Business Wars

Macy’s vs Gimbels - Wartime Wagers | 5

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the late 1930s Gimbels makes a risky bet by stockpiling goods likely to be scarce in wartime. They also snap up their rival’s star copywriter, wh...

Macy’s vs Gimbels - Diversify or Die | 4

11 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1920s and wealthy flappers and captains of industry have money to burn for raccoon coats and monogrammed sterling silver hip flasks. Gimbel...

Macy’s vs Gimbels - Showdown over Manhattan | 3

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s nearing the turn of the 19th century, and the Straus Brothers now run Macy’s emporium out of a dozen cobbled together stores in lower Manhatt...

Macy’s vs Gimbels - Fathers, Sons, and Civil War | 2

04 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As R.H. Macy’s Manhattan emporium and reputation grow during the Civil War, his teenage son rebels and runs away to join the Union army. When the bo...

Macy’s vs Gimbels - The Frontiersman and the Whaler | 1

02 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's the mid 1800s and two very different young men set out in the world to make their fortunes. A young boy from Nantucket spends four years at sea o...

The Raisin Cartels - Gambling the Future | 3

27 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the midst of their heated negotiations over the price of raisins, the CEO of Sun-Maid and the head of the Raisin Bargaining Association face off, e...

The Raisin Cartels - A New Sheriff in Raisin Land | 2

25 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Facing a shrinking raisin market, Sun-Maid hires a new CEO with a mandate to make raisins popular with Millennials. He believes part of the reason con...

The Raisin Cartels: A Desperate Brotherhood | 1

20 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The humble raisin: it’s hard to imagine that dried grapes are at the center of one of the longest running business wars in the United States. But wi...

Chocolate and Sustainability | 7

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Growing the cocoa needed to produce chocolate on the scale a company like Mars or Hershey needs is an immense undertaking. One serious consequence cho...

Hershey vs Mars - Global Chocolate Domination | 6

13 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a new century and Hershey’s facing unexpected trouble at home — a showdown between the company and its biggest shareholder that threatens i...

Hershey vs Mars - A Chocolate Rolls Royce | 5

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the late 1970s and Mars is America’s top confectioner. But Hershey is hungry for a comeback. It’s plotting a return to the top powered by a...

Hershey vs Mars - Mars Attacks! | 4

06 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1965 and Forrest Mars has just become the manufacturer of Snickers and M&M’s. He is now – at last – ready to duke it out with Hershey...

Hershey vs Mars - A Candy-Coated Prayer | 3

04 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1940s and Forrest Mars’ plan to create a candy empire is stepping up a gear. He’s plotting to seize control of his dad’s company Mars...

Hershey vs Mars - Blast Off | 2

30 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1923 and the Hershey Chocolate Company dominates the candy bar business. With its milk chocolate Hershey bar and bite-sized Kisses, Hershey see...

Hershey vs Mars - Chocolate Town | 1

28 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1886 and in New York City, a young confectioner called Milton Hershey is desperately trying to save his business.He’s been struggling for yea...

Facebook vs Snapchat - TikTok, The New Social Media Sensation | 7

23 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The social media world moves fast, and the next big thing is already upon us. It’s called TikTok. A video-based app where users create short clips t...

Facebook vs Snapchat - Snapchat’s Comeback | 6

21 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s June 2018. Mark Zuckerberg is struggling and morale at the social media giant is low. Facebook has been battered by data breaches and there’s...

Facebook vs Snapchat - Stock Market Tailspin | 5

16 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s April 2017, and Mark Zuckerberg is issuing a new challenge to Snapchat. By making its face filters open source, the tech giant is coming direct...

Facebook vs Snapchat - Facebook Fights Back | 4

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's September 2015 and Snapchat has just hit on a game-changer for the young company: filters that augment users' faces. Thanks to some celebrity lov...

Facebook vs Snapchat - The Offer | 3

09 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s November 2013, and Mark Zuckerberg is about to make Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy an offer he thinks they can't refuse. But when Spiegel and Mu...

Facebook vs Snapchat - Children of Privilege | 2

07 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's the new millennium and Mark Zuckerberg is bored in high school. He's a prodigious student so smart he's already taking graduate level coding clas...

Facebook vs Snapchat - Vanishing Act | 1

02 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s April 2011, and Evan Spiegel is about to present his class project. Right now, it's called Picaboo. Soon, it's going to become Snapchat. But fo...

WWF vs WCW - The Future of Pro Wrestling | 7

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

World Wrestling Entertainment is the dominant name in professional wrestling but new promotions are now challenging the WWE’s dominance. We conclude...

WWF vs WCW - Down for the Count | 6

25 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1998 and the slugfest between Vince McMahon’s WWF and Ted Turner’s WCW is reaching a critical juncture.McMahon’s on a mission to pull wre...

WWF vs WCW - Shock Tactics | 5

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1996 and with Monday Nitro topping the TV ratings, WCW is out to end WWF’s time as the biggest player in the wrestling business.It’s plotti...

WWF vs WCW - New World Order | 4

18 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1995 and the Monday Night Wars are underway. WCW’s new show Monday Nitro is grappling with the WWF’s Monday Night Raw to win TV viewers’ ...

WWF vs WCW - Prime Time | 3

16 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1994 and WCW is stepping up its game. To get the jump on WWF, Ted Turner is writing big checks to steal away the WWF’s biggest stars and spon...

WWF vs WCW - Bulking Up | 2

11 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the dawn of the 1990s and Vince McMahon’s WWF is the king of wrestling. But trouble’s brewing: a steroids scandal is about to deal a body b...

WWF vs WCW - Titan Rising | 1

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the early 1980s and there’s peace in the wrestling business. For years regional wrestling companies have maintained order by sticking to thei...

Electric Bikes | 7

04 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Harley Davidson built its brand on big, loud and heavy bikes. So why is the company staking its future on an electric motorcycle? It turns out Harley'...

Harley and the Biker Wars - Live to Ride | 6

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

By the early 1980s, Harley-Davidson is fighting to survive. Japan has glutted the American market with bikes, creating a war Harley can’t fight alon...

Harley and the Biker Wars - The Freedom Machine | 5

28 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1969, and the iconic film Easy Rider stars Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson and—most prominently—Harley choppers. It boosts the brand’s cool c...

Harley and the Biker Wars - Japan Takes No Prisoners | 4

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1963. After battling the wave of British bikes vying for the high-dollar U.S. motorcycle market, Harley-Davidson is slammed by a tsunami of mac...

Harley and the Biker Wars - Uneasy Riders | 3

21 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

By the late 1940s, World War II has ended, but Harley’s battle with a few disenfranchised veterans is just beginning. Bored and looking for kicks, t...

Harley and the Biker Wars - The Hog Is Born | 2

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1903, and Harley-Davidson is entering the spanking new motorcycle market. Of the hundreds of fledgling brands, the bike to beat is Indian, and ...

Harley and the Biker Wars - The British Invaders | 1

14 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

By the late 1940s, Harley-Davidson has become America’s leading motorcycle manufacturer. The family-owned Milwaukee brand has battled hundreds of co...

Business Battles | Monster vs Beats by Dre | 1

07 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With all the hype around portable and smart speakers, it’s easy to forget that they didn’t always exist. In fact, it took one fateful meeting with...

Cereal Wars-The Most Important Meal | 7

05 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Or is it? While that phrase sounds scientifically and nutritionally sound, it’s origins can be trac...

Cereal Wars - Going Soggy | 6

31 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the year 2000 and, for the first time in almost a century, Kellogg’s is no longer America's top cereal maker. Now a new CEO is in the driving...

Cereal Wars - Trix of the Trade | 5

29 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1980s and General Mills is making waves with a new cereal based on the world’s hottest video game: Pac-Man. But Kellogg’s is hopin...

Cereal Wars - Cereal Offenders | 4

24 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the late 1950s and General Mills is playing catch-up. While Kellogg’s and Post are thriving on the back of animated characters and sugary cer...

Cereal Wars - Sugar Rush | 3

22 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

World War II is in the rearview mirror, and breakfast cereal is on the brink of a new calorific era. Post Cereals decides to break from its healthful ...

Cereal Wars - Breakfast of Champions | 2

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1904 and Quaker Oats is about to make an, ahem, explosive entry into the cold cereal business. With the Kellogg brothers at risk of being left ...

Cereal Wars - A Divine Mission | 1

15 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the late 1800s and America is in the grip of a bellyache epidemic. But, thanks to a divine revelation, help is on the way in the form of Dr. Jo...

Gibson vs Fender - The Future of the Electric Guitar | 7

10 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Ian S. Port, author of The Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar-Pioneering Rivalry That Shaped Rock 'n' Roll joins us to talk about the...

Gibson vs Fender - Attack of the Robot Guitars | 6

08 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the '90s and 2000s, new ownership has revitalized both Fender and Gibson and rekindled their rivalry. Through acquisitions, artist endorsements and...

Gibson vs Fender - Back From the Brink | 5

03 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's the early 1980s, and for the first time in 30 years, the U.S. guitar market has gone cold. Bands are switching to synthesizers and kids are ditch...

Gibson vs Fender - Les Pauls Unleashed | 4

01 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

 In the 1960s, rock'n roll's popularity continues to grow. But one of the genre's most popular guitars, the Les Paul, is no longer being made. No...

Gibson vs Fender - The Stratocaster Blasts Off | 3

26 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gibson's Les Paul sets a new standard for the solid-body electric guitar, and rival guitar maker Fender needs to respond. The company does so in 1954 ...

Gibson vs Fender - Loud and Clear | 2

24 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's 1950, and Fender's first solid-body guitar, the Esquire, is the laughingstock of the music industry. To guitar makers used to elegantly made holl...

Gibson vs Fender - Les and Leo | 1

19 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1930s and ’40s the market for electric guitars is growing, but it’s hindered by the instruments’ flawed designs. But a small group of mav...

Anheuser-Busch vs Miller - Fighting the Crocodile | 6

17 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a new century and the beer industry is changing fast. Beyond America, new brewery empires are forming and they want to buy their way into the l...

Anheuser-Busch vs Miller - Surprise Attack Dog | 5

12 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1980s and Miller’s glory days are over. Drinkers are deserting High Life and Anheuser-Busch is about to launch a $50 million attack on Mi...

Anheuser-Busch vs Miller - Miller Killers | 4

10 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the late 1970s and Miller is hurtling towards the top of the brewing industry on the back of High Life and Lite. Anheuser-Busch’s new leader ...

Anheuser-Busch vs Miller - It’s Miller Time! | 3

05 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Come the early 1970s, Miller has a new owner: tobacco giant Philip Morris. Armed with the Marlboro maker’s millions and marketing skills, Miller is ...

Anheuser-Busch vs Miller - Swinging for the Majors | 2

03 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

By 1933 Prohibition is over, and that means the race is on to dominate a beer market that’s been reset. Under the leadership of Anheuser-Busch heir ...

Anheuser-Busch vs Miller - The Beer Barons | 1

29 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1893 and Chicago is about to host The World’s Columbian Exposition. It’s going to be the biggest show the world’s ever seen, and that mea...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - What’s Next for Digital Streaming | 9

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On today's special interview episode, renowned media futurist Rich Greenfield returns to fill us in on the latest developments in the streaming wars a...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - Streamers Everywhere | 8

22 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s spring 2019, and the Mouse House is determined to challenge Netflix for streaming supremacy. Disney CEO Bob Iger draws gasps at an industry eve...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - Break the Wheel | 7

20 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Netflix goes from being a streaming company to a movement in which consumers all over the world decide what to watch, and when and how they watch. The...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - Binge | 6

15 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hollywood execs thought Netflix was crazy to give up advertising and spin off opportunities by letting viewers flop on a couch and watch a whole seaso...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - HBO Gets in the Game | 5

13 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We take a step back to explore how a little company called Home Box Office went from serving B-movies to 325 homes in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania to be...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - The Digital Divide | 4

08 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You know the expression “content is king”? Well it turns out, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes it’s a hard-working algorithm that burrows into cu...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - Dirty Tricks | 3

06 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Thinking like your enemy is the best way to beat them, and during the war, Blockbuster tried every trick in the book to get inside Netflix. Sometimes ...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - Origins | 2

01 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After Hastings pleaded with Antioco to buy Blockbuster online, Antioco agreed to present Hasting’s proposal to the board. What he didn’t tell him ...

Netflix vs Blockbuster Revisited - Sudden Death | 1

29 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The way we watch is changing so rapidly that we’ve decided to revisit our very first and most popular Business War: Netflix versus Blockbuster. We’...

Ferrari vs. Lamborghini - The Future of Cars | 4

24 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Electric. Diesel. Driverless. Automobile Magazine’s New York Bureau Chief, Jamie Kitman, joins to talk about the latest developments in the car indu...

Ferrari vs. Lamborghini - Supercar Speed Freaks | 3

22 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is 1997. For decades, Lamborghini has struggled to survive as a company, and to compete with its nemesis Ferrari. All that is about to change. Volk...

Ferrari vs. Lamborghini - Lamborghini Spawns an Icon | 2

17 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1970. At his factory in Italy, Ferruccio Lamborghini is desperate to build a car that can outdo his rival, Enzo Ferrari, whose Ferrari factory ...

Ferrari vs. Lamborghini - The Gauntlet | 1

15 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the early 1960s. In Maranello, Italy, Enzo Ferrari has made a name for himself building the most exotic road cars in the world. But when a diss...

Hasbro vs Mattel - Today's Toys | 7

10 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bratz. Monster High. Funko. These are the toys that rule the roost in 2019. Veteran toy industry analyst Sean McGowan joins to discuss the big busines...

Hasbro vs Mattel - Screen Dreams | 6

08 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With the world plugging into the Internet, toys are under pressure. Kids are swapping plastic play for screen-based entertainment and both Mattel and ...

Hasbro vs Mattel - The Shotgun Wedding | 5

03 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A few months ago, Mattel’s revenues were just fifty million dollars behind Hasbro’s. But now that Hasbro’s swallowed Tonka—the classic maker o...

Hasbro vs Mattel - Resurrection Joe | 4

01 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the early 1980s and things are not looking good for Hasbro. The company hasn’t had a hit since Hungry Hungry Hippos; its founding CEO Merrill...

Hasbro vs Mattel - The House of Cards | 3

27 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sizzlers, Mattel’s new motorized Hot Wheels, were supposed to be the top toy this Christmas. But sales have fizzled, leaving Mattel $30 million belo...

Hasbro vs Mattel - Boy Toy | 2

25 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1960s and Hasbro is struggling. The pencil manufacturer turned toymaker hasn’t had a major success since Mr. Potato Head hit the shelves ...

Hasbro vs Mattel - Dream Doll | 1

20 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the late 1940s and two small toymakers are taking their first uneasy steps. The names of these young hopefuls are Hasbro and Mattel. One’s an...

USFL vs NFL - Risky Business | 7

25 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Pesca, Slate, joins to talk about the biggest risks facing the NFL, whether the Patriots are good or bad for the league, and what our culture wou...

USFL vs NFL - Football Day in Court | 6

20 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The battle between the NFL and the USFL finally comes to a head. Donald Trump has bullied his way to the top of the USFL and pressured his league into...

USFL vs NFL - The Empire Strikes Back | 5

18 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For nearly two full years, the mighty NFL sat idly by as the upstart USFL tried to chip away at its status, talent, and reputation as the most powerfu...

USFL vs NFL - Making Spring Football Great Again | 4

13 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Description: It’s 1984, and at USFL franchise offices across the country, multi-million dollar contracts are flowing like Gatorade. As the United St...

USFL vs NFL - A Challenge to the King | 3

11 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

By most measures, the USFL’s debut season is a success. The games post solid numbers--in both ticket sales and television ratings--offering undeniab...

USFL vs NFL - A General Triumph | 2

06 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Description: The NFL has faced rival leagues in the past, and routinely squashed them without breaking so much as a sweat. The NFL’s powerful commis...

USFL vs NFL - Birth of a Spring Football League | 1

04 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For years, David Dixon has been trying to convince the National Football League to launch an expansion team in New Orleans, but he always comes up emp...

McDonald’s vs Burger King - Breakfast Wars | 7

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Egg McMuffins, Croissan’wiches and coffee. Today’s fast food fight is all about breakfast time. Wall Street Journal reporter Julie Jargon joins to...

McDonald’s vs Burger King - Super Fan Supernova | 6

23 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a new century and times are tough for the burger giants. Burger King’s in a rut and McDonald’s is about to report its first loss in nearly ...

McDonald's vs Burger King - Battle of the Burgers | 5

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Burger King is under pressure. McDonald’s is wowing the nation with a new way to eat chicken and Wendy’s is quickly closing in on the number two f...

McDonald’s vs Burger King - Have It Your Way | 4

16 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the 1970s, and the burger barons are turning to TV advertising to propel profits skyward. McDonald’s is betting that a little song and dance ...

McDonald’s vs Burger King - Feeding Frenzy | 3

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

By the mid-1960s, Americans have developed a taste for fast, delicious, affordable food — and they’re demanding more. U.S. fast food franchises —...

McDonald’s vs Burger King - Cooking with Gas | 2

09 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the late 1950s and fry cooks are flipping as fast as they can. But McDonald’s and Insta-Burger King’s desire for national success far outst...

McDonald’s vs Burger King - Fastest Burger in the West | 1

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1948, and somewhere around the edge of the Mojave Desert, a drive-in restaurant is making waves. It's called McDonald’s and it’s like no bu...

Zankou Chicken Murders - The Death of an American Dream | 2

20 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Mardiros Iskenderian was known for two things: the unbelievable generosity he showed to the Armenian community, and the deep love he expressed for his...

Zankou Chicken Murders - Out of Beirut | 1

18 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s January 14th, 2003, and 56-year-old Mardiros Iskenderian, the founder of the family-owned chain of rotisserie restaurants Zankou Chicken, is le...

Browser Wars - Even When They Lose They Win | 6

13 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Microsoft has officially won the battle against Netscape, but for Bill Gates, the browser war is far from over. The federal government has filed an an...

Browser Wars - Microsoft on the Hot Seat | 5

11 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

To compete with Netscape, Bill Gates is forced to do the one thing he hates most: give tech away for free. He bundles Internet Explorer with Windows, ...

Browser Wars - An Offer They Can’t Refuse | 4

06 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s summer 1995, and Bill Gates is worried about the sudden rise of the Internet. In the world of computers, Gates is used to being in the driver’...

Browser Wars - Poker Face | 3

04 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1974, and a young programmer named Paul Allen has just caught a glimpse of the world’s first personal computer, the Altair 8800. It has the p...

Browser Wars - The Birth of a Dot Com Giant | 2

29 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Two disgruntled tech whizzes, Jim Clark and Marc Andreessen, join forces to exact revenge on the companies that wronged them, building a browser so fa...

Browser Wars - Kickstarting a Revolution | 1

27 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1992, and in the basement of the chemistry building at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, two computer science students are workin...

Red Bull vs Monster - Buzzkill | 3

20 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As the extreme marketing battle between Red Bull and Monster reaches unprecedented heights (128,000 feet above sea level, to be precise), a new challe...