Amanda Grant, VP & Global Head of Social at GroupM, joins Kate as guest host this week as we get into the latest earnings reports from Twitter and Snap and discuss why social commerce has yet to gain as much traction in Western markets as it has in Asia. Then, Dade Hayes — business editor for Deadline Hollywood and author of the new book "Binge Times: Inside Hollywood's Furious Billion-Dollar Battle to Take Down Netflix" — shares insights on the streaming industry following this week's Netflix numbers. And, finally: mukbangs. Related Links: Binge Times by Dade Hayes & Dawn Chmielewski Music credit: Joseph McDade

With Brian out eating his weight in chocolate, Adam Gerber, GroupM's Executive Director of U.S. Investment Strategy, joins as guest co-host to discuss the recent flurry of major announcements, including Netflix choosing Microsoft as its ad partner, a tie-up between The Trade Desk and Disney and the latest in the Musk-Twitter drama. Plus, GroupM's Mike Fisher comes on to explain how Adam binge-watching Bosch led to a breakthrough study on the efficacy of CTV advertising. Related Links: How Microsoft won Netflix (Insider) Disney inks major advertising deal with The Trade Desk (Axios) Continuous Play (GroupM) Music credit: Joseph McDade

Brian gives us an update on his European travels, including the latest chatter around the impact of inflation in the Eurozone. A quick look at U.S. political pressure on TikTok, the future of the metaverse and the latest in Disney corporate intrigue. And Kate sits down with Bridget Sponsky, Executive Director of Marketing at Ally Financial, and AJ Andrews, TV host and former Rawlings Gold Glover, to talk about the state of women's sports and representation off the back of the 50th anniversary of Title IX passing in the U.S. Related Links: The Metaverse in 2040 Barrier Breaking Women with A.J. Andrews Ally Financial's 50/50 Pledge AJ Andrews on Twitter and LinkedIn Bridget Sponsky on LinkedIn Music credit: Joseph McDade

Kate comes back from vacation with a first-hand account of consumer spending in action, lending some anecdotal evidence to the growth we're seeing in the services industry. Brian goes over his big takeaways from Cannes, including the future of Netflix's ad business and his conversation with Citigroup's Tom Singlehurst about the current state of the media industry, and he teases his upcoming chocolate marathon. Music credit: Joseph McDade

It's finally here. Brian and Kate discuss the findings of GroupM's This Year Next Year 2022 Mid-Year Global Advertising report, explaining why they still expect solid growth this year despite some economic concerns. Related Links: GroupM: This Year Next Year 2022 Mid-Year Global Advertising Report Music credit: Joseph McDade

Parveen Sheik, from GroupM India, joins the show to discuss the intricacies and high stakes of the imminent media rights bidding process for the IPL, India's top cricket league. But first, Brian and Kate go over some inflation statics from around the world and what that means for the price of bacon. Then a quick look at the current shipping logistics morass before getting into the surprising shakeup at the top of Disney. And get ready for next week, when GroupM will release its This Year Next Year 2022 Mid-Year Global Advertising report. Music credit: Joseph McDade

Brian and Kate briefly take us through the ad markets of Thailand and the Philippines as GroupM prepares to release the This Year, Next Year 2022 Mid-Year Global Advertising report. Then they examine the potential global impact of pending legislation and legal actions in the US focused on Big Tech's moderation of content and whether or not certain companies qualify as common carriers. Lastly, Brian explains why he thinks the economy isn’t necessarily on the brink of disaster. Related links:  WSJ: Why Sheryl Sandberg Quit Facebook's Meta  Bloomberg: Jamie Dimon Says JPMorgan Is Bracing Itself for Economic ‘Hurricane’ https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Briefing-Room/News-Releases/Filed-Complaint-(Time-Stamped).aspx Music credit: Joseph McDade

Brian buys his wife an anniversary gift and suffers the (retargeting) consequences. Then Brian and Kate discuss Texas Bill HB 20, which would limit the moderation of social platforms, and look at new retail sales data from China. Then Kate sits down with GroupM China CEO Patrick Xu and GroupM Poland CEO Izabela Albrychiewicz to talk about how they see their markets performing this year amid global monetary, health, and geopolitical challenges. Music credit: Joseph McDade

Kate and Brian offer a sneak peek at GroupM's forthcoming This Year, Next Year report with a round-the-world rundown of top trends, including recession worries in the U.K., lockdowns in China, the coming global expansion of major U.S. broadcasters. And, of course, we address the latest news on Elon Musk's Twitter takeover bid. Music credit: Joseph McDade

Brian and Kate address current analyst and investor panic as they dig into the latest platform and e-commerce earnings reports. Then Chief Media Correspondent at Insider, Claire Atkinson, joins the podcast to discuss the twists, turns, and personalities calling the shots at Warner, Paramount, and Disney. Related links: Claire Atkinson on Twitter and Insider. Music credit: Joseph McDade