The “Big Game” Debate: Super Bowl Ads, Costco x Nike Hype, and Culture Moments
Wed Feb 04 2026
It’s a Friday-afternoon roundtable with Adam, Richard, and Emerson—covering what’s actually top-of-mind in business, marketing, and culture right now.
We start with the “Super Bowl vs. The Big Game” trademark nuance (and the surprisingly fun debate: are there 1,000 U.S.-born adults who don’t know what the Super Bowl is?). From there, we break down why alcohol brands are largely sitting out this year’s Super Bowl—and what that says about Gen Z drinking trends, category saturation, and whether Super Bowl ads are truly “underpriced” like Gary Vee claims.
Then we pivot into one of the wildest brand collabs in recent memory: Costco’s Kirkland x Nike SB Dunk. Is it a hype play or a volume play? Who approached who? And what can any business learn about scarcity, licensing, and collaborations—especially if you’re in a commodity category?
We close on two personal reflections: the way everyday people are starting to trust ChatGPT like it’s “Google with confidence,” and a real conversation about time—work, family, attention, and why audiobooks might be the ultimate “found time” hack.
Plus: quick Super Bowl predictions, and a candid sidebar on politics + celebrity brand risk (Nicki Minaj, Kanye, apologies, and the difference between PR and sustained change).
Topics we cover:
Why brands say “The Big Game” instead of “Super Bowl”Are Super Bowl ads actually underpriced?Why alcohol brands are pulling back this yearKirkland x Nike: scarcity, resale culture, and brand liftWhy collabs can outperform big ad spendChatGPT adoption + trust (in the real world)Time, attention, family, and “reading” via audiobooks
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It’s a Friday-afternoon roundtable with Adam, Richard, and Emerson—covering what’s actually top-of-mind in business, marketing, and culture right now. We start with the “Super Bowl vs. The Big Game” trademark nuance (and the surprisingly fun debate: are there 1,000 U.S.-born adults who don’t know what the Super Bowl is?). From there, we break down why alcohol brands are largely sitting out this year’s Super Bowl—and what that says about Gen Z drinking trends, category saturation, and whether Super Bowl ads are truly “underpriced” like Gary Vee claims. Then we pivot into one of the wildest brand collabs in recent memory: Costco’s Kirkland x Nike SB Dunk. Is it a hype play or a volume play? Who approached who? And what can any business learn about scarcity, licensing, and collaborations—especially if you’re in a commodity category? We close on two personal reflections: the way everyday people are starting to trust ChatGPT like it’s “Google with confidence,” and a real conversation about time—work, family, attention, and why audiobooks might be the ultimate “found time” hack. Plus: quick Super Bowl predictions, and a candid sidebar on politics + celebrity brand risk (Nicki Minaj, Kanye, apologies, and the difference between PR and sustained change). Topics we cover: Why brands say “The Big Game” instead of “Super Bowl”Are Super Bowl ads actually underpriced?Why alcohol brands are pulling back this yearKirkland x Nike: scarcity, resale culture, and brand liftWhy collabs can outperform big ad spendChatGPT adoption + trust (in the real world)Time, attention, family, and “reading” via audiobooks