This Old Marketing - News Podcast Weekly with Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose

Black Friday Blues, Ultra-Niche Creators, and the K-Shaped Reality (509)

9 snips

Dec 5, 2025

Dive into the dynamics of the K-shaped economy as hosts dissect Black Friday spending trends, revealing the stark contrast between thriving and struggling consumers. They unveil how YouTube is capturing TV ad budgets and spotlight the rise of ultra-niche creators, offering unique opportunities for smaller brands. Additionally, a debate ensues over X's new transparency features—are they a genuine improvement or just surface-level changes? Plus, a look at Time's successful media strategies contrasts with a critique of Omnicom's PR struggles.

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INSIGHT

K-Shaped Economy Splits Consumer Behavior

Black Friday showed a K-shaped economy with high-income consumers still spending while low/middle incomes pull back.
Robert Rose and Joe Pulizzi warn marketers to expect confusing, bifurcated signals into 2026.

INSIGHT

Middle Market Is Hollowing Out

The middle market is hollowing out so brands polarize toward luxury or discount positioning.
This trend affects B2C and B2B, forcing product and pricing choices at both ends.

ADVICE

Invest In People For Sustainable Efficiency

Prioritize investing in people and skills, not only technology, to build long-term efficiency and resilience.
Train and upskill teams so they can deliver efficiency without wholesale headcount cuts.

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The boys kick things off with a Black Friday breakdown and what it tells us about the K-shaped economy we now live in. Joe and Robert dig into spending trends, why some consumers are thriving while others are cutting back, and what this split means for marketers heading into 2026. They look at whether this year's patterns are temporary or structural, and what smart brands should prepare for next.

From there, they turn to YouTube. Advertisers continue to shift budgets to the platform, and the data shows that YouTube is both the present and the future of television. Joe and Robert talk about how ultra-niche creators might be the biggest hidden opportunity for small and mid-sized brands looking to win in the influencer economy.

The final story covers X and the platform's new "About Your Account" settings. Is it meaningful, helpful, or even newsworthy? The boys debate whether this is a real improvement or just another attempt to show activity without fixing the core issues.

Winners and Losers

Winner: Time Joe highlights Time as an example of a legacy brand doing things right, with a renewed focus on email subscribers and a strong commitment to in-person events. A modern media model built on direct relationships, not algorithms.

Loser: Omnicom and the PR industry Robert takes the gloves off with a critique of Omnicom and the state of PR. He questions whether the industry is adapting fast enough to the shifts in trust, media fragmentation, and brand storytelling.

Rants and Raves

Robert's Rant Robert digs into a recent IPG study and why he believes it misses the mark. He breaks down the assumptions behind the research and what marketers should actually pay attention to.

Joe's Rave Joe shares new research on gratitude and why it matters far more than most marketers realize. A positive scientific reminder that appreciation is a performance advantage, not just a personal virtue.

Subscribe and Follow: Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing.

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Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/

Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

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This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork