Monopoly: the game that taught you to ruthlessly bankrupt your friends and family, one hotel at a time. With 250 million copies sold worldwide, ⅔ of American homes have a copy. But you probably don't know its shocking origin story: Monopoly rewards runaway greed — but was originally created by a feminist to teach about the evils of economic inequality. It was a financial flop…but an underground hit when a down-on-his-luck salesman claimed it as his own, making more moolah than Rich Uncle Pe...
Feb 04, 2025•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast What’s keeping us up at night (besides our own thoughts)? An 8.4-oz blue-and-silver can of caffeine, taurine, sugar, and flavoring that’s part LaCroix, part Robitussin. Red Bull is not only America’s best-selling energy drink, it was its first: before the Bull, ‘energy drink’ in Illinois meant two Diet Cokes and a coffee chaser. But Red Bull’s reach is global, and its story actually begins halfway around the world. Learn about the Bangkok pharmacy owner who invented Red Bull, then gave it out fo...
Jan 28, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast This one guitar didn’t just change music — it permanently cranked it up to 11. From Buddy Holly’s crisp riffs to Jimi Hendrix’s flaming solos (literally, he lit one on fire), the Fender Stratocaster is the most iconic electric guitar of all time. It inspired the Beatles AND Eric Clapton, became the axe of choice for everything from punk rock to reggae, and cemented itself as the foundation of America's $2 billion guitar industry. But the Strat’s journey begins in a ramshackle workshop of an unli...
Jan 21, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast French fries and pesto? Mango and sticky rice? Ice cream and olive oil?! Real ones know when it comes to surprisingly perfect food combos, nothing tops chocolate and peanut butter (or is it peanut butter and chocolate?) - best showcased by America’s top selling candy… Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. That distinct blend of milk chocolate and salty peanut butter was the result of a (happy) factory accident and a down-on-his-luck frog salesman (true story). HB Reese had 14 mouths to feed but beat the o...
Jan 14, 2025•43 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Pop quiz: What’s the longest-running video game in history? It’s not Pac-Man or Donkey Kong or even Pong… it’s The Oregon Trail. A true pioneer (and we don’t just mean the ones in the covered wagons), the Oregon Trail has sold more than 65 million copies (that’s more than the Beatles’ White Album) and it spawned an “edu-tainment” industry now worth over $6B. But this wholesome game was created by three Minnesota student teachers, without a single thought towards making money… which is exact...
Jan 07, 2025•46 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast When you hear the name Swatch, you may picture an affordable wristwatch with neon bands, a pop-art face, and an invite to the Middle School dance. But this humble plastic timepiece played a huge role in geopolitics: the Swatch saved the entire Swiss watch industry from something called the “Quartz Crisis.” Rolex is only thriving today as a luxury product because Swatch pulled off a James Bond-level rescue operation. Thanks to the big strategic bet of a consultant named Nicolas Hayek, Swatch beca...
Dec 31, 2024•46 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Click… That satisfying sound of Lego bricks has brought joy to millions of kids - and adults (kidults?) for more than 70 years. But did you know it all started in a Danish carpenter's workshop during WWII? And that boxes of Lego were used to smuggle grenades to resistance fighters? Today, family-owned Lego is the biggest toy company on earth, but this plastic empire almost came tumbling down more than once. Lego dodged disasters (four fires), product mis-steps (bangle bracelets?), and some spect...
Dec 24, 2024•45 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast PEZ - the fruity, sugary tablets dispensed from your favorite cartoon character’s neck conjure up sweet childhood memories of swapping and collecting dispensers. (I’ll trade you my red Power Ranger for your Pikachu) But when these Austrian-born sweets hit the candy aisle almost 100 years ago, they had a seriously adult mission: Help people quit smoking. Yep, PEZ was essentially Juul before Juul, minus the toxic side effects. But when PEZ came to America, it shed that medicinal past to become a j...
Dec 17, 2024•47 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast It’s simply the most popular sneaker in history. With $7B in annual sales today, Nike and Michael Jordan’s shoe deal changed sports, fashion and marketing forever - But it never would’ve happened without skilled negotiating by MJ’s Mom. Originally banned by the NBA, Air Jordans have sold hundreds of millions of pairs, made Michael Jordan worth almost $2 billion (that’s why he always has a cigar), and saved the entire Nike company.. Find out how Nike rewrote the rules on celebrity endorsements, w...
Dec 10, 2024•47 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the OG of instant photography — It paved the way for the iPhone, inspired Instagram, and fills every photo album on your parents’ bookshelf. Polaroid became a fave of world-class artists like Ansel Adams and Andy Warhol, but did you know its inventor, Edwin Land, actually got the original idea from his 3-year-old daughter? Find out how Polaroid and rival, Kodak, went from friends to frenemies… why Steve Jobs was obsessed with this company… and why Polaroid is the best idea yet. FYI: If...
Dec 03, 2024•46 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Break out the bubbly, turn on the jets, and hop into our Hot Tub Time Machine: we’re going back to the origins of the Jacuzzi. The world’s most iconic whirlpool has become a symbol of status and luxury—think Scarface’s bathtub. But its roots are humble, starting with a family of seven Italian immigrant brothers. Over three generations, they pivoted one technology from airplanes to agriculture to the 1st-ever modern hot tub. It’s also the story of overcoming tragedies, and a devoted father trying...
Nov 26, 2024•46 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast What do Old West gold miners, biker gangs and Marilyn Monroe all have in common? The same pair of jeans…Invented by a down-on-his-luck immigrant tailor in the 1870s, this classic riveted pant launched a global denim market worth over $70B. How? By teaming up with Levi Strauss & Co., a Gold Rush-era startup that became the most popular clothing brand in America. (Fact: Levi’s won a popularity contest over Nike, Adidas, and Old Navy.) — And it all began with the 501s. Find out how the original...
Nov 19, 2024•46 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Chances are you’ve got a bottle of Sriracha chilling in your fridge right now, but have no idea who invented it — or the spicy story of how he made it happen. Entrepreneur David Tran fled Vietnam in the late 70s, smuggling gold bars into the US to start his venture - selling hot sauce out of a van. Little did he know his thick, spicy red jalapeño concoction would make him the world’s first hot sauce billionaire…without ever spending a single dollar on advertising (FYI: Kraft dropped $750M on mar...
Nov 12, 2024•46 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast The Jeep isn’t just a car, it’s a cult: inspiring clubs, meetups, even its own “Jeep Wave.” From cameos in M*A*S*H to Mean Girls, the Jeep’s been ranked the most patriotic brand in America for 20-straight years (sorry, Coke). But did you know that Jeep actually started as a group project? Learn how three fiercely competitive rivals came together for some emergency teamwork to help Allied Forces win WWII, how a freelance designer almost didn’t get the credit, and how its name was (maybe) inspired...
Nov 05, 2024•42 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast The Birkenstock Arizona has adorned famous feet from John Lennon’s to Steve Jobs’ to Barbie’s—but the brand itself is older than America, and has gone through more eras than Taylor Swift (plus, won over just as many haters). From a cobbler’s shop in 18th-century Germany to KendaIl Jenner’s Insta feed, this 250-year old shoe brand has found staying power by embracing both 5-star…and 1-star reviews. Learn how an obsessed family of shoemakers created the most comfortable sandal ever, and how an imm...
Oct 29, 2024•45 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Mario isn’t just the most beloved plumber in history - he’s the most successful video game character of all time. With over 800 million games sold, Mario and his brother Luigi have “wahoo-ed” their way into multiple spinoffs, (Mario Kart sesh anyone?) Hollywood blockbusters… even their own amusement park. But the Super Mario Bros. origin story will surprise you like a rogue turtle shell: It features Donkey Kong, Popeye, and an artist from a forest in Kyoto. Find out how an ang...
Oct 22, 2024•42 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast The Happy Meal is the most successful meal in human history. With over 35 billion units sold, or about four for every person on Earth, McDonald’s iconic “Food and Fun in a Box” has also made the company a bigger toy distributor than Hasbro or Mattel (and maybe even Santa). But few know the Happy Meal’s contested origin story. Was the creator a mom of five in Guatemala, an ad man from Kansas City, or a forgotten franchise called “Burger Chef”? Spoiler, it wasn’t Grimace. Hear how McDonald’s perfe...
Oct 15, 2024•42 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts starting October 15th. Listen early and ad-free on Wondery+ starting October 8th. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Oct 08, 2024•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
