Inside the Attention Economy: MTV, Build-A-Bear & the Price of Feeling

In 2025, emotion is the business model.From Ferrari’s Apple-designed EV to Doritos’ cheese-pull spectacle — Ben Kaplan breaks down how outrage, nostalgia, and virality became strategy.

MTV didn’t die — we killed it by scrolling. In this week’s episode of BRANDED Weekly, Ben Kaplan breaks down how nostalgia, dopamine, and brand emotion are reshaping business. From MTV’s collapse to Build-A-Bear’s 2,000% stock surge, Chili’s viral mozzarella moment, and Michael Jordan’s $70M jet, we explore the one metric that now decides who wins: attention. The real question? In 2025, how much is your brand’s emotion worth?

Beer, Rings, and Body Doubles: The Internet’s Attention EconomyGen Z is putting ice in their beer. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement feels more like a dynasty merger than a romance, with brands racing to crash the party. And online, people are debating whether Trump really met Putin in Alaska or a body double.In this week’s Branded, Ben Kaplan unpacks how these viral stories spiral, why brands jump on them, and what they reveal about culture, politics, and the attention economy in 2025.From Trump firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook for mortgage fraud the same offense he was convicted of to Swift’s engagement fueling memes and marketing campaigns, we explore why irony, controversy, and cultural collisions keep driving attention.Plus, a few hot takes from TikTok: is ice in beer actually a hack… or still a crime against hops?

In this episode of Branded Leaders, host Ben Kaplan sits down with Brian Irving, Chief Marketing Officer at Lyft, to discuss how Lyft differentiates itself in a rideshare industry that often looks like a race to the bottom.Brian shares how Lyft avoids competing solely on price by leaning into its DNA as a purposeful rebel brand — building services around freedom, connection, and customer obsession. He reveals how Lyft is adapting its identity from quirky early days (pink mustaches and friendly drivers) to serving business travelers, healthcare rides, and diverse audiences with evolving needs.The conversation explores Lyft’s approach to autonomous vehicles, why it’s doubling down on human-first innovation, and how FlexDrive and new partnerships expand the platform’s future. Brian also reflects on his career journey from Flint, Michigan, to Silicon Valley, with pivotal chapters at Apple, Google, Airbnb, and Eventbrite. Along the way, he shares the best advice he’s ever received, how curiosity shapes his leadership, and why learning to say “I get to” instead of “I have to” changed his perspective on work and life.Packed with candid stories, career lessons, and insights into the future of mobility and marketing, this episode offers a rare look at how Lyft’s CMO is steering the brand beyond rides to something much bigger: freedom.

In this episode of Branded Leaders, host Ben Kaplan sits down with Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, to explore why safe, logical marketing often fails — and why embracing chaos, irrationality, and unconventional thinking can create the biggest wins.Rory explains why capitalism is less about efficiency and more like betting on long shots, how seemingly “bonkers” decisions (like Amazon betting on Prime) can redefine entire industries, and why reframing simple observations is the real engine of creativity.The conversation dives into politics, persuasion, and the psychology of risk-taking — from Donald Trump’s use of concrete language, to Elon Musk’s non-neurotypical way of seeing the world, to why opportunity cost is more important than cost-cutting.Packed with humor, sharp insights, and provocative reframes, this episode is a masterclass in why playing it safe may be the riskiest move of all.

Distraction Marketing: Sex, Scandal, and Sydney SweeneyAmerican Eagle’s ad with Sydney Sweeney sent their stock flying, their mentions surging, and the internet into meltdown. But was the controversy part of the plan? In this episode, we break down how brands are using distraction and deliberate outrage to win the attention economy. From Gwyneth Paltrow being hired as crisis cover after a Kiss Cam catastrophe, to Donald Trump’s strategic smoke bombs to bury headlines he doesn’t like, we explore how controversy converts—and when it backfires. Plus, a surprising look at how AI adoption is following the same curve as e-commerce, and what it means for marketers.All that, and a few hot takes from the TikTok comments section. Spoiler: Colbert vs. Rogan isn't the fight you think it is.

In this electrifying episode, we unpack three stories shaking the world right now: Astronomer CEO Andy Byron's explosive Kiss Cam scandal at a Coldplay concert—is his career truly over, or can scandals this massive become epic comebacks?We then dive into OpenAI's game-changing ChatGPT agent, promising everyone a $38,000/year personal assistant for less than your weekly coffee spend.Finally, we dissect CBS's cancellation of Stephen Colbert—did politics, economics, or digital disruption drive this shocking move? Tune in as we debate scandal survival, AI taking your jobs, and mainstream media’s slow demise.

In this episode of BRANDED Weekly, we break down the brand moves (and misfires) dominating headlines:– Grok’s AI glitch: What happens when your chatbot forgets the filter?– Nvidia’s China play: Smart diplomacy or dangerous double game?– Amazon’s 4-day Prime Day: A flex or a flop?– KFC’s rebrand: Why the Colonel’s now obsessed.– Superman x Roku: Movie marketing meets voice AI.– Sprite’s spicy stunt: Burn your mouth, boost your brand.

The biggest brand moves – July 4–11, 2025Amazon expands Prime Day to four days, but do longer sales lose their punch? Sephora offers free Lyft rides to stores, Coca-Cola brings back “Share a Coke” with a Star Wars twist, and Ben’s Original tries to move on from Uncle Ben.Plus, TikTok Shop crosses $1B in US sales, Boeing tries to fix its image, and Wall Street sends mixed signals on ad budgets.Also, don’t forget: National Nude Day is coming (Tom might not be dressed for next week’s episode)

Nike’s back to its roots. Unilever just paid $1.5B for a soap brand. Cloudflare declared war on AI. Oh, and Pamela Anderson is suddenly a branding icon again.This week, Ben Kaplan and Tom Cain unpack the smartest (and strangest) marketing moves across the globe:Nike ditches lifestyle for core athleticismDr. Squatch and the billion-dollar soap gameCloudflare vs. AI crawlers — is the internet changing?Sainsbury’s market share surpriseCelebrity endorsements vs real influenceTesla’s fully driverless deliveryNASA streams on NetflixAnd the rise of an AI-generated rock band?Smart takes. Big brands. No fluff.