Business Wars
Episodes
TikTok vs Instagram | Codename | 1
30 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s July 2010, and Kevin Systrom is on holiday in Mexico when he has an idea for how to save his failing app: offer filters to make users’ photos...
Why Black Friday Will Look Different This Year | 8
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, will break the mold this year, as the pandemic sends retailers scrambling for new ways to bring in...
Denim Wars | Are Your Jeans Blue or Red? | 7
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Consumers are increasingly looking to buy from brands whose values match their own, and denim is no different. These days, the jeans giants are not on...
Denim Wars | The Unravelling | 6
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's 1999 and Levi's is a company in trouble. It's drowning in debt, out of fashion, and hobbled by sub-par distribution.But while Levi's searches for...
Denim Wars | Lord of the Flies | 5
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's the '80s and Levi's is far out in front in the battle for denim dominance. But Lee owner V.F. Corporation isn't giving up. It's about to mak...
Denim Wars | From Freak to Chic | 4
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's the late '60s and Levi's is seeking to stay on trend by tuning into the flower-power movement taking over San Francisco. But keeping up with...
Denim Wars | Storming the Castle | 3
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's the 1950s and young Americans are idolizing the new wave of Hollywood rebels and horrifying their parents by wearing jeans. But as these pos...
Denim Wars | Old Western Blues | 2
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's the mid-1800s and a young wholesaler called Levi Strauss is looking to cash in on the California Gold Rush.But when a wandering tailor approaches...
Denim Wars | Cowboys & Indigos | 1
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's the 1930s and Californian jeans maker Levi Strauss & Co. is struggling. The Great Depression is destroying jobs and killing demand for its de...
Pandemic Economy: Best of Business Wars Daily | 8
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
COVID-19 has flipped the economy on its head. But the pandemic’s new normal has also created new opportunities. Against all odds, some businesses ar...
Gallo: Godfathers Of Wine | The Gallo Family Today | 7
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Ernest and Joseph Gallo died in 2007, decades after their brother Julio, it put an end to a family saga that had stretched for the better part of...
Gallo: Godfathers of Wine | Wine is Thicker Than Blood | 6
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1980’s and Gallo rockets to the top of the new lucrative wine cooler market with a brilliant ad campaign for its Bartles and Jaymes brand...
Gallo: Godfathers of Wine | The Grapes of Wrath | 5
19 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Heading into the turbulent 1960s, Ernest Gallo attempts to conquer the Midwestern wine market by taking on a dangerous associate of Al Capone in Chica...
Gallo: Godfathers of Wine | Thunderbird | 4
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1940s and as American soldiers battle the Axis powers overseas, Ernest and Julio Gallo fulfill lucrative government contracts for jet fuel ...
Gallo: Godfathers of Wine | The Miracle Year | 3
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1930s and with Prohibition finally over, Americans are eager to drown themselves in booze. Ernest Gallo persuades his reluctant brother, Ju...
Gallo: Godfathers of Wine | Violence in the Vineyard | 2
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the roaring twenties and Joe Gallo Sr.’s two teenage sons, Ernest and Julio, help run the family’s extensive vineyards and bootlegging oper...
Gallo: Godfathers of Wine | The Gangster and The Grape Grower | 1
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's the early 1900’s and two young brothers emigrate from Italy to the US to make their fortunes. In California, they con, grift and bamboozle...
Pizza Hut vs Domino's | Hut In A Rut? | 7
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In 2009, Domino’s went into crisis mode after a prank threatened to ruin the brand’s already substandard image. You might say that was a wake up c...
Pizza Hut vs Domino's | The Pizza Confession | 6
28 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2009 and Domino’s is about to risk everything in a daring bid to shake off its reputation as the home of sub-par pizza.But Pizza Hut’s havi...
Pizza Hut vs Domino's | Slices of Science | 5
23 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1990s and Domino’s rapid rise on the back of its 30-minute delivery guarantee is about to smash straight into a legal roadblock. And...
Sponsored | Seoul Taco Founder David Choi on the ‘Right Way’ to Expand a Business | 2
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, we gave you the first half of our interview with Seoul Taco Founder David Choi. If you didn't catch that part of our conversation, we encou...
Pizza Hut vs Domino's | Deliverance | 4
21 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the late 1980s and Domino’s founder Tom Monaghan’s living the high life. After years of struggle, he’s a billionaire and he’s buying up...
Pizza Hut vs Domino's | Delivering the Goods | 3
16 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the ‘80s and Domino’s is gunning for Pizza Hut.Domino’s has kickstarted the speediest expansion program in fast-food history and it’s n...
Sponsored | From Food Truck to Franchise: How David Choi Started Seoul Taco | 1
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Before you’re ready for a full-fledged “Business War,” you need to start somewhere. David Choi put it all on the line and drained his bank accou...
Pizza Hut vs Domino's | Meltdown | 2
14 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the dawn of the 1970s and Pizza Hut is about to join America's business elite by floating on the stock exchange. But the Kansas pizza giant’s...
Pizza Hut vs Domino's | Rolling out | 1
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1958 and on the East and West Coasts, all the cool cats are chowing down on pizza.Yet in the heartland, far away from the buzz of New York and ...
FedEx vs UPS | FedEx, UPS and Amazon’s Close Ties to the Postal Service | 7
07 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In our last episode, Amazon had once again taken a financial hit to get ahead in the shipping game, cutting out its need for FedEx and UPS, and turnin...
FedEx vs UPS | Deal with the Devil | 6
02 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Both FedEx and UPS are doing a lot of business with e-commerce companies, especially Amazon. But after one disastrous Christmas season when both ...
FedEx vs UPS | On the Line | 5
31 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With UPS expanding aggressively into Europe and other continents, FedEx decides to bet big on China. But it’s a risky strategy that initially l...
FedEx vs UPS | When in Rome... | 4
26 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
UPS decides it’s time to expand its market outside North America and makes a big push into Western Europe. But it’s harder than expected to i...
FedEx vs UPS | We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Plane | 3
24 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Finally financially stable, FedEx takes on the US government to overturn regulations that limit the size of the planes they can fly. Convinced th...
FedEx vs UPS | Vegas or Bust | 2
19 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After a disastrous start, FedEx needs to change its sales pitch or it will run out of money before it even has a chance to take off. Smith resor...
FedEx vs UPS | Kick the Tire, Light the Fires | 1
17 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the early 1970s, and 27-year-old Fred Smith has an idea for a new kind of package delivery service, one that uses its own planes to deliver pac...
Dating App Wars | Dating Apps Pivot as COVID-19 Continues | 7
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Almost one in three relationships start as online encounters. But the popularity of dating apps isn’t surprising with so many to choose from, and th...
Dating App Wars | An App-rehensive Future | 6
10 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Whitney Wolfe Herd establishes Bumble with a strident anti-misogyny agenda, but that foundation is rocked when shocking accusations of sexual harassme...
Dating App Wars | Are You Ready to Bumble? | 5
05 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Niche apps are kicking into high gear for users with specific criteria, and there’s something for everyone: muzmatch for Muslims, Mouse Mingle for D...
Dating App Wars | Crimes of Passion | 4
03 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What seemed like a run of the mill office romance gone very, very wrong will result in a devastating upheaval in the power structure at Tinder. And re...
Dating App Wars | The Revolution Will Be Swiped | 3
29 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A new app aimed at gay users is about to break open an entirely new feature that will redefine the cyber dating business. And a young man emerging fro...
Dating App Wars | eHarmonic Convergence | 2
27 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Neil Clark Warren is a 63-year-old theologian and clinical psychologist with a vision for a site he’s certain can lead to romantic success. eHar...
Dating App Wars | Lighting Up Match.com | 1
22 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1995, and computer dating is in its infancy. Most people think it’s a dark, sleazy world for desperate losers and horny perverts. But that’...
Diamond Wars | The Future of the Diamond Industry | 8
20 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we conclude our Diamond Wars series. These precious stones are known to be undeniably beautiful, rare and a symbol of luxury. But diam...
Diamond Wars | The Alchemists | 7
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 2000s and the diamond cartel is dead. Now, De Beers must adjust to its new status as the market leader rather than the monopoly. But the th...
Diamond Wars | Monopolies Aren’t Forever | 6
13 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the late 1990s and rebel armies in Angola, Sierra Leone and Congo are bankrolling campaigns of mass murder and terror with diamonds. Now, after...
Diamond Wars | Blood and Champagne | 5
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1966 and De Beers is about to abandon its eleven-year search for diamonds in Botswana. But the geologist behind the search is far from ready to...
Diamond Wars | The Shadow World | 4
06 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the early 1950s and West Africa’s growing number of diamond smugglers is causing headaches for De Beers. Faced with millions of pounds i...
Diamond Wars | Diamond Dogfight | 3
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1940, and the world is at war. The Allies and Axis powers are scrambling to lock down supplies of the industrial diamonds needed to mass produc...
Diamond Wars | The Puppet Master | 2
29 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1914 and De Beers’s monopoly is under threat. Diamonds have been discovered on the desolate coast of the German colony of South West Africa.S...
Diamond Wars | The Diamond Rush | 1
24 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1869 and diamonds have been found in Cape Colony. Now, diamond hunters from across the world are heading to this remote British outpost in...
Uber vs Lyft | Examining Toxic Company Culture in the Rideshare Industry | 7
22 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Uber and Lyft have made their mark as very different brands.Lyft was born out of a need for more environmentally friendly rideshare options. And is al...
Uber vs Lyft | Evolve or Die | 6
17 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is cleaning house after the departure of Travis Kalanick. But after a disappointing IPO, Khosrowshahi has to boost the compa...
Uber vs Lyft | Damage Control | 5
15 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
February 2017, Super Bowl Sunday. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is taking a black car home when he gets in an altercation with the driver. LIttle does he k...
Uber vs Lyft | Kill or Be Killed | 4
10 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Uber is facing blowback from all directions — the taxi industry, riders, and the most important man in tech: Apple's Tim Cook. Uber’s been engaged...
Uber vs Lyft | Race to the Bottom | 3
08 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's 2013, and Lyft's CEO John Zimmer is hosting a little celebration for drivers when some very unwelcome interlopers turn up to crash the party. Ube...
Uber vs Lyft | Revenge Business | 2
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's the late '90s, and Travis Kalanick is hanging out in his dorm room at UCLA. He’s having a file-sharing party with his friends that leads to his...
Uber vs Lyft | Black Cars and Pink Mustaches | 1
01 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s December 2008, and two friends and fellow tech entrepreneurs, Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick, can't get a taxi. Camp’s already obsessed wit...
Business Battles | Toilet Paper Wars: White Gold | 5
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Quarantine restrictions during the coronavirus have induced toilet paper panic-buying as people scratch, claw and punch each other to get rolls. But w...
Business Battles | Tetris: Soviet Blocks | 4
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1988, and Tetris is making waves. It’s billed as the first Soviet video game, and it’s selling fast.But the man who introduced it to the We...
Business Battles | Cola Space Race: One Giant Sip for Mankind | 3
18 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1984 and the cola war is neck and neck. After years of struggle, Pepsi looks ready to triumph over Coca-Cola. So Coke’s striking back by...
Business Battles | Monopoly: Winner Takes All | 2
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's 1902 and political campaigner Lizzie Magie is fighting a losing battle. For years, she’s pushed the idea of a land-value tax, but fewer and few...
Amazon vs Walmart | How COVID-19 Could Change the Retail Landscape | 7
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Since the novel coronavirus hit, Amazon and Walmart have seen a rise in profits, unlike many other retailers. But there have also been struggles to ke...
Sponsored: When Small Businesses Think Big - Chobani & Wrigley (Dell Podference) | 2
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is brought to you by Wondery in partnership with Dell Technologies. In honor of small businesses, we’re featuring inspiring stories of ...
Amazon vs Walmart - The Stealth Enemy | 6
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the COVID-19 virus spreads across the globe and forces people inside their homes for months, the world relies on online shopping more than ever. Am...
Sponsored: When Small Businesses Think Big - Atari & Red Bull (Dell Podference) | 1
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is brought to you by Wondery in partnership with Dell Technologies. In honor of small businesses, we’re featuring inspiring stories of ...
Amazon vs Walmart - Food Fight! | 5
04 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon decides to go after Walmart’s biggest category: fresh food. But moving into groceries is harder than Bezos expected. Meanwhile, Walmart has f...
Amazon vs Walmart - There’s No Business Like Shoe Business | 4
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Walmart finally decides to focus aggressively on its e-commerce division, but struggles with the best way to use the internet to reach consumers. They...
Amazon vs Walmart - Priming the Public | 3
27 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
By the mid-2000s, Walmart is starting to show some cracks. They are still successful, but bad press and sluggish growth are taking a toll on their ear...
Amazon vs Walmart - Provoking the Giant | 2
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 1990s, Walmart is happily trucking along, dominating the American retail market. They’re expanding locations and increasing their own ba...
Amazon vs Walmart - The Big Bang Theory of E-Commerce | 1
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ninety-six percent of Americans now shop online, snapping up everything from rare coins to industrial-sized barrels of hand sanitizer. Almost half of ...
An Inside Look at The North Face with Former CEO Hap Klopp | 7
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the key players in the story of The North Face is Hap Klopp, who in 1968, bought the then-burgeoning outdoor sports equipment store. He bought ...
The North Face vs Patagonia - Eco-Samurai | 6
13 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2010 and Yvon Chouinard is about to give Patagonia’s executives their toughest challenge yet: telling people to buy less Patagonia gear.Meanw...
The North Face vs Patagonia - Rescue Mission | 5
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the late 1990s and The North Face is seeking to attract mainstream customers by opening hundreds of Summit Shops within the nation’s stores.B...
The North Face vs Patagonia - Zen and the Art of Business | 4
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the dawn of the 1990s and Yvon Chouinard is struggling to come to terms with his new status as a successful entrepreneur. He cannot decide what...
The North Face vs Patagonia - Patagucci | 3
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the late 1970s and Patagonia’s living hand to mouth and looking for a way to stoke sales. But when founder Yvon Chouinard suggests making a j...
The North Face vs Patagonia - Blazing Trails | 2
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1970 and The North Face’s new owner Hap Klopp is on a mission to turn the dirtbag outdoor store he bought into an industry trailblazer. But w...
The North Face vs Patagonia - Dirtbags | 1
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1960s, and two climbing buddies are about to lay the foundations for a new industry.The older of the two is an outdoorsman and part-time bl...
Starbucks vs Dunkin - Luckin: China’s Coffee Dark Horse | 7
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There’s no doubt that Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts have created empires throughout the U.S. and internationally. Starbucks has more than 15,000 locat...
Starbucks vs Dunkin - The Cold Rush | 6
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dunkin and Starbucks are going full on 21st century, doing all they can to top each other with new concept stores, vast emporiums, vegan food options,...
Starbucks vs Dunkin - A Grande Fail | 5
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Great Recession doesn’t play favorites and both Starbucks and Dunkin are hit hard. As more customers make coffee at home, Dunkin leans into...
Starbucks vs Dunkin - Trouble is Brewing | 4
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Howard Schultz can hardly believe the mess his company is in, with sales in free fall. To pull out of it, he’ll need to make a radical move. Yet no ...
Starbucks vs Dunkin - Schultz vs The Bean Counters | 3
09 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Howard Schultz has found his mission. He’s burning to turn Starbucks into an espresso bar business, but he can’t convince Starbucks owners to get ...
Starbucks vs Dunkin - Mission Espresso | 2
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While Dunkin Donuts expands and flourishes, Howard Schultz is bored. But then the 28-year-old New Yorker gets wind of a Seattle company with just four...
Starbucks vs Dunkin - A Steamy Culture Clash | 1
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A former high school dropout named Bill Rosenberg has big dreams and a passion for coffee. In 1950, in the small town of Quincy, Massachusetts he’s ...
Nintendo vs Sony - No Surrender | 6
24 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After years of sitting on the sidelines of the next-generation console war, Nintendo is finally ready to make its move. But, the years it’s spent bu...
Nintendo vs Sony - The Sleeping Giant | 5
19 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Nintendo decided early on that the Nintendo 64 would be a cartridge console, instead of a CD console. But CDs are much cheaper to make and have much b...
Nintendo vs Sony - Game Time | 4
17 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is a story about Sony and Nintendo, but it also involves a little company called Sega. Ever play Sonic the Hedgehog? That’s Sega. And during Ni...
Nintendo vs Sony - Charm Offensive | 3
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
From the moment it began, the PlayStation project was in danger. The problem was none other than PlayStations knight and chief advocate: Kutaragi. He ...
Nintendo vs Sony - Man of Steel | 2
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's 1949. 22-year old Hiroshi Yamauchi is the heir apparent for his family's playing card company, Nintendo. From humble beginnings as a scrappy stre...
Nintendo vs Sony - Stabbed in the Back | 1
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Once a symbol of 80s teenage nerdom, video games are now as common as television sets in American households. Can you imagine a world where the Sony P...
Boeing vs Airbus - The Max Controversy | 7
27 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For more than 50 years, a version of Boeing's 737 aircraft has sailed the skies, dominating the market for short-range, short-haul domestic planes. Th...
Boeing vs Airbus - Mayday | 6
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2011 and Airbus and Boeing are battling for the biggest deal in commercial aviation history. American Airlines is looking to buy 460 single-ais...
Boeing vs Airbus - Losing Altitude | 5
20 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 2000s and after years of talk, Airbus is pushing ahead with its plan to build the biggest passenger jet in the world. But while Airbus is t...
Boeing vs Airbus - An Unholy Alliance | 4
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the late 1980s and following the A320 crash at the Habsheim Air Show in eastern France, the safety of Airbus’s computerized flight system is ...
Boeing vs Airbus - Air Bandits | 3
13 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the late 1970s and Airbus is on cloud nine after securing a breakthrough deal with Eastern Airlines. But Boeing’s not taking the consortium’...
Boeing vs Airbus - Cleared for Takeoff | 2
08 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1970 and the Boeing 747 is finally airborne. But bringing this behemoth to market has taken Boeing to the edge of collapse. And it will take ye...
Boeing vs Airbus - Get Your Wings | 1
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1950s, the dawn of the jet age. And leading the world into this era of faster, less shaky flights is the British-made De Havilland Comet.Bu...
Ford vs Chevrolet - Technology in the Fast Lane | 4
01 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a hard fought battle for decades, and in the 1970s there's no signs of Ford or Chevrolet slowing down. But this time they're fighting on new...
Ford vs Chevrolet - Fast and Sexy | 3
30 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1960s, the biggest generation of Americans of all time are reaching driving age. They want cars, and they want them to be fast and powerful, an...
Ford vs Chevrolet - Detroit Joins the War | 2
25 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
FDR believed that WWII was a contest of mass production. Whoever could build the most trucks, tanks, guns and airplanes would come out on top. What po...
Ford vs Chevrolet - Tin Lizzie Becomes Roadkill | 1
23 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In 1896, Henry Ford puttered around Detroit streets testing his “Quadricycle.” This was the whimsical beginning to a revolution that redesigned th...
Macy’s vs Gimbels - Last Store Standing | 6
18 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the 1960s and as Americans flee cities for the suburbs, Macy’s and Gimbels face tough choices. How do they compete with the rise of discount ...