Big Things Podcast

This week, we’re celebrating 500 subscribers on YouTube (thank you!). Mike and Mitzi step into the magical world of Harry Potter, for the first time, and we break down Instagram's new “Trial Reels” feature. Plus we share our thoughts on the Golden Globe 2025 Nominations and explore the viral TikTok trend “We Listen and We Don’t Judge” that puts relationships to the test. 

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitzi
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps: 

• 04:00 – We hit 500 subscribers on Youtube! Thank you for listening!
• 05:00  – Mike and Mitzi experience Harry Potter for the first time. 
• 12:20 – Check out the Easy Reads podcast and join the community!
• 13:00 – Big Thing 1: Instagram introduces ‘Trial Reels’ to test content with non-followers. Should you try this? 
• 19:55 – A trip down memory lane: Mike was a hipster and an emo?
• 22:00 – Mitzi wants to start a reality TV show—but we need a villain. 
• 24:50 – Who would win in a fight at Arcade? (HR did NOT approve this question).
• 27:20 – Big Thing 2: Golden Globe 2025 Nominations are out and we’ve got opinions.
• 40:58 – Big Thing 3: TikTok’s ‘We Listen and We Don’t Judge’ trend, explained - Relationships are falling apart while others get stronger.

Show notes:

• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the 
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2024 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

Seeing double? Sea la vie? This week we’re diving into the 2025 Pinterest Predicts report, what we’re reading, thoughts around the potential TikTok ban, Fourth Wing (dragon monogamy?), and more. 

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitzi 
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps: 

• 00:30 – This week’s Big Things!
• 03:00 – What we’ve been reading (spoiler alert: dragon mates). 
• 08:30 – Big Thing 1: Pinterest Predicts 2024 is out! These are some of our favorite trends. 
• 16:00 – The matching trends and why people are coordinating outfits.
• 18:00 – We have mixed thoughts on the 2025 color of the year…
• 25:30 – Big Thing 2: The TikTok ban is back on the table; here’s what we know & what we recommend if the ban goes through.  
• 34:00 – Big Thing 3: The WNBA was one of the fastest rising brands of 2024. 
• 44:50 – Alex Cooper’s first product had a cool launch (hydration drinks targeted at women). 

Show notes:

• Pinterest Predicts report: https://business.pinterest.com/en-ca/pinterest-predicts/2025/cherry-coded/ 
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the 
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2024 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024 
• Easy Reads podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/easy-reads/id1728312993 
• [book] The Sword of Kaigen: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41886271-the-sword-of-kaigen 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

This week’s episode is the personality hire of episodes; it’s fun and light (and just what we needed). From trying to understand what “brat” even means, to the unhinged gifts for celebrity lookalike contests and influencers suing each other for “vibes,” you don’t want to skip this episode. 

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitziP 
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps: 

• 01:00 – Personality stories ONLY this week. 
• 02:30 – Be sure to check out Arcade’s TikTok for our Vlogmas!
• 06:00 – Mike & Mitzi explain new slang (Big Thing 1 - the word of the year isn’t one word). 
• 20:00 – Thing 2: Influencer, Sydney Nicole Gifford, is suing Alyssa Sheil for copying her aesthetic. This is a slippery slope. 
• 30:00 – Big Thing 3: Lookalike contests are on the rise (with exciting prizes like a literal pack of cigarettes). Why?
• 38:00 – Buffalo fans are built different.

Show notes:

• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the 
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

Beyoncé is gearing up for the NFL Christmas Gameday halftime show, while Volvo and Jaguar’s latest ads are bringing the tears (for very different reasons). Plus, Smirnoff appoints Troye Sivan as their new Chief Vibes Officer—what does that even mean? This week on Big Things, we’re talking all things holiday hype, brand moves and more. 

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne 
• Mike Payne

Timestamps: 

• 01:00 – We are living in a winter wonderland ☃️
• 02:30 – Big Thing #1: Beyoncé is performing during the halftime show for the NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix. 
• 5:20 – Netflix livestreaming attempts (is Netflix gaslighting us?). 
• 8:20 –  NBA’s Disney take over: a family-friendly game. 
• 11:40 – Jason Kelce to host a late-night talk show on ESPN. 
• 19:00 – Big Thing #2: Volvo and Jaguar ads make us cry, and it’s not for the same reasons.
• 25:00 – Rebrands aren’t easy, but this was not it Jaguar.
• 27:50 – Mitzi wants a Volvo. 
• 35:00 – Big Thing #3: Smirnoff announces Troye Sivan as Chief Vibes Officer and charged with keeping the vibes immaculate ✨
• 41:40 – Domingo makes an appearance on SNL again and shows up at the Sabrina Carpenter concert in LA.
• 45:44 – We’re in the top 15% of podcasters! 

Show notes:

• Volvo commercial: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_f2Ecuol6t/?igsh=MWNiNGVodWR6MDVtbg==  
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the 
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

‘Tis the season: Grammy nominations are out, Gift Guides are dropping (ours included), and brands are beefing over IP. On this week’s episode we’re talking about Sweetgreen’s recent controversy with Market, gift ideas for everyone in your life, and, of course, Beyoncé. 

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne
• Mike Payne

Timestamps: 

• 03:00 – Big Thing #1: Grammy nominations are out and we have thoughts!
• 09:00 – Beyoncé’s nominations, the country music categories, and Drake v Kendrick beef
• 28:00 – Big Thing #2: Sweetgreen launched merch, but it stirred up controversy with NY clothing brand, Market. 
• 33:00 – Can ideas really get “stolen” in marketing? How do you protect IP? And hot takes on RFPs.
• 42:40 – Big Thing #3: The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide is live! 
• 45:00 – Gifts for your burnt out bestie, the hobby enthusiast, the overstimulated, and more. How we built the guide around behaviors instead of stereotypes. 
• 55:00 – What we’ll be gifting this year. 

Show notes:

• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the 
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024 
• Books: Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon, The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

Now that Halloween’s over we’re switching into holiday mode – between our own Christmas decor and planning our annual Arcade holiday party! Since we’re in the festive mood, our team is putting together our first ever Gift Guide (linked below). We also chat about our tips for surviving winter in Calgary, campaigns we’re loving from Zara and GAP, and trends around Gen Z, movies and nightclubs. 

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitziP 
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps: 

• 01:00 – Starting to get in the holiday spirit (by buying more Christmas trees). 
• 09:00 – Tips to survive winter in Calgary. 
• 12:20 – Big Thing #1: Zara is starting a pre-owned platform (and we love it). 
• 22:00 – Campaigns we’re loving from Zara and GAP.
• 25:00 – Our experiences working in retail. 
• 28:00 – Big Thing #2: Adolescents favorite thing to do = movies. 
• 35:00 – Skibidi?
• 39:00 – TikTok is changing the way Gen Z talks. 
• 43:40 – Big Thing #3: UK nightclubs are going to be extinct by 2030. What are people into instead? 

Show notes:

• Arcade’s TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@helloarcade 
• The SCAN CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the 
• Books: How to Winter by Kari Leibowitz, PhD & Wintering by Katherine May 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

Is flag football the future of the NFL? Why is Instagram lowering video quality for certain users? And what’s on our Christmas list this year? For this week’s Big Things we’re talking about social media, marathons, SNL and more. Be sure to subscribe, follow and rate the show if you’re enjoying it!

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitziP 
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps: 

• 01:00 – What we’ve been up to and highlights from The Gathering summit (Gary Vee, the NFL, sonic branding, huge brands & more). 
• 10:00 – The most important part of the conference: Our team karaoke picks. 
• 12:00 – Big Thing #1: Why is Instagram lowering the video quality on videos that don’t get as many views?
• 16:00 – Ideas to improve your Instagram engagement.
• 20:00 – The role of IG highlights. 
• 23:00 – Mitzi can’t stop crying at the New York Marathon. 
• 29:20 – We can’t stop singing Domingo (is SNL back on the rise?). 
• 31:40 – On our Christmas list this year. 
• 40:00 – Big Thing #3: Morgan Stanley is now letting investors invest in a portfolio tied to sports. 
• 45:00 – Flag football and the future of the NFL. 

Show notes:

• Arcade’s TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@helloarcade 
• SCAN 👀 CLUB’s 2024 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

Should we be kind to our future AI overlords? What happened to airline etiquette? And does Mike have a praise kink? That’s before we even get into this week’s Big Things. We also chat about ByteDance taking over BookTok and Jessica Campbell making history as the first full-time female coach in the NHL. 

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitziP 
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps: 

• 01:00 – Thing 1: Should you be nice to AI chatbots?
• 03:20 – Gen Z are the nicest to bots & what happens if you’re rude. 
• 07:00 – Should you recline your seat on an airplane?
• 12:20 – Tip your servers!
• 22:50 – Thing 2: ByteDance is moving into print. All about their new publication business. 
• 25:00 – The impact #booktok has on print sales & some of our top books right now.  
• 32:00 – Thing 3: Jessica Campbell has made history as the first full-time female coach in the National Hockey League. Why is this good for the game?
• 37:00 – What could the NHL do to attract new fans?
• 41:30 – How the NFL drew women in with WAGS, celebrities, post-game interviews, storytelling and more. 

Show notes:

1. Easy Reads podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/easy-reads/id1728312993 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

This week on Big Things: olive oil is the gift of the season, modern parenting is bad for your health and Instagram doubles down on group chats. We share a teaser about our upcoming holiday gift guide, a shocking stat about working moms and get annoyed about Snapchat (again). 

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitziP 
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps: 

• 01:00 – What we’ll be chatting about today. 
• 01:40 – Thing 1: Olive oil is set to replace bottles of wine this holiday season. 
• 05:00 – What gifts we will be giving this year. 
• 8:50 – Mitzi develops an emotional connection with a chicken.
• 11:12 – The upcoming special addition of SCAN 👀 CLUB. 
• 14:00 – A little teaser about our halloween costume (tune in next week on YouTube to see it). 
• 18:20 – Thing 2: Modern parenting is so stressful that the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory about it. 
• 21:30 – A shocking stat about working moms. 
• 29:20 – Thing 3: Instagram is adding a WhatsApp button that will allow brands and creators to link directly into group chats. 
• 31:35 – Snapchat is adding advertising placements into the DMs. 
• 35:30 – What we’d like to see from Instagram Broadcast channels. 

Show notes:

• SCAN 👀 CLUB: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024
• Snapchat is bringing ads to the Chat tab: https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/08/snapchat-is-bringing-ads-to-the-chat-tab/ 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

This week our team convinced us to try the viral Dua Lipa Diet Coke drink and let’s just say… It was interesting. We also do a deep dive into LeBron’s career and recent debut with his son, Bronny, the upcoming WAGS reality TV show, if everyone really needs a hobby and share a hot take on our kids’ art projects. 

More from us:

- Mitzi Payne @mmmitziP 
- Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps: 

01:30 – What we’re talking about today. 
03:00 – Dua Lipa’s viral Diet Coke drink (our team made us try it). 
08:00 – Our next question: Why did Dua Lipa do this?
11:00  – Thing 1: LeBron and Bronny play their first game together
15:00 – NBA marketing, Michael Jordan and Lebron. 
22:00 – Some of LeBron’s legacy and family ties. 
28:00 – The WAGS reality show picked the wrong team. 
31:15 – Thing 2: Does everyone really need a hobby?
36:00 – Our hobbies (Mitzi’s baking era). 
41:50 – A hot take on our kids’ art projects.
44:00 – Thing 3: Rachel Karten’s social media trend report for Q3.
46:40 – Brands are hiring for Creative Directors for social media. Why we love this. 

Show notes:

1. SCAN 👀 CLUB: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024

2. Rachel Karten’s Social Media Trend Report: https://www.milkkarten.net/p/brand-social-trend-report-q3-2024 

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.