on Fast Fashion, and now she’s introducing us to the world of haute couture.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!ZIPRECRUITER - Try it for free at ziprecruiter.com/BWSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bernard Arnault makes his move to buy Gucci, but Domenico De Sole fights back with everything he’s got, making a surprisingly worthy adversary for the so-called Wolf in Cashmere. But in an effort to stave off Arnault’s advances, De Sole makes a deal with a devil. And both Louis Vuitton and Gucci have to deal with the aftershocks of designers who defined their brands for years departing the companies. How each brand responds to the shake-up determines the future of their success.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!Zapier - Try Zapier for free! Go to Zapier.com/BWSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maurizio Gucci is out, and now for the first time since its founding, Gucci isn’t being run by a Gucc.i. At the top is CEO Domenico De Sole and his right hand man is exciting young fashion designer Tom Ford. Together the two of them make Gucci the hottest fashion and accessory company in the world.Over at Louis Vuitton, Bernard Arnault wants in on the action. He hires his own young, hip designer, Marc Jacobs to oversee Louis Vuitton’s expansion into ready-to-wear clothing. But when Jacobs gets off to a rough start and Gucci’s stock drops due to an economic crisis in Asia, Arnault decides if he can’t beat Gucci, maybe it’s time to buy them.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!ZIPRECRUITER - Try it for free at ziprecruiter.com/BWSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https:/

Now merged with luxury drinks company Moët Hennessy, Louis Vuitton finds itself being squeezed out, overpowered in the merger. In an attempt to regain control, Louis Vuitton’s CEO forms an alliance with Bernard Arnault, one of France’s most ambitious businessmen. Louis Vuitton hopes that Arnault will serve as an ally, but Arnault didn’t get the nickname the “Wolf in Cashmere” for nothing.Meanwhile, Maurizio Gucci finally has full control of Gucci and is desperate to rebrand the company and reclaim its exclusive image. But investors grow impatient with Maurizio’s reckless spending and irresponsible closureof revenue streams, endangering his position as CEO.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!Podium - Get started for free at Podium.com/bw. Or sign up for a paid Podium account and get a free credit card reader. Rest

Big fashion brands are trying to diversify their customer base, and also lure consumers to tailored in-person shopping experiences — but it doesn't always go as planned. On this episode, we're joined by Alana Hope Levinson, a freelance culture writer and editor and host of the west coast style podcast “Free Validation” — and comedian Megan Gailey, who’s performed on Conan and The Tonight Show and who hosts the podcast “I Love A Lifetime Movie.” We're looking at stories about the evolving fashion landscape from our sister show, Business Wars Daily.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For decades Gucci and Louis Vuitton dominated the luxury accessory markets. Their bags and shoes were status symbols, sported by celebrities and royalty around the globe. But by the 1970s both companies were struggling. Louis Vuitton was being run by the great-grandsons of the company’s founder. They were risk-averse, unwilling to make any changes. And the heirs of the founder of Gucci were fighting over the direction of the business. Maurizio Gucci, the founder’s grandson,can’t get his family on board with his vision, leaving the company stagnant.But when both companies get new leaders, these family-run companies are poised to become global mega-brands… and the two businesses are now on a collision course in their quest to become the largest luxury accessory brands in the world.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponso

Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s revolutionized the ice cream industry by raising the standard for the frozen treat and pioneering new styles and flavors. Now, new ice cream mavericks are on the scene, raising both the caliber and cost of pints.Be prepared to get hungry as food journalist Charlotte Druckman walks us through the artisanal, ultra-premium ice cream scene, which she documented in an article for Eater. Later, Pooja Bavishi, founder of the Brooklyn-based ice cream shop Malai, shares her insights on building her business — and how Malai’s unique flavors are expanding the definition of ice cream.This series was originally released as a Wondery+ Exclusive in 2021.Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!ZIPRECRUITER - Try it for free at ziprecruiter.com/BWSee Privacy Policy at https