Instagram's own internal research showed its algorithm was damaging teenage girls, and Meta kept it running because the engagement was worth the ad revenue. In this Brand Retro episode, Mike Brevik…
Two of America's most recognized brands got publicly hated within months of each other in 2023. Bud Light apologized, pulled back, and lost its 22-year run as the top-selling beer in the country.…
Mike Brevik goes solo to unpack why songs like Dreams, Careless Whisper, and Bye Bye Bye keep hijacking the internet decades after release. He walks through the neuroscience of why a familiar song…
In July 2026, Meta launched an AI tool that let anyone generate images using your face and photos without asking, and the backlash canceled it in three days. Mike Brevik breaks down what that reversal…
Mike opens with three influencers who feel completely real: a fitness creator, a wellness monk, and a grieving pet owner. None of them exist. From there, this episode digs into the AI avatar economy,…
Christopher Nolan built real wooden ships and sailed 65-pound IMAX cameras into open water for The Odyssey instead of rendering the ocean in CGI. Mike Brevik breaks down what that decision means for…
What does a brand new customer get from you that your best customer doesn't? Usually a welcome offer or a promo. Now flip it. What does the person who's been with you for five years get? For most…
Why do most brands end up looking like everyone else? They pick a competitor to admire, borrow the look, and call it inspiration. Mike Brevik argues the strongest brands are built by figuring out who…
A 22-year-old buying a film camera or a vintage Walkman never lived through the era that made those objects iconic, yet the pull is real. In this episode, Mike Brevik explores borrowed nostalgia: how…
AI has moved past the hype and into everyday execution, which means the old rules of content and brand differentiation no longer apply. Mike Brevik and returning guest Spencer Shaw break down the…
