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

AI, Layoffs, and the Next Trillion-Dollar IPO? (504)

9 snips

Oct 31, 2025

In a whirlwind of tech and marketing news, Amazon faces layoffs, prompting a discussion on the implications for the industry. OpenAI's transition to a for-profit model sparks debate over its future as a potential trillion-dollar IPO. Morning Brew's acquisition of a YouTube news show highlights the value of creator-led content. Meanwhile, newsletter strategies emerge as powerful tools for career advancement, and the hosts critique WPP's partnership with Google, calling out the low standards of media coverage.

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ANECDOTE

Tortilla Tradition Gets Banned

Joe and Robert tell a long joke about Texas Tech fans throwing tortillas at games and the ban that followed.
They use the absurdity to open the episode and set a playful tone for the news discussion.

INSIGHT

Layoffs Signal Efficiency, Not Just AI

Amazon's repeated corporate layoffs signal a broader push to shrink white-collar headcount while claiming AI investment motives.
Joe and Robert disagree on whether AI truly drives these cuts or if it's primarily board-driven efficiency signaling.

INSIGHT

OpenAI's Pivot Prepares For IPO

OpenAI's shift to a for-profit structure is designed to unlock massive fundraising and set up a likely blockbuster IPO.
Microsoft’s 27% stake positions it to reap historic returns if OpenAI becomes a public trillion-dollar company.

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It's another wild week in the world of marketing, media, and tech.

First up: Amazon announced yet another round of layoffs, and Joe and Robert dive into the growing trend among the Magnificent 10 companies. Are these just normal business cycles? The result of AI-driven productivity? Or signs of something deeper happening in the global economy?

Then: OpenAI is restructuring to look more like a traditional for-profit company. With Microsoft now owning 27%, the boys debate what this means for control, innovation, and the company's future. Could OpenAI become the world's first trillion-dollar IPO?

Next: Morning Brew acquires a YouTube show about the news — and Joe explains why this is another major example of individual creators getting their work acquired and then integrating themselves into larger organizations.

In Marketing Winners & Losers, Robert dives into K-Pop Demon Hunters, while Joe highlights Elon Musk's Grokipedia.

And in Rants & Raves, Joe shares how email newsletters can literally get you hired, while Robert takes aim at the new WPP–Google AI partnership.

Listen to the full episode for all the analysis, tangents, and laughs you expect from Joe and Robert on This Old 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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