Everything 80s

On the hundredth anniversary of Coca-Cola, the iconic beverage company decided to shake things up. And boy did they ever. They shook things up by taking away their classic cola and introducing a whole new one: New Coke.

This is a look back on a decision that enraged the public, caused severe backlash, and forced the company to bring back the original formula--in less than three months. But was this their plan all along? Did they want us to appreciate and miss what we once had with original Coke? Listen up to learn the story of one of the biggest brand debacles of all time...

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There's a good chance you're reading this on your phone right now as our devices obviously provide us with portable entertainment. But before cell phones, iPods, and MP3 players, there was one device that forever changed the way we consumed music: The Walkman.

For the first time ever, the Walkman allowed us to take our personal music anywhere we went. It became a symbolic image of the 80s, sold hundreds of millions of units, and today, we look back at one of the most iconic devices ever made.

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It's hard to imagine, but there was a time when video games were dying. It was 1983, and because of the Great Video Game crash, many companies wanted to distance themselves from video games.

Enter a nearly 100-year-old company from Japan. Nintendo would not only rescue the video game industry but take it to heights never thought imaginable. So ready player one, press play and let's journey back to a brand new age of video games.

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It was a classic battle between good and evil and it gave us one of the greatest toys of all time. Today, we journey back to revisit the history of the iconic Transformers.

From their early days in Japan to dominating TVs and toy shelves in North America, this is another defining 1980s toys franchise that was also a masterclass in marketing. So hit play and let's roll out!

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If you were a kid in the 80s, you were probably blissfully unaware of what was happening with the tumultuous economy. But this crazy financial world created the 80s as we know it.

This is really a story in three parts: It starts low, soars to dizzying heights, only to come crashing back down. It was the time of Reaganomics, recession, deficits, vast wealth, and one of the darkest days in the history of Wall Street. The economy of the 1980s gave us things like the Yuppie, Strawberry Shortcake, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, G.I. Joe, and many of the defining images of the decade.

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What do you get when you combine a German fashion doll, lightsabers, and an energy crisis? You get G.I. Joe, of course! This is a look back on a toy that's not only one of the most successful in history but also a masterclass in marketing.

The story of G.I. Joe goes all the way back to 1955, and over the decades, redefined how toys could be advertised. Despite marketing restrictions in the 80s, Hasbro still created an incredible demand for a dead toy line. Then, they took advantage of the lifting of advertising regulations, to create the blueprint for how to successfully market a toy franchise.

So hit play and let's head back to when after-school cartoons were sacred and a resurrected toy line captured our imaginations.

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Where were you in '82? If you're old enough to remember October 1982, you may recall the widespread panic of the Tylenol Murders. In Chicago, seven people were now dead after consuming poisoned Tylenol. How did this happen? How much more was out there? How safe were any of our everyday products?

This episode is part true crime story, but as much about how the news media could spread fear quicker than ever before. It's also about a public relations nightmare, navigating a crisis, the rapid safety changes to product packaging; even trick-or-treating getting canceled. So hit play, and let's journey back to the fall of 1982.

*This episode contains content that some listeners may find disturbing

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Is your head hurting, too? I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that these 15 incredible albums are now over the hill. Today, we head back to the year 1982 which may be one of the most astounding years for music ever. 1982 gave us not only some of the best albums of the 80s--but in music history.

It's a year that combined classic rock, pop, new wave, heavy metal, folk, and a new musical art form that would soon take the world by storm. 1982 was also unique as it was the only year when all four physical music formats existed at the same time. Will any of your favorites make the list? Press play to find out!

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If you grew up in the 1980s, you know how sacred Saturday morning cartoons were. But as we got older, they faded away, and our interests changed. Would anything be able to fill the void of that beloved TV-watching ritual? Enter TGIF on the ABC network.

Though it may feel more like a 90s institution, TGIF began in the late 80s with roots going all the way back to 1985. This episode looks back at the origins of the beloved Friday night lineup, the importance of following a formula, the real meaning behind TGIF, and the importance of branding specific nights. Ultimately, this is a story about the power of our beloved routines, traditions, and the people we share them with.

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No matter what our feelings are about the Royal Family, we've been living through historical times. And, for the Royals, there may be no era more significant than the 1980s. This was a decade where--thanks to the growth of media, cable, and networks--awareness of their every move was at an all-time high.

The 1980s gave us two royal weddings, four royal births, multiple threats to the Queen, and a humorous public relations disaster. This is also a time when we began to see cracks in the facade of what was supposed to be a "perfect family." And, in the 1980s, the world would meet a young nursery school assistant who would soon become the most famous human being on earth.

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