The 8 | January 5, 2018

1. Frantastic: We already know that Twitter is good for brands looking to engage their customers. But is it good for helping companies find a new CEO? According to Papa John’s, the answer is “yes.” One week after announcing that CEO John Schnatter was stepping down, a Twitter user made a suggestion that Lil John should take over in his place. Lil John humbly accepted the position, to which Papa John’s appropriately replied, “OKAAAY!” The Twitter exchange was so popular that Papa John’s and Lil John have actually been in contact to think of ways that the rapper can get involved.

2. Franlebrity: Our Franlebrities this week aren’t franchisors—they’re franchisees. 1851 spoke with Jordan DeCaro, a franchisee with Toppers Pizza* in Minnesota and Cassidi Brown, a Coolgreens franchisee in Texas, to discover what advice they have for others looking to buy a franchise. This feature helps kick off our latest issue highlighting how to buy a franchise. DeCaro and Brown offer strong tips, including taking time during the decision process and the importance of composing a list of comprehensive and detailed questions.

3. Frash Money: Americans across the country are ringing in the new year with a raise. 18 states and about 20 cities and counties now have a higher minimum wage that officially took effect on December 31 or January 1. For some states, that increase is as high as $15 per hour. Wages are rising in cities across California, New Mexico and states like Arizona, Florida, Michigan and New York, just to name a few.

4. Frant of the Week: There are only two words that can sum up this week’s Frant: “dilly dilly.” No Limit Agency* CEO Nick Powills is sending Bud Light to the pit of misery in his latest column for 1851 for failing to connect the dots with its latest ad campaign. While the “dilly dilly” spot is a hit, there’s no reference to the slogan on Bud Light’s Facebook page or website, marking a missed opportunity that too many brands make the mistake of overlooking.

5. Franch Forward: With the holiday season officially behind us, the retail industry’s busiest season has come to a close. But now, the cold weather has industry experts asking if it will be more difficult for the economy to Franch Forward in January. Historically, extreme weather events—like the record-setting lows the Midwest and East Coast are seeing now—have negatively impacted the economy. However, because we are just coming off of the holiday season and few places have been shut down, it’s possible that the potential impact will be minimal.

6. Fran Funny: There’s no doubt about it—this winter has officially reached temperatures that make it impossible to go outside. To warm your heart despite the cold, enjoy this compilation of people falling on ice.

7. Franspiration: “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” - Plato

8. Franemies vs. Frands: If you were scrolling through social media last week, odds are you saw a screenshot of a heated Twitter exchange between Domino’s and rapper Post Malone. It was clear from the image that Post Malone wasn’t happy with the pizza chain’s attempt at making his hit “Rockstar” about their products. But it turns out, the two really aren’t Franemies. In fact, Post Malone cleared up the whole situation by tweeting that they’re Frands and his account never threw shade. Domino’s also released a statement saying that its account never tried to create a parody of the rapper’s song, and they’re currently looking into the fake screenshot.