January 2021 was supposed to be the month of a new administration with a new president in the US. The month of NRF (going virtual, of course). And the month of some 2020 recaps and of looking-forward.
Well, we got all these things on our Podcasts We Loved list below, of podcast episodes from this past January we think marketers would benefit from listening to.
But we also got 4 episodes about that insane and amazing Gamestop/Reddit/Robinhood/Stock market story, which is fascinating from a marketing, internet, and human perspective – even if the pure Wall Street angle of it isn’t your cup of tea.
Enjoy!
Gamestop and Other Meme Stocks, Robinhood, and the Reddit Short Squeeze
1. GameStock(23:30 min)
Today, Explained (by Vox),
It’s the best, most clear, and straightforward explanation we’ve listened to, with all the needed and important context.
In their own words: Vox’s Emily Stewart explains how GameStop’s stock jumped by 1,700 percent this month. Bloomberg’s Matt Levine ponders the purpose of the stock market.
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2. GameStop and the Rise of the Reddit Investor (21 mins)
The Journal (by WSJ)
This one goes a little more in-depth on the behind the scenes stuff.
In their own words: A group of investors on Reddit are driving up the stock price of GameStop, going against Wall Street consensus that the video game retailer’s days are numbered. WSJ’s Gunjan Banerji explains how they’re working together to make the stock soar – and make a lot of money for themselves in the process.
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3. Inside the Subreddit That Blew Up GameStop (25 mins)
WHAT NEXT (by Slate)
This one is especially interesting for marketers who still don’t quite understand the inner works of the parallel universe that is Reddit.
In their own words: The story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps to go back to the beginning; almost three years ago, in a subreddit called r/wallstreetbets.
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4. If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em: How Traders React in a Crisis (39 mins)
Business Casual (by Morning Brew)
More about the way a popular subreddit works, from an insider.
In their own words: Like 4chan found a Bloomberg terminal. That’s the motto on the subreddit r/WallStreetBets, where 1 million members share the most horrifyingly risky stock market strategies imaginable. (btw, this s/r/ now has about 4 million members, and counting)
Other Topics
5. The joy of shopping — and how to recapture it online | Nimisha Jain (11 mins)
Ted Talks
Making shopping personal should be any ecommerce marketer’s top priority. Here are a few examples.
In their own words:
Shopping is about more than just what you buy: it’s a treasure hunt to discover something new, a negotiation to get a great deal, a time to catch up with friends and family. But for many, online shopping has turned the experience into an impersonal, unsatisfactory event. Is there a way to bring back the magic? With exciting examples from companies in India, Thailand and China, consumer expert Nimisha Jain introduces us to “conversational commerce,” a new retail model that combines the convenience of a digital experience with the personalized touch of a real, human interaction.
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6. Retail Rundown – NRF Chapter One: Best in Tech (13 mins)
RETHINK RETAIL
Well, remember NRF? So now it’s virtual, and the first part is over. Here’s a good recap.
In their own words: Join us as we dive into key takeaways from NRF Chapter One as we chat with retail technology experts about this year’s Big Show. In this episode, you’ll hear from thought leaders from Nedap Retail, a global leader in RFID solutions; Oracle, an integrated cloud applications and platform services provider; Quorso, a software company providing retailers with applications to become more agile; and Reality Interactive, an agency specializing in digital retail experiences.
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7. Flexibility in Chaotic Retail and Notes From NRF Chapter One with David Dobson, Global Industry Director of Retail at Intel (31 mins)
Winning Retail
And one more about NRF.
In their own words: On this episode, David talks about his top insights and takeaways from the NRF Chapter One Event, including how to rethink digital transformation and technology integrations, the importance of flexibility in the retail space, a deep dive into Intel’s Open Retail Initiative, and much more. (This podcast is presented by Dell Technologies and Intel).
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8. The top trends across resilient retailers in 2020 with Kristen Lafrance (50 mins)
Resilient Retail (by Shopify)
Alright, it’s from December 29, so it’s a little cheating. But I missed it in our previous “Podcasts We Loved”, and it’s almost making the cut for January, so, forgive me?
In their own words: Today, we’re closing out season one with a recap …and holy moly it’s been a season. We’ll be walking through the six main themes of Resilient Retail and hear from some of our incredible guests this season. Embracing the uncomfortable, taking the in-store experience online, the rise of new fulfillment methods, holistic (omnichannel) commerce, leaning into community, and, of course, resiliency.
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9. What a new Administration means for retail (21 mins)
Retail Gets Real
So, it feels like a million years ago – but there is a new president, and a new administration in the US.
In their own words: After a truly tense election, and a chaotic and unruly start to 2021 in the nation’s capital, the country remains divided as ever. But nevertheless, there is work to be done. A new administration means new retail policy priorities for 2021, and David French, NRF’s Senior Vice President of Government Relations, who was recently recognized as one of the top lobbyists by “The Hill,” knows all about what to expect. He’s going to share what matters most for retailers and how NRF plans to work to make progress for the industry in the coming year.
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10. Maker Mixtapes
This new series seems to have been launched this January, with a 6-episode batch dropping on Spotify on January 6.
Hosted by Tom Whatley, Maker Mixtapes is a podcast about the entrepreneurs, creators and marketers building impressive things in their field. From content marketing to YouTube and growth, agency life to e-commerce and SaaS – this podcast aims to dissect and share lessons from their success.
We recommend starting with the episode with non-other than Rand Fishkin