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Strategy
McDonald’s Self-Service Kiosks
Self-service kiosks at McDonald’s were supposed to take jobs. Instead, something surprising happened.
Sep 29, 2024
Walmart’s major grocery moves
Walmart captured 37% (an all-time high) of grocery e-commerce spending in Q2 2024.
Sep 29, 2024
Apple’s bid for older customers
Apple is trading in the sexy styles for features that appear helpful to a user base that is getting older.
Sep 29, 2024
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Wi-Fi is make or break for airlines
United Airlines to offer free Wi-Fi with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Sep 29, 2024
Prison Call Caps? Inmates Pay More Elsewhere
As the FCC’s new rules squeeze private companies on phone calls, these companies are distributing tablets to inmates to generate additional revenue.
Sep 8, 2024
How Walmart is Winning in China
Walmart keeps posting revenue growth in China while others falter.
Sep 8, 2024
The Business Case for Dessert Concepts
Dessert concepts are seeing record growth, but will it last?
Aug 25, 2024
Lamborghini’s Hybrid Models
How Lamborghini’s hybrid strategy helped shield them from volatility in the EV market.
Aug 6, 2024
Uber vs. Lyft
Uber is doubling down on shared rides while Lyft eliminates them.
Jul 24, 2024
Airbnb’s Olympic Strategy
How Airbnb is using Olympic demand to draw in new hosts.
Jul 22, 2024
Tesla’s Cybertrucks
A marketing marvel or a financial flop?
Jul 21, 2024
It’s Modelo Time Foo
How Modelo, a Mexican beer, became the U.S.’s top-selling beer.
Jul 14, 2024
🇯🇵 Japanese 7-Elevens
7-Eleven is refining its business amid underlying trends in the U.S. convenience store market, drawing inspiration from its Japanese stores.
Jul 10, 2024
AmEx doubles down on dinner reservations
AmEx’s $400 million acquisition of Tock highlights the importance of the culinary world to its cardholders.
Jul 4, 2024
Nike's Big Miss: Run Clubs
Nike admits to underinvesting in the road-running scene at a time when run clubs are growing in popularity.
Jul 3, 2024
Southwest’s Conundrum 🛫
Southwest is contemplating radical changes to its amenities that previously helped it become a fan-favorite.
Jun 24, 2024
How Online Shopping Saved Malls
Malls play an increasingly important part in retailers’ omnichannel strategy.
Jun 20, 2024
GM’s Silver Bullet: The Costco Auto Program
GM plans to increasingly leverage Costco’s Auto Program to sell its electric vehicles.
Jun 13, 2024
Phone about to die? Uber will charge you more.
Uber’s personalized pricing could show you higher prices when you’re most desperate, such as when your phone battery is about to run out.
Jun 13, 2024
Coolkicks 👟
Coolkicks evolved into a media company to grow despite the razor-thin margins of the sneaker resale market.
Jun 13, 2024
Barry’s Bootcamp sale
Barry's Bootcamp sale is expected to create a bidding frenzy due to strong profit margins and exciting expansion opportunities.
Jun 5, 2024
Erewhon: The place to be seen 🚶
Erewhon made an estimated $171.4 million in profit in 2023 and built a really strong business with the help of celebrities and influencers.
Jun 4, 2024
How Netflix Solved Its Password-Sharing Problem
Netflix added 22 million subscribers in 2023 from its password-sharing crackdown.
May 29, 2024
The Business of The Michelin Star
Asian countries have spent millions to bring the Michelin Star guide to their cities.
May 28, 2024
How Amex is Acquiring Millennial and Gen Z Customers
American Express is seeing the benefits of new cards and increased marketing investments as it adds new millennial and Gen Z customers.
May 5, 2024
Why In-N-Out Burger Isn’t Coming to the East Coast Anytime Soon
The family-run California chain is expanding as far east as Tennessee, but don’t expect it to open on the East Coast anytime soon.
Apr 21, 2024
🐑 Sheep and Solar Farms
Clean energy companies are turning to sheep to keep their solar panels out of the shade.
Apr 14, 2024
That Drone Flying Over Your Home? It Might Be Your Local Insurance Company
CSAA allegedly terminated a customer's homeowner insurance coverage because “drone photos” showed clutter in their backyard.
Apr 10, 2024
Puzzle Wars 🧩
A look at the secret sauce behind the incredible success of the New York Times puzzle games.
Apr 7, 2024
Why Hotel Chains Don’t Own Their Hotels
Hotel brands like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt own less than 2% of their hotels.
Apr 7, 2024
Hunterbrook: A Hedge Fund and Newspaper
Hunterbrook blurs the lines between a hedge fund and a newspaper, looking to trade news before it hits the publish button.
Apr 4, 2024
Gatorade Enters New Category: Launches First Unflavored Water
Gatorade looks to bolster its positioning against rivals Bodyarmor, Liquid I.V., and PRIME in the trendy hydration product category.
Mar 30, 2024
How SRS Distribution Became an Attractive Acquisition Target for Home Depot
SRS Distribution enters into a definitive agreement to sell to Home Depot for $18.25 billion, roughly a 2x multiple on their 2023 revenue.
Mar 29, 2024
How Krispy Kreme’s Hub and Spoke Asset Model Delivers Fresher Doughnuts
Krispy Kreme’s expanded partnership with McDonald’s is a by-product of its multi-year effort to convert to a hub and spoke asset model.
Mar 28, 2024
The Big Business of Airline Seats
Airlines are spending big upgrading airline seats. Airline seats were a $2.6 billion market in 2022.
Mar 28, 2024
Walmart Targets Wealthier Shoppers
Walmart is revamping more than 900 locations and adding high-end products to attract wealthier shoppers.
Mar 25, 2024
McDonald’s Subculture Marketing Speaks to Gen Z
How McDonald’s captures Gen Z’s attention by leaning into “fan truths” and subculture marketing.
Mar 21, 2024
How Chick-fil-A Generates More Revenue Per Location Than Other Fast Food Restaurants
Here are the strategies Chick-fil-A uses to generate more than 2x revenue on average per location compared to McDonald’s.
Mar 16, 2024
"I'm Lovin' It”: Why McDonald’s, Chipotle, and Starbucks are Flocking to the Sun Belt
Restaurant chains look to the Sun Belt states to deliver future sales growth.
Mar 15, 2024
Why are my Jalapeño Peppers Less Hot?
An inside look at manufacturing jalapeño peppers and how they get to customers.
Mar 11, 2024
Equinox and “GLP-1 Protocols”
How gyms plan to adapt to more members on Ozempic, Wegovy, and other powerful weight loss drugs.
Mar 2, 2024
Who Makes Money on Girl Scout Cookies?
A peak behind the curtain of the $1.2 billion Girl Scout Cookie business.
Feb 25, 2024
Airline Unit Economics 101
Airlines make less on a per-passenger basis than the cost of a cup of coffee.
Feb 24, 2024
True Religion’s Renaissance - A Lesson in Brand Strategy
True Religion's shift in customer demographics is leading to a major revival of the brand.
Feb 22, 2024
IKEA: Your New Office Away From Office
A look at IKEA’s new coworking space in downtown San Francisco.
Feb 21, 2024
How Much Will You Pay To Skip The Line?
US corporations turn Americans’ hatred for waiting in line into significant revenue.
Feb 9, 2024
Marketplaces are Very Good…Ads Businesses?
Uber and other marketplaces are beating projections and profiting from their sneaky, strong ads businesses.
Feb 9, 2024