The underground story of business, entrepreneurs and influencers.
Talk About It
Fantastic: Nike’s Social Engagement During the Women’s World Cup
While the U.S. Women were the ones to claim their second straight World Cup title last weekend, there was another winner right alongside them: Nike. According to international social media analytics firm Talkwalker, the company lived up to its name (the Greek word for ‘victory’) during the tournament, with engagement carving out a 51.3% share of voice over the last 30 days. Nike’s final ad to run celebrating the USWNT’s title itself had 21 million views and counting.
Celebrity: Breaking Bad’s Good Mezcal
In keeping with the newest celebrity trend of curating artisan spirits, former Breaking Bad co-stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are launching a new mezcal brand called Dos Hombres, billed as "real, artisanal Mezcal made by hand in Mexico." The two actors had been vaguely teasing the collaboration on Instagram for a few weeks, leading fans to think that a Breaking Bad movie was in the works—an engaging marketing tactic that hopefully pays dividends in a strong product.
Cash Money: How a $15 Minimum Wage Affects Restaurants
Raising federal minimum wage requirements to $15 has been a hot topic of debate for a while now, with companies like Amazon and Target joining the movement. Noticeably absent from the list of companies doing so are restaurant brands—and for good reason, according to a new study from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The study found that raising the federal minimum wage to $15 would likely eliminate about 1.3 million jobs by 2025, dropping total family income by as much as $9 billion annually. That being said, the report also supports the argument from proponents of the wage hike that raising the pay floor would lift a significant number of families out of poverty.
Forward Thinking: Microsoft’s ‘Stranger Things’ Collab with Windows 1.0
Can forward thinking take us back in time? Today it can. Microsoft is embracing the hype of now and tying it to the nostalgia of old with its latest creation: a PC-based app that includes a Stranger Things video game that even incorporates the likes of Microsoft Paint and Write. The app is part of a broader play by Microsoft to integrate its marketing with the third season of Netflix’s hit show; later this month, the company is hosting several Stranger Things-themed coding workshops for kids focused on video game creation.
Friend or Foe: Happy Meal Toys
Two British schoolchildren have started a petition to get McDonald’s and Burger King to stop giving away toys with kid’s meals, deeming them unnecessary plastic waste. After learning about pollution at school, the two children astutely noted that while they may enjoy their McDonald's and Burger King kid’s meals, many children only play with the plastic toys provided for a few minutes before they are thrown away. The Change.org petition has more than 335,000 signatures. Are these fast food kid’s meal staples more trouble than they’re worth or do they provide a welcome enough distraction for parents—and revenue for businesses—to be eliminated?
Heating Up
On a recent trip to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit client and friend Devan Kline, the CEO of Burn Boot Camp, No Limit Agency CEO Nick Powills went in thinking one thing and came out experiencing quite another—ultimately for the better, despite the short-term soreness. In his latest column for 1851 Franchise, Powills explains the self-discovery that came from a single killer workout and an intense pancake-eating contest.
