Business Wars

Beyond Meat vs Impossible Burger | Pressure Cooker | 1

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's 2008 and two men, both vegans, ponder what they can do to improve the climate. Though they’re on separate sides of the country and in different...

The Smash Burger Smackdown | 5

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From smash burgers to plant patties, this episode is serving up some of the biggest trends in the burger world, and examining whether they're here to ...

Vogue: Once and Forever | Fashion's Next Big Thing | 4

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, it was Anna Wintour’s world and we were all just living in it. Now, social media creators are starting to drive the conversation a...

Vogue: Once and Forever | Red Ink | 3

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1990s and new media is changing the game for all the glossies. InStyle leads the way in featuring celebrities as fashion and lifestyle icon...

Vogue: Once and Forever | Astonish Me | 2

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1930’s and Harper’s Bazaar publisher William Randolph Hearst steals away Vogue’s star editor, Carmel Snow. Harper Bazaar is within st...

Vogue: Once and Forever | Front Row | 1

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1970s, and Cosmopolitan’s circulation is exploding. But just as Cosmo establishes itself, Elle magazine debuts in the U.S. and blows ever...

The IKEA Effect | 6

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

IKEA has been in the game for about 80 years, earning a spot as the largest furniture retailer in the world. From the meatballs, to the maze, to the D...

Fox News vs CNN | CNN’s Rough Year | 5

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2023, CNN ousted CEO Chris Licht after just a year on the job. His goal was to restore CNN’s bipartisan credibility as the most trusted voice in ...

Fox News vs CNN | Riot Act | 4

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's February 2017 and CNN is mounting a comeback through its clashes with President Donald Trump. And Fox News is on a mission to own election covera...

Fox News vs CNN | Cheerleader in Chief | 3

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's September 11, 2001 and CNN and Fox News race to keep the nation up to date as the tragedy unfolds. Then, when the nation is plunged into war, the...

Fox News vs CNN | Cable Clash | 2

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's 1996 and Fox News is getting ready to launch, but when CNN owner Time Warner tries to block it, Rupert Murdoch seeks help from New York mayor Rud...

Fox News vs CNN | Non-Stop News | 1

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1978 and Ted Turner’s out to reinvent the news with CNN, the first 24-hour news network. The challenge nearly breaks its first staffers, but ...

Drug Cartels | Inside Miami’s Drug Wars with Hotel Cocaine | 4

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1978 in Miami, Florida. The hottest spot in town is a club located inside the world famous Mutiny Hotel. And it’s also the epicenter of Miami...

Drug Cartels | The Chess Master | 1

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1970s, a pair of brothers and their longtime friend begin smuggling cocaine from their home city of Cali, Colombia into the United States. They...

Croc-Stars: How Comfy Clogs Took Over | 6

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Crocs are the comfy foam clogs people love to hate. Yet today, they're seen everywhere from memes to the red carpet. So how did they get so popular? D...

Cruise Ship Wars | Smooth Sailing | 5

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The seas were especially rough for the cruise line industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a time when people thought cruising might never co...

Cruise Ship Wars | Mayday | 4

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the cruise industry enters the 21st century, Carnival and Royal Caribbean square off again as they battle to acquire British company Princess Cruis...

Cruise Ship Wars | A Shot Across the Bow | 3

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Carnival cements its success by going public, founder Ted Arison and his son and CEO Micky set their sights on growing the company through acquisit...

Cruise Ship Wars | Making Waves | 2

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After his bitter exit from Norwegian Cruise Line, Ted Arison has limited time to make his new company Carnival a success. With little funds and o...

Cruise Ship Wars | Anchors Aweigh! | 1

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 1950, an enterprising Miami businessman has the idea to use a passenger liner to ferry retired Floridians to the Caribbean. He makes their tim...

College Football Wars | Where the Pac-12 Went Wrong | 5

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Pac-12 was one of the most prestigious college football conferences in the nation, until its leading schools left for greener pastures with heftie...

College Football Wars | Fragile Alliance | 4

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s George Kliavkoff’s third week in charge of the Pac-12. But his new job will become a nightmare when the SEC makes a play that’ll send panic...

College Football Wars | The Fumble | 3

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the College Football Playoff boosting the sport’s worth, the rivalry between the Power 5 conferences is heating up. But as the Big Ten thrives,...

College Football Wars | The New Champions | 2

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pac-12 boss Larry Scott wants a media empire that can outshine the Big Ten. But to do it, he must strong-arm ESPN and then find a way to face down sat...

College Football Wars | Title Fight | 1

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 90s. College football’s a hot mess of untapped profit potential. But two TV execs have an answer. It’s called the Bowl Championship Ser...

Poppi vs Olipop: Soda’s Second Coming | 6

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Soda has had its fair share of ups and downs, but now, a new wave of prebiotic pop promises to reinvent the fizzy drink consumers love. Poppi and Olip...

Jeep vs Bronco | Back in the Saddle | 5

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

David is going behind the scenes with Ford’s Director of Vehicle Personalization, Mark Grueber, who helped power the “Bronco Underground.” You h...

Jeep vs Bronco | Full Throttle | 4

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's 2008 and the U.S. government spends tense months deciding whether, and then how, to bail out the U.S. auto industry. Chrysler is saved through a ...

Jeep vs Bronco | Bye Bye Bronco | 3

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's 1996, and the last Bronco rolls off the assembly line in Michigan. Ford is moving on to bigger, lusher SUVs. Jeep is already there with its Grand...

Jeep vs Bronco | Engine Trouble | 2

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1965 and as the Bronco bucks onto the market, the Jeep boosts its engine power in hopes of catching up. But by the 1970s, the Jeep’s owner, t...

Jeep vs Bronco | Battle Hardened | 1

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's 1940 and as Adolph Hitler’s forces storm across Europe, the American army pays a nearly broke U.S. carmaker to develop a lightweight, durable, ...

Allbirds: The Rise and Fall of Direct to Consumer | 5

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Allbirds was once valued at $4.1 billion. The sustainable shoe brand had a fast and meteoric rise that mirrored the path of many other direct to ...

Sam Altman & the Battle for OpenAI | Is OpenAI Out of the Woods? | 4

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A lot has happened at OpenAI since that whiplash week in November 2023 when the board ousted its chief executive. There was an investigation to determ...

Sam Altman & the Battle for OpenAI | Blood in the Water | 3

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After five intense days, Sam Altman prevails over the OpenAI Board and is reinstated as CEO, with a new board in place. But the turmoil has shown...

Sam Altman & the Battle for OpenAI | If You Come At the King… | 2

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s move to fire Sam Altman with no warning kicks off five days of chaos for the tech company. After he gets ove...

Sam Altman & the Battle for OpenAI | Misalignment | 1

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the outside, OpenAI looked like one of Silicon Valley’s biggest success stories. In 2022, it had stunned the world with the release of Cha...

Costco's Wholesale Revolution | 6

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Costco's membership retention rate is the stuff of other retailers' dreams, nevermind the love they get on social media. With very little paid adverti...

Taylor Swift vs The World | Taylor Nation | 5

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With everything Taylor Swift’s been up to lately, being a Swiftie is almost a fulltime job. Today, David speaks with two digital creators who have b...

Taylor Swift vs The World | Ticketmaster Trouble | 4

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When Taylor Swift began planning The Eras Tour, she probably didn't expect to be at the forefront of an antitrust battle that could dec...

Taylor Swift vs The World | Revenge of the Swifties | 3

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By 2019, Taylor Swift's battle to get her masters back from Scooter Braun has gone public. She decides to fight by deploying her own, very dangerous w...

Taylor Swift vs The World | Bad Blood | 2

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By 2014, Taylor Swift has spread her wings into pop. But as her self-confidence grows, so does her discontent with her label. So she makes a bold move...

Taylor Swift vs The World | On the Outside | 1

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When Taylor Swift signed to an upstart country label as a teen, she probably didn't realize that she was signing away the rights to something she woul...

The Business of Barbie | 5

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve got the keys to Barbie's dream house and we’re unlocking her legacy, staying power and what’s ahead. We're joined by Time reporter and Mat...

Apple Watch vs Samsung | The Rise of Apple Watch with Steven Levy (Wired) & Cam Wolf (GQ) | 4

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When the Apple Watch first debuted, designer Jony Ive envisioned the gadget as a must-have in the world of high fashion. But even if the smartwatch ha...

Apple Watch vs Samsung | This Watch Will Save Your Life | 3

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2016 and in the wake of a major PR fiasco, Samsung is rolling out their new round smartwatch with a beautiful rotating bezel, while an MLB chea...

Apple Watch vs Samsung | Race to the Wrist | 2

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2012 and Apple’s legendary designer in chief, Jony Ive, decides the company’s first product launch after Steve Jobs’ death should be a sm...

Apple Watch vs Samsung | From Dust to Dynasty | 1

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1936 in a small town in Korea and a rakish scion of a wealthy family realizes he has to clean up his act by starting a small import export busi...

Tracing the Steps of Fitbit | 6

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Before Apple and Samsung took over our wrists, there was Fitbit. The fitness tracker was just about the coolest thing in Silicon Valley, and ever...

Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | The Console Conundrum | 5

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Can you imagine video games without Sony? A partnership between Sony and Nintendo could have changed the future of Playstation — and the video game ...

Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | Pay to Win | 4

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2016 and Xbox boss Phil Spencer’s leading a reboot of the Xbox brand after the Xbox One’s fumbled start. But with Sony and Nintendo surging...

Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | Dis-Kinect | 3

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2007 and both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are in trouble. Microsoft’s dealing with an epidemic of dying consoles. Sony lacks sales momentu...

Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | The Betrayal | 2

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2002 and the race to build the next generation of game consoles is already underway. And Sony’s got big plans for the PlayStation 3. It wants...

Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | Crash and Burn | 1

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the year 2000. Sony’s PlayStation 2 is ready to conquer the game business and leave its Japanese rivals Sega and Nintendo looking like has-be...

Best of Business Wars Daily | Holiday Wars | 6

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

American Girl or Barbie? Transformers or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? The Game of Life or Monopoly? We're putting your favorite nostalgic toys head-t...

Toys R US vs KB Toys | The Comeback Kid, Plus Hot Wheels! | 5

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

‘Tis the season for toys! First, we’re getting an update on where toy retailers stand today with Forbes Senior Contributor Joan Verdon. She’s co...

Toys R US vs KB Toys | Tears 'R' Us | 4

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2004 and toy retailers across America are assessing the post-holiday damage from Walmart’s brutal price attack.And with KB Toys mortally woun...

Toys R US vs KB Toys: Christmas Carnage | 3

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1999 and the world wide web is the new retail frontier. And both KB Toys and Toys “R” Us hope to use the internet to keep Walmart at bay.Bu...

Toys R US vs KB Toys | Toy Hunter | 2

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1990 and Toys “R” Us rules toy retail. But when big-box retailers Walmart and Costco threaten to intrude on its territory, Toys “R” Us ...

Toys R US vs KB Toys | Category Killer | 1

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1950s and in Washington D.C., Charles Lazarus is running a small baby furniture store in the house he was born in.But when a customer comes...

Best of Business Wars Daily | Toying Around | 6

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're talking about legendary toy stores and how they can compete today with comedian Gianmarco Soresi, who's in the new Netflix series "Verified Stan...

CVS vs. Walgreens | Trouble Behind the Counter | 5

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Between overworked pharmacists, healthcare consolidation, and rising drug costs, pharmacies are constantly having to adapt. Dan Weissmann, host of the...

CVS vs. Walgreens | The Doctor is In | 4

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2013 and CVS boss Larry Merlo is formulating a plan to wipe two-billion dollars off of the company’s sales by stripping cigarettes from the c...

CVS vs. Walgreens | A New Prescription | 3

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2009 and Walgreens is in crisis. It’s just lost its CEO and surrendered its top-dog status to CVS.But it’s about to fightback. It’s got a...

CVS vs. Walgreens | Clinic Bait | 2

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the late 1990s and CVS and Walgreens are battling for control of the nation’s best street corners and there’s a huge prize at stake.Tens of...

CVS vs. Walgreens | Powerful Medicine | 1

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1895 and Chicago’s a boom town that’s overflowing with pharmacies. But one drugstore is about to emerge from the city’s mass of small-tim...

Best of Business Wars Daily | Salty or Sweet? | 5

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

No tricks, just treats in this chat with New York Times retail reporter Jordyn Holman and comedian Max Fine. We're talking about candy,...

The Rise of AI | Living in an Artificial World | 4

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Calore and Lauren Goode from Wired are back! The pair co-host Wired’s Gadget Lab podcast, where they’ve been diving deep into what the future...

The Rise of AI | Battle Bots | 3

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With the popularity of ChatBots exploding, Microsoft invests billions of dollars into AI-assisted internet search,trying to strike at Google’s core ...

The Rise of AI | No Reservations | 2

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Google is the undisputed leader in the race to dominate AI, in part because of its reputation as a company with strong corporate ethics.  But as ...

Best of Business Wars Daily | AI Disruptors | 6

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You've heard about how AI is poised (and already) revolutionizing just about everything. We're digging deeper into that and taking a look at the way ...

The Rise of AI | The Next Big Thing | 1

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, AI stagnated with only a few dedicated scientists working on it.  But in 2012, a researcher at the University of Toronto made a brea...

Hilton vs Marriott | Pretty Cool Hotels | 5

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Grab your suitcase, because we’re taking a vacation! Today, we’re joined by Allison Pohle, travel reporter for the Wall Street Journal. She’s zo...

Hilton vs Marriott | The Inn Crowd | 4

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2001 and the hotel industry is reeling from 9/11. But terror attacks are only the one of the new challenges closing in on Marriott and Hilton.T...

Hilton vs Marriott | Wake-Up Call | 3

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the early 1990s and Marriott’s a financial wreck heading for the rocks, and running out of time to find a way to remedy its debts.But as Marr...

Hilton vs Marriott | Bad Heir Day | 2

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the late 1960s and succession is top of mind at both Hilton and Marriott.Conrad Hilton’s almost 80 and about to hand his business over to his...

Hilton vs Marriott | Check-In | 1

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1919 and Conrad Hilton is among the fortune seekers in the oil-boom town of Cisco, Texas. But when his plan to buy a bank unravels, he turns to...

Best of Business Wars Daily | Room Service | 6

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We'll take a look at the hotel industry landscape this summer, including the "Taylor Swift effect," and the amped up fight against rental companies li...

Subway vs Quiznos | Putting Subs to the Test | 5

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve spent this season telling the story of how Quiznos and Subway battled to create a sub sandwich that would lure the most customers. Now, we’r...

Subway vs Quiznos | Footlong Fiascos | 4

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2008 and as the Great Recession sinks in, Panera, Jersey Mike’s and Firehouse Subs amp up the competition. Quiznos tries to win back dwindlin...

Subway vs Quiznos | One Ounce and You’re Out | 3

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2003 in Miami, Florida and a Subway franchisee comes up with a catchy promotion: the 5 Dollar Footlong. But Subway Corporate is preoccupied wit...

Subway vs Quiznos | Anywhere and Everywhere | 2

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1987 in Denver, Colorado, and a 22-year-old stockbroker named Rick Schaden invests a market windfall into a Quiznos franchise. Four years later...

Subway vs Quiznos | Subs Rising | 1

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and 17-year-old Fred DeLuca needs money to pay for college. A family friend makes him a surprising offer and t...

Best of Business Wars Daily | Slicing Up the Sandwich King | 6

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Can old school fast food chains lure in hipper, younger diners with AI-powered features, EV charging stations and playgrounds? We'll consider what bra...

Target vs Walmart | 'Target' Demographics | 5

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is your house team Target or team Walmart? Depending on where you live, or what you’re trying to buy, the answer might be one, or both. Even though ...

Target vs Walmart | Bricks and Bytes | 4

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2013 and Target’s troubles are multiplying. The Minneapolis retailer’s big push into Canada is getting the cold shoulder and a gang of cybe...

Target vs Walmart | Wardrobe Malfunction | 3

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s early 2005 and Walmart’s reeling from a dismal holiday season. It hoped to improve its image by playing nice with rivals only to watch Target...

Target vs Walmart | The Beast from Bentonville | 2

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1990s and Walmart’s replaced Kmart as America’s biggest retailer. But now that it’s on top, its business practices are under fir...

Target vs Walmart | Retail Rumble | 1

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1962 and a new retail trend’s catching fire – big-box discount stores that reinvent shopping with out-of-town locations, huge product range...

Best of Business Wars Daily | Add to Cart | 7

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What's old is new again. Second-hand shopping is taking off online and the big brands want a piece of the action. Meanwhile, fast-fashion companies ar...

Encore: Crypto Wars | Zuckerpunch | 6

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2017, and after months of sky-high price rises, the crypto bubble is about to burst. But as scammers and investor panic crash the market, the W...

Encore: Crypto Wars | New Kids on the Blockchain | 5

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the mid-2010s and a new blockchain called Ethereum is shaking up crypto. It’s the creation of nineteen-year-old Vitalik Buterin, and it’s i...

Encore: Crypto Wars | Block Busting | 4

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2015 and Coinbase is out to carve up the crypto scene with its new exchange. But it’s about to face strong headwinds in the form of state reg...

Encore: Crypto Wars | The Great Slow Motion Swindle | 3

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2013 and bitcoin’s gaining traction at last. But just as crypto reaches for credibility, bitcoin is blindsided by high-profile arrests, corpo...

Encore: Crypto Wars | The Untouchables | 2

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2011, and Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are trying to move on from their legal battle with Mark Zuckerberg over who created Facebook. And their ...

Encore: Crypto Wars | Generate Coins | 1

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2009 and in a modest suburban home, a monetary revolution is beginning. It’s called bitcoin and it arrives with a whimper. There’s just no ...

Encore: Tesla vs Detroit | Elon Musk...It's Complicated | 5

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter was… messy, to say the least, and now the multi-billionaire is the CEO of three different companies. That’s got ...

Encore: Tesla vs Detroit | Appetite for Destruction | 4

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After weathering an investigation by the government for their EVs catching on fire, Tesla is hit by another probe after things get deadly. But the com...

Encore: Tesla vs Detroit | Motor City Fights Back | 3

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The battle to dominate the EV market is on. Tesla’s market value is now around $20 billion. At this rate, Tesla could wipe the floor with GM in a de...

Encore: Tesla vs Detroit | Survival Mode | 2

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2010, Tesla Motors has already experienced tremendous highs and devastating lows. Elon Musk is a polarizing figure whose goal is to change the way ...

Encore: Tesla vs Detroit | Accelerate Faster | 1

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While the U.S. government pushed automakers to make low-emission vehicles in the 1990s, consumers loved their gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs. But in 200...