It’s the 1980s and the American backlash against the Japanese automobile invasion is growing. With a US-Japan trade war looming, Honda and Toyota need workarounds fast. But Honda’s no longer content just selling small cars with low profit margins. It wants a piece of Mercedes and BMW’s action too. And when Honda unveils its plans, Toyota’s going to fall behind. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available...
Nov 23, 2022•36 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the 1960s and Honda’s about to speed into the car market before Japan’s government can put up legal roadblocks to stop it. Meanwhile,Toyota’s already zooming ahead. Its latest models are about to take Japan by storm and arm it with the funds it needs to make another run at the U.S.A. But to break America, Toyota and Honda will need to outmanoeuvre the auto titans of Detroit. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free l...
Nov 16, 2022•37 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 1945. Japan lies in ruins in the aftermath of World War II. The population’s starving, the cities are reduced to rubble, and the nation’s defeated. But from the war-torn wreckage, two motor giants are about to rise. The first is Toyota. It’s the brainchild of Kiichiro Toyoda, the big-dreaming son of a wealthy industrialist who wants to create Japan’s answer to Ford. But the other contender must travel a harder road. Its founder Soichiro Honda is a poor boy from the sticks and his only resou...
Nov 09, 2022•38 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast We're tracking the seismic shifts in the car industry from scarce car chips to the impact of inflation. On this episode, we're joined by Wall Street Journal reporter Sean McLain and comedian Kurt Braunohler, who's just released the new comedy special " Perfectly Stupid ." 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 ...
Nov 03, 2022•43 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Are you Team Taco Bell or Team Chipotle? The two fast food giants are competing for the hearts (and stomachs) of their consumers, as well as the coveted Gen Z market. On today’s show, Mary Meisenzahl, a fast food reporter from Business Insider joins us to weigh in on which brand is pulling ahead. She’ll also share her experience touring Taco Bell’s famous test kitchen. Later, SFGate reporter Andrew Pridgen brings us to the street in Bakersfield, California where fast food chains debut their new ...
Nov 02, 2022•38 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast It's 2009 and with its 50th anniversary closing in fast, Taco Bell is hunting for ways to reconnect with the young people who gobble up most of the nation's fast food. But with the new wave of fast-food chains led by Chipotle challenging legacy brands like McDonald's and Taco Bell, the taco king needs something that can capture the imagination of the Instagram generation. But while Taco Bell seeks social media likes, Chipotle's about to take a major fall as a spate of food poisoning sickens its ...
Oct 26, 2022•37 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast It's the late '90s and Chipotle founder Steve Ells is using McDonald's millions to make his burrito chain a national giant. But as he scales up, he finds himself looking for a way to escape the fast-food machine he's hitched a ride on. But while Chipotle gathers speed, Taco Bell's hoping to keep its diners hooked with help from its own twist on Mountain Dew and less messy food options. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad ...
Oct 19, 2022•37 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast It's the 1950s and just down the road from the original McDonald's in San Bernardino, a Californian entrepreneur named Glen Bell is chasing a fast-food fortune. But with the burger wars heating up, Bell embarks on a bold venture to turn the taco from an exotic mystery into a fast-food munchie that could give the burger a run for its money. And when he finally decides to cash out and sell Taco Bell, the nation's food conglomerates will be fighting tooth and nail to buy it. Binge all episodes earl...
Oct 12, 2022•35 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ep...
Oct 05, 2022•36 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Sep 29, 2022•37 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Sep 28, 2022•36 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast 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 - Mak...
Sep 21, 2022•33 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast 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. A...
Sep 14, 2022•32 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 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, earl...
Sep 07, 2022•36 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Sep 01, 2022•39 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast 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 foundi...
Aug 31, 2022•39 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast 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, ea...
Aug 24, 2022•37 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast 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 a...
Aug 17, 2022•38 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Availabl...
Aug 10, 2022•36 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 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 – Paramou...
Aug 03, 2022•36 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jul 28, 2022•40 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast 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 wo...
Jul 27, 2022•37 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast 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 episod...
Jul 20, 2022•41 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jul 13, 2022•40 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast 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 recl...
Jul 06, 2022•40 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 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 fa...
Jun 30, 2022•40 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast 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 o...
Jun 29, 2022•41 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jun 22, 2022•37 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast It's the year 2000 and Ben & Jerry's is under new ownership. But as promises that were made before the sale get broken, employees wonder if the brand's values can survive the new regime. Meanwhile, Häagen-Dazs finds itself wrestling with how to move with the times while staying true to the brand's values. But while the super-premium brands are soul searching, a plucky Los Angeles start-up is about to churn up the ice cream market. This series was originally released as a Wondery+ Exclusive i...
Jun 15, 2022•28 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast It's 1998 and Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's are now tasty targets in the global ice cream war between Unilever and Nestlé. As these multi-billion-dollar consumer goods giants move in, the U.S. ice cream market enters a state of churn. Enemies turn to allies, friends become foes, alliances shatter, and dreams get crushed. 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 exclusi...
Jun 08, 2022•28 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast 
