About this episode

This episode discusses the value of attention in business and how companies can effectively leverage it.

This week's episode is about the difference between getting attention and actually knowing what to do with it. Alex Cooper just raised $500 million for Unwell, BÉIS sold to Samsonite for $210 million, Instagram changed its identity and pissed off the internet, and the WNBA has more attention than ever while struggling to control what that attention is actually doing to the brand. The common thread is simple: attention has become one of the most valuable assets in business, but attention alone isn't enough. The companies winning are the ones that know how to turn it into trust, community, distribution and ultimately enterprise value. On the episode: ● How Alex Cooper turned Call Her Daddy into a $500 million media company, and why creator-led media is challenging the traditional agency model. ● Why shutting down Unwell Hydration may actually be one of the smartest decisions Alex Cooper has made. ● What BÉIS's $210 million sale to Samsonite tells us about celebrity brands, acquisition multiples and knowing when to exit. ● Why Instagram changed its identity after ten years, and when a brand refresh is actually worth the money. ● Why Reddit may be the most valuable consumer research…

Topics covered

• attention economy
• brand identity
• celebrity brands
• creator-led media
• consumer research
• AI and creativity

Keywords

• attention
• brand refresh
• media company
• celebrity endorsement
• consumer insights
• AI impact
• business strategy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Unwell, BÉIS, Samsonite, Instagram, WNBA, Reddit

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• Why attention is the new brand currency · July 29, 2026 · 1h 0m

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