In this episode, Tom and Ben unpack the branding implications behind this week’s biggest business headlines.

They start with Apple’s latest developer conference and whether the company is still seen as an innovation leader or has shifted into incrementalism.

They also discuss a quirky new hold-music feature that Tom is excited about, and how Apple’s brand promise of “things just work” creates high stakes when launching new products.

They then shift to the protests in LA, examining how Trump’s political maneuvers reframe the Democratic brand—and whether brands should speak up or stay silent in politically charged moments. The conversation moves into the Musk–Trump fallout, including stock crashes, retaliation threats, and what it means for Tesla’s brand and Elon’s decision-making.Next, they dig into Mondelez's lawsuit against Aldi for Oreo copycats, highlighting how brand confusion can spark legal battles. From there, they analyze Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to spin off streaming and cable units, the larger trend of strategic brand separation, and what it means for the media landscape.The episode closes with insights on global layoffs, the rise of the “AI economy,” how brands should handle internal messaging during cutbacks, and Alibaba’s new AI-driven virtual try-on feature—what it signals for fashion, e-commerce, and marketing creativity.

Welcome to the new era of BRANDED. In this refreshed format, Ben Kaplan and Tom Cain team up weekly to break down the biggest stories in branding, marketing, tech, and business—with sharp takes, bold questions, and zero fluff.
In this episode:

• Hailey Bieber sells her skincare brand for $1B—how attention became the most valuable currency
• Meta signs a nuclear deal to power AI—literally
• Apple tries to reinvent itself with a major UI overhaul—but is it still innovative?
• Tesla’s global sales slump—what’s really going wrong
• Salesforce targets data dominance with a new acquisition
• Plus: How generative AI is changing the job market and what it means for creators, marketers, and brands

In this episode of Branded, Ben Kaplan sits down with Bridget Evans, the Global Head of Business Marketing at Spotify, to unpack the platform’s growing role as a multimedia advertising powerhouse. Bridget breaks down Spotify’s evolution from a primarily audio-based brand into a dynamic player in video advertising and podcast monetization.
They explore:

• Spotify’s strategic pivot to include more video-first experiences, including video podcasts, music videos, and lyric videos.
• The award-winning “Spreadbeats” B2B campaign that turned Excel spreadsheets into media channels to reach media buyers in unexpected ways.
• How Spotify is supporting mid-tier and micro-podcasters through the Spotify Partner Program and new monetization tools.
• The balance between owned/licensed content and supporting a broader creator economy.
• Why podcasting fosters deep engagement and trust, making it a unique advertising channel with powerful reach.
• The future of AI in audio, from content discovery to personalized playlists and DJ experiences.
• Bridget’s thoughts on data-driven marketing, brand storytelling, and why creative opportunities on Spotify are more expansive than ever.

Plus, Bridget shares the best career advice she ever got from Gary Vaynerchuk: “Don’t focus on being the first—focus on being the best or the most creative.”