On today's episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in the world of business and innovation including Chime Financial’s upcoming IPO, Microsoft introducing the Bing Video Creator using OpenAI’s Sora, layoffs at Business Insider, Meta's plan to meet AI energy demands, and the long awaited release of the Nintendo Switch 2. (00:39)

Next, Tinder and Bumble are facing challenges, leading their management to pursue ambitious turnaround strategies. Josh and Yaz talk about the current state of dating apps and what they can learn from Hinge. (07:54)

Finally, Josh and Yaz speak with Chairman of Bravo & Peacock Unscripted, Frances Berwick, and star of the reality TV show Below Deck Mediterranean, Captain Sandra “Sandy” Yawn, about the growth of Bravo’s reality TV empire, NBCUniversal's streaming strategy, and what it’s like to go from Yacht Captain to TV star. (35:39)

For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news

To read Yaz’s article on dating apps: Why Bumble and Tinder are suddenly scrambling to keep up with Hinge

The first iteration of Brand New World was a very specific look at how AI is changing how brands and marketers work. Now we’re back to talk about brand culture more broadly. Of course that will involve AI from time to time, but I’ll also be digging into sports, entertainment, music, comedy, and everywhere else brands squeeze their way into pop culture.
For those who don’t know or are unfamiliar, the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity is part awards show, part industry conference, and probably the biggest annual gathering of brands, marketers, entertainment folks, tech folks, and media on the planet. Anything and anyone that touches a brand—from social platforms, to sports stars to celebrities—is there.

This year, ahead of the festival that kicks off June 16th, Apple has been named the Creative Marketer of the Year. Now, Apple is an iconic marketer, an all-time, first ballot Hall of Famer. But in my opinion, 2024 has been a bit of a mixed bag. So why is this Apple's year?

To discuss where this past year fits in the pantheon of Apple’s greatest hits, I called up Elizabeth Paul. A strategist by trade, Paul is the chief brand officer at award-winning ad shop The Martin Agency. You’ll know their work for major brands like Geico, UPS, the new Axe work with Pete Davidson, and much more. More importantly, she’s always up for some hot take banter about the work and culture around advertising and brands.

Last month, a new doc called The Seat debuted on Netflix about how Mercedes’ Formula One team decided on a successor for racing legend Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton had announced his departure, so the racing giant was forced to strategize its next move quickly and discreetly. That’s where WhatsApp comes in. The entire process of evaluating and naming young Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli played out over the messaging app. “The Seat” is not only a feature doc, but an excellent piece of brand entertainment, produced in partnership with WhatsApp.

This episode I was excited to chat with Meta’s head of global consumer marketing Eshan Ponnadurai to talk about the process behind the doc, as well as the role it plays in the brand’s overall strategy. Esh has worked on major brands from Ford and P&G, to Uber, YouTube and Google. He’s got a long history of finding compelling and authentic brand stories to tell in unique ways.

On today's episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in the world of business and innovation, including a U.S. trade court’s ruling on the Trump administration's tariffs, Salesforce's acquisition of AI-powered data management company Informatica, and the end of Elon Musk’s time in government. (00:39)

Next, Josh and Yaz speak with the showrunner and co-creator of "Hacks," Lucia Aniello, about the Emmy-winning comedy’s season finale. They also discuss how Aniello created and runs the show with her husband, Paul W. Downs, and her close friend Jen Statsky, as well as how they foster a supportive writers' room. (06:06)

Finally, Yaz interviews the co-author of "Like: The Button That Changed the World," Bob Goodson, about how data from your likes can be used to train AI-driven algorithms to deliver more content you’re obsessed with. (29:59)

For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news

On today's episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in the world of business and innovation. Including OpenAI’s acquisition of Jony Ive’s hardware firm, io; Walmart’s likely price increases due to tariffs; and the sale of 23andMe. (00:49)

Next, Yasmin talks to Fast Company contributing writer Joe Berkowitz and Fast Company Associate Editor David Salazar about Bill Gates ending his philanthropic organization, the Gates Foundation, in the next two decades, the state of philanthropy, and the next class of billionaires. (08:33)

Finally, Yaz and Josh interview Fast Company contributing writer Clint Rainey about Vincent Bolloré and the allegations surrounding his business ventures in Africa. (26:50)

For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news

To read Joe Berkowitz’s coverage of Bill Gates: https://www.fastcompany.com/91333066/bill-gates-warren-buffett-benevolent-billionaire-era-over

To read Clint Rainey’s article on Vincent Bolloré: https://www.fastcompany.com/91334554/vincent-bollore-restitution-for-africa-complaint

On today's episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in the world of business and innovation, including the latest consumer price index report, the deal between China and the United States to pause tariffs for 90 days, and Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs. (00:47)

Next, Yasmin and Josh speak with Platformer’s Casey Newton about Grindr and how the dating app has expanded its business into telemedicine services. (07:27)

Finally, Yasmin interviews Amber Venz Box, the cofounder and president of the social commerce platform LTK (LikeToKnow), about how the company is handling major shifts in social media and where AI fits in. (26:54)

For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news

To read Casey Newton’s article about Grindr:https://www.fastcompany.com/91328918/grindr-ceo-george-arison-interview-ai-wingman

On today's episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in the world of business and innovation. [0:50]

Next, Yasmin and Josh talk to Fast Company Global Design Editor Mark Wilson and Fast Company producer and Founder & President of Founders International Network, Hauwa Otori, about the new Michigan EV automobile company, Slate Auto, and its efforts to create a more affordable electric vehicle. [6:10]

Finally, Yasmin speaks to Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone about integrating the AI platform Artifact into Yahoo News. [28:36]

For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news

To read more on Fast Company’s coverage on Slate Auto:https://www.fastcompany.com/91322801/bezos-backed-slate-auto-reveals-its-new-customizable-20000-ev

On today's episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in the world of business and innovation including Trump’s First 100 days, Canada’s recent election, and a new competitor in the electric vehicle market, Slate Auto. (00:47)

Next, Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company senior writer Liz Segran about the mass boycott of Target after their decision to rollback their DEI programs, which added to an already shaky year. (09:51)

Finally, Yaz and Josh speak with YouTube Shorts’s senior director of product management, Todd Sherman, about the evolution of YouTube Shorts and how the vertical video product fits into the company’s overall strategy. (28:32)

For more of the latest business and innovation news go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news

For the latest news on Target:https://www.fastcompany.com/section/target

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in the world of business and innovation. Topics include the latest on tariffs, Tesla’s first-quarter earnings report, and the possibility of Google having to sell off its popular web browser Chrome. (00:54)

Next, Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company Global Design Editor Mark Wilson about his insights from a design conference he attended and the main question posed at the forum: Is design dead? (07:00)

Finally, Yaz speaks with Ryan Weaver, creative director of fentanyl testing company Overdrive, about the brand’s marketing strategies and efforts to reduce the stigma and judgment surrounding drug testing. (28:46)

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen break down the latest news in the world of business and innovation, including the U.S. dollar’s slide into multiyear lows as the tariff wars with China escalate, the outlook for unemployment, Nvidia’s plans to make supercomputers entirely in the U.S., and OpenAI’s news of launching a social network. (1:24)

Next, Yaz and Josh interview ‘Fast Company freelance reporter Patrick Sisson about cleantech companies rebranding themselves as vital for national security as government funding for anything climate-related gets cut. (10:00)

Finally, Yaz interviews Twitter cofounders Ev Williams and Molly DeWolf Swenson about their new private social media network Mozi, which focuses on helping people foster in-person connections. (23:15)

Generative AI has taken the brand world by storm. But how is the planet’s best-known AI company building its own brand? Like everything to do with AI, the brand aspect of this category is evolving and changing seemingly week to week. There’s newer brands like Anthropic, Perplexity, and DeepSeek, alongside established giants’ own sub-brands like Apple Intelligence, Google Gemini, Amazon’s Rufus AI assistant, and on and on.With about 400 million users, and almost constant news coverage, OpenAI may be the best known purely AI company.In episode seven of Fast Company’s Brand New World podcast, host Jeff Beer talks to OpenAI’s chief marketing officer Kate Rouch about the strategy behind their Super Bowl ad, how the company defines its brand values, and why, despite helpful lessons from the last 30 years of tech, new precedents will still be set for the AI brand category.