How the Algorithm Decides Who Wins

This week, Oren, Ashwinn, and Jordan debate whether building a brand account is still worth it and what brands should do instead.CHAPTERS00:00 The Brandfathers are back01:38 The US Open influencer backlash10:43 Do creators need real-world expertise?15:49 Why outrage keeps winning21:54 What legacy media gets wrong about creators25:04 Your competition is the entire feed28:36 Is building a brand account still worth it?31:16 Building a creator network around your brand33:48 Good Good, Callaway, and creative freedom36:06 Why traditional agencies are falling behind42:52 Growing Sun Powder and moving faster48:17 Why everyone should start a business49:54 AI tools that actually help55:47 Threads vs. X59:54 What’s happening with TikTok?Subscribe for more conversations about brands, culture, creators, and building businesses.

The Brandfathers break down how the sponsorship bag got so big nobody's ashamed of taking it and why AI can't win the culture war it's already losing. Plus: why a top 0.5% AI user still can't explain what an agent does, and the one category that finally makes normal people care.0:00 Back after the break1:30 World Cup vibe check3:45 The open grift era6:30 Why the bags got huge7:45 OpenAI's brand trip backlash10:00 AI's two unbeatable memes12:00 AI is the new politics14:00 Nobody's adopting agents15:00 Top 0.5% can't explain it17:30 The laddering problem20:00 Health is the killer app21:50 Wearables are botching itFollow the hosts:Jordan — @jordanrogersAshwinn — @ShwinnabegobrandOren — @orenmeetsworldNewsletter: https://www.Brandfathers.orgSubscribe for unfiltered marketing breakdowns from the most trusted fathers in the game.

The CMO job became impossible this year. AI killed the work. Search killed the funnel. And the best marketers are now saying no to million-dollar offers.00:00 World Cup buzz, MIA02:45 The anti-AI vibe shift06:00 The corporate execution gap10:00 Saucony's bot-defense playbook13:40 Salomon's tiny car + Bima's van16:30 Why Messi can't sell a drink27:00 The brutal CPG launch math31:50 Bob's Red Mill killed Bob36:00 SEO is dead41:00 Why $1M won't buy a CMO44:00 The new hottest marketing hire46:30 OKC vs SpursFollow the hosts:Jordan — @jordanrogersAshwinn — @ShwinnabegobrandOren — @orenmeetsworldNewsletter: https://www.Brandfathers.orgSubscribe for unfiltered marketing breakdowns from the most trusted fathers in the game.

Nike's "walkers tolerated" ad broke aspirational marketing. Hoodie brand CMFRT is doing $1B with 10,000 creators on retainer. And if your content's flopping it's not the algorithm, your content just sucks. Inside the new marketing playbook:0:00 — Intro0:18 — Live from Dallas5:00 — Ideal home size + the Gen Z myth7:00 — Nike's "walkers tolerated" ad10:30 — Nike, Lulu & the mushy middle14:50 — Framework for staying relevant18:50 — CMFRT's billion-dollar creator army21:00 — Why big brands won't hit the gas pedal22:50 — Distribution is the new product25:30 — Under Armour blew middle America28:30 — Why your content sucks (not the algorithm)30:00 — How meta ads actually workFollow Jordan: @jordanrogersFollow Ashwinn: @ShwinnabegobrandFollow Oren: @orenmeetsworldNewsletter: https://www.Brandfathers.orgSubscribe for unfiltered marketing breakdowns from the most trusted fathers in the game.

Mercedes shipped 600 cars to Augusta, Phoebe Gates offered a creator $400 for a brand deal, and we speed-rated every Coachella billboard. Plus... is marketing being rebranded so men can do it?0:00 Masters marketing & brand activations14:30 Marketing is being masculinized22:03 Phoebe Gates' influencer lowball31:22 Threads, algorithms & creator complaining37:46 RFK launches a podcast41:40 Coachella billboard speed roundFollow the guys:@JordanRogers2626@Shwinnabego@orenmeetsworldSign up for the newsletter: https://www.Brandfathers.org

OpenAI just bought TBPN for a reported $200–300M — and almost everyone is misreading why. The Brandfathers break down what the deal actually means for new media, why 800 live viewers can outvalue 2 million, and the monetization model creators are sleeping on. Plus: the NYT called a GLP-1 dropshipper an "AI-built business," and Nike just hit an 11-year stock low.0:00 Intro0:30 TBPN acquired by OpenAI3:30 Why niche audience beats mass reach5:00 The live show model vs. traditional podcasting7:30 Speed and dedication in new media9:30 What it takes to scale a podcast11:00 Creator-in-residence: what actually works15:00 Monetizing media beyond ad reads20:00 The NASCAR ad model for creators24:00 Medvi: the $1.8B "AI-built" GLP-1 company30:00 Why journalists can't cover business35:00 Nike earnings and the 11-year low40:00 Niche brands eating Nike aliveFollow the guys:@JordanRogers2626@Shwinnabego@orenmeetsworldSubscribe to the newsletter: https://www.Brandfathers.orgSubscribe for unfiltered marketing breakdowns from the most trusted fathers in the game.

This week we break down why creators have replaced the entire PR industry — from Jordan's YouTube golf tour launch that outperformed traditional press, to Alex Earle building 500K followers before dropping a single product, to the programmatic ad fraud no one's talking about.0:00 - PR is dead0:40 - Edelman panel recap3:07 - YouTube golf tour launch7:00 - The embargo rant10:56 - Shopify's organic PR playbook13:22 - Alex Earle vs. Beyoncé18:16 - Michael Rubin's flag football spectacle24:20 - Shoptalk / Klaviyo Composer27:00 - Why brands are firing their agencies30:09 - Programmatic ad fraud exposed36:12 - Retro hardware / Brick auto-brickingAs always, thanks for watching. Let us know your feedback in the comments.Subscribe for unfiltered marketing breakdowns from the most trusted fathers in the game: ‪@orenmeetsworld‬ ‪@Shwinnabego‬ & ‪@JordanRogers2626‬Sub to our Newsletter: ⁠https://www.Brandfathers.org

Paul Graham finally admitted what marketers have known for years: we're in the Age of Brand. We break down why the founding marketer is now worth more than the engineer, why McDonald's CEO went viral for all the wrong reasons, why the Staples Baddie won't last 30 days, and the employee creator playbook no one's talking about. If you're a creative strategist, your worth has never been higher.0:00 Intro0:30 Paul Graham's "Age of Brand"4:30 Silicon Valley vs. Marketers10:00 Why Creatives Have Never Been Worth More16:30 McDonald's CEO Goes Viral (For the Wrong Reasons)22:00 Why Creators Can't Exist in Corporations25:00 The Staples Baddie Problem30:00 Ulta's Employee Creator Playbook37:00 Siloed Teams Kill Everything42:00 Expo West Goes Full Culture45:00 America's Next Top Snack50:00 Licensing Expo and What's NextAs always, thanks for watching. Let us know your feedback in the comments.Subscribe for unfiltered marketing breakdowns from the most trusted fathers in the game: ‪@orenmeetsworld‬ ‪@Shwinnabego‬ & ‪@JordanRogers2626‬Sub to our Newsletter: ⁠https://www.Brandfathers.org

We walked past an agency activation in Venice that no one was using. That kicked off a full conversation about why agencies keep selling ideas that die on arrival. Plus: the internet lost its mind over a hockey photo, designers are spiraling, and we explain why you should go news sober immediately.0:00 Intro2:02 Storytelling Hooks That Work5:48 H&R Block's $500K Green Screen9:39 VaynerMedia Made This12:00 Why Armra's Billboards Don't Work17:36 Gucci's AI Backlash23:35 Jack Hughes and the AI Photo War31:00 Designers Are in Shambles36:15 The Internet Creates Fake Problems41:10 Claude Built This Unprompted44:00 The $75K Brand Sprint ModelAs always, thanks for watching. Let us know your feedback in the comments.Subscribe for unfiltered marketing breakdowns from the most trusted fathers in the game: ‪@orenmeetsworld‬ ‪@Shwinnabego‬ & ‪@JordanRogers2626‬Sub to our Newsletter: ⁠https://www.Brandfathers.org

From the Frida Baby packaging crisis to the billion-dollar business of brand licensing this episode covers it all. We brought on Steve Starobinsky, Head of Partnerships at Pudgy Penguins and 25-year licensing veteran, to break down how licensing deals actually work: the royalties, the minimum guarantees, the 18-month calendars, and why most brands get into it too early. Plus, the Eileen Gu debate, when brand humor crosses the line, and why "sales is a contact sport."0:00 - Intro0:18 - Frida Baby controversy7:00 - Edgy copy gone wrong10:35 - Werner Herzog on rumors16:00 - Eileen Gu debate20:00 - Meet Steve Starobinski22:30 - Licensing 10130:30 - Licensing vs. collabs35:50 - Pitching IP holders41:00 - Best value in licensing44:30 - Biggest licensing mistakes47:00 - Licensing Expo in Vegas49:45 - Where to find SteveAs always, thanks for watching. Let us know your feedback in the comments.Subscribe for unfiltered marketing breakdowns from the most trusted fathers in the game: ‪@orenmeetsworld‬ ‪@Shwinnabego‬ & ‪@JordanRogers2626‬Sub to our Newsletter: ⁠https://www.Brandfathers.org