Great Samaritans: Recent Episodes
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Every week, Jon Ramsey and Thomas Stern break down a different food or beverage brand. With the help of their guest, they figure out the best path the brand can take to become a better company. No rock is left unturned.
Lifelong Cadbury pro Nomsa drops the bomb on us (which we should have expected) that American Cadbury is trash compared to the English stuff. Then she helps us concoct a plan to pull American Cadbury out of the gutter. At some point Spice Girls become Spice Women too.
To close out season 1, Liz Bennett joins us for a special 1.5 parter! Not only do we infiltrate college campuses for Monster, but we summon a Monster x Heinz co-branded product. No spoilers but It NEEDS to exist.
We get into Elon Musk, whether or not we're living in a simulation, and Billy's favorite way to eat 'chup (it's weird). And of course: we figure out how Heinz can grab even MORE of the ketchup market share.
Loyal Pringles evangelist Kelli helps us propel Pringles to the top with a retail concept that you will think about in your dreams... We also re-imagine the un-recyclable tube and smear Doritos for cutting people's mouths.
Sophie picked a heavy hitter and then helped us generate some heavy hitter solutions to their heavy hitting problem. Crows are trained and Superbowl commercials are conceived.
For the first time in GS history, we interview someone who was in a national commercial for the brand of the episode! We take on the glaringly obvious issue that holding Tony the Tiger in the #2 spot... It starts with a "G".
Trader Joe's veteran and dumpling connoisseur Kaley helps us come up with yet another legitimately good idea. All I'll say is: It cures hunger and loneliness at the same time! It also involves the Sex and the City franchise.
Matriphagy is the consumption of the mother by her offspring. What does this disturbing behavior have to do with Dare Iced Coffee? Well, I can't tell you here in the description, but I'll just say this: sometimes you have to go for glory over dollars...
Our first Cannabis-laced product!
We leverage the brains of one cannabis-consumer (Melanie) and one cannabis-industry pro (Sara) to come up with some marketing and product ideas for CANN. Weed and alcohol brands get destroyed because they're competition. #420
As Stephanie says "Nothing gets the ball rolling like Sour Patch Kids". Couldn't be more true. We come up with some MONSTER product ideas, and a long-term, undercover ploy to fix Sour Patch Kids' one weakness: their tropical mix. Also, this is a historic Flu Game part two because both Jon and Thomas are sick!
We take the WWWD (what would Wario do?) approach for this ep and explore the somehow neglected concept of mixing people ashes with liquor. We also fly our competition to the moon, literally? Not making any guarantees... but yes we do.
We come up with new products, better commercial for Matthew McConaughey, and a movie that explains the truth behind Doritos - also starring Mr. Matthew McConaughey.
Brother Mel re-joins us to help us help Dave - the ex-shot-caller of Dave's Killer Bread. The Waynes World 2 rules are invoked, and shivs are hidden in loafs. It's a ride as wild as the story of this brand. Bust out your guitars, cuz Rock-n-roll is about to happen!!!! (Van Halen riff)
Are you unsure about the stability of the U.S. dollar? And are you also not sure about cryptocurrency? Jason comes up with a brilliant way that Snack Pack can solve these problems.
Former Celestial Seasonings tour guide Jake helps us give the company a makeover. Why was this necessary? Its too juicy for this description! A weird cult and aliens are involved!
Is Mr Pibb just imitation Dr. Pepper? Jack explains why it simultaneously is and isn't. To make Pibb Xtra as popular as it once was, they should distribute it more widely right? WRONG. Make it impossibly exclusive. Radicalized deets in the ep.
*SPECIAL LOST EPISODE RENEWED!!! My brother Mel was the original guest on this ep, but his audio got messed up, so Jon came on and tried to guess what Mel said! Without giving too much away, Boban and Toby get a five year deal! And we flavor blast each-other!
Kirspy Kreme's stock has gone down 20% in the last 3.5 months. Avery helps us get people back in Krispy Kreme's factory stores to taste their donuts fresh. 3D printed donuts are involved.
The Gold-plated Girls themselves help us solve the issue of freezer-burn, demolish Good-pops, and figure out how to make new customers remember Outshine forever.
Paula and Josh help us create ANOTHER viral phenomenon for Diet Coke to use to hit millennials. Plus, we get to the bottom of Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda...
Kim helped us craft a 3-pronged approach (marketing, product development, and packaging) that we're pretty sure could make Eat Just, Inc. a double unicorn by surpassing $2 billion net worth. WARNING: You'll never think about celeb endorsements in the same way after hearing this ep.
Andrew lends lends us his no-nonsense perspective to help us craft a sales strategy that will get Pop-Rocks in more old stores. Calling all skaters, we're hiring!
Kansas City's own: Bri helps us come up with innovative new 'roni products. Some are fun for the family room and some... are fun for the bedroom.... And one involves an exploding packet of ketchup - SPLAT!
Hannah helps us cover ALL the bases and some in this jam-packed episode. New Jingle? Check. New can design? Check. Brilliant marketing contest where everyone gets a shot at (not gonna spoil it)... Check!
Our Publix series headliner Kim helps us add to their deep catalogue of emotionally evocative commercials. Dogs might die. No one is safe.
Without spoiling too much about what may or may not have happened with Owen, I'll say this: Jon levitates in this episode. Literally and figuratively.
In the Yang to Part 1's Yin, we all channel our inner simps to come up with a punk-rock twist on Cheez-it snacks. We may or may not use CRISPR technology to achieve our goals.
In our first two-parter yet, we (Jon and Thomas) admit to being simps in high school, and that Alec declared that he has been a non-simp for his entire life. This helps us put Goldfish in their simp-place. Alec also hits a home-run with his wordplay based new product ideas.
We uncover Heineken's deepest and darkest secret - and use it to propel Lagunitas Brewing Company right to the TOP where it should be! Plus Paula and Jon reveal what restaurant servers are actually thinking!
To celebrate hitting the milestone of 22 episodes, Jon and Thomas take read some fan emails and revisit some past episodes to explore missed opportunities! Queue the fireworks!
Marino has a golden, collector's PEZ dispenser, Thomas has one with a broken head that looks like a glob of toothpaste with eyes. Jon has nothing. Despite these glaring gaps of experience, we came up with amazing ideas like having the emoji version of you as the dispenser head. Also Pez-water.
Sam helps us solve all of Totinos' problems: the fact that they're ugly, their bland online presence, and of course, the mouth burning issue. Also, he share's his ultimate dippy experience.
Lifelong Little Debbie Lover Sami White goes unconscious (metaphorically) spitting brilliant ideas for Nutty Buddy (the snack formerly known as Nutty Bars). Theres one for every season! Plus we figure out how to bring Little Debbie from bronze to gold in the U.S. snack charts.
How do you eclipse being number 1 in the WORLD? By further smashing number 2 of course! Cousin Joanna pulled from her lifelong love of Snyder's to help us do this. We combine the lessons from an Amazon reviewer and Gestalt therapy for one groundbreaking concept. And Joanna details her impressively involved pretzel consumption rituals. Get your crunch on.
Everything tastes better when it's fired at you with a t-shirt cannon from a monster truck. Alex helps us leverage this knowledge to SIGNIFICANTLY advance Combos' social media following.
Have you ever wanted to take a bite into a MEGA gusher? That's what we thought. Can Betty Crocker reach a wider audience by filling these mega gushers with... naughty ingredients? That's what Avery Lee helps us figure out!
Sarah-Marie comes up with a plan that will help actors get exposure WHILE spreading the joy of Häagen-Dazs ice cream! Also, we have a special baby guest!
Peanut Butter lifer Derek helps us help Jif expand in China and your child's art class??? Why though? Also what's a Peanut Butter Platter? Only one way to find out...........
Jon helps us breathe new life into the stale, Funyuns brand. We brainstorm flavors, marketing, packaging, and even the name snack! And, what? A De La Soul collaboration?! Yup...
Longtime Reb Bull devotee Katy helps us come up with a brand new social media PLATFORM?!!? for RED BULL!?!? Plus Jon races a barracuda! Why? Find out!
Chicago Drag Legend Derry Queen helps us put a new twist on "spilling the tea". We also concoct a new drink made of Jon's favorite soda and DQ's favorite thirst quencher.
Pillsbury cinnamon roll enthusiast Laura presents her impassioned argument that the company should capitalize on their two aces and lose all of their failing jacks (we're looking at you cake mix). Plus: we explore their opportunity to capitalize on mid-lake housing.
Geoff and his unflinching stance on smooth foods helps us bring Fig Newton back to the limelight. And we dig deep to realize how we can all better ourselves by doing "the hard part".
Amateur foodie John Randall helps us craft a plan that will help this very German mineral water brand blow up in the U.S. Is that Rammstein I hear...?
Long-time Reese's devotee Edgar helps us come up with outside-of-the-box product ideas (we revolutionized tuna) and an ad campaign that will make any dog-lover cry.
We discover why Paul and Patty Bragg are doing so well, mentally, spiritually and physically (it's their proximity to mother). Plus Alex commits to the name of one of his future sons!
Miles helps us hatch a complex, time-traversing, and necessary plan to help La Croix take back its market share! Press 5 for crepe mix.
Marketing professional Janelle Blasdel helps us steer Sunny D in the right direction. Greta Thunberg and bottle-cap solar panels are involved.
Former athlete (to some extent) Andrew Lemna goes out of his mind generating brilliant ideas for his favorite sports drink brand.
We utilize Matt's extraordinary hummus experience to fuel new ideas for Sabra. What role does Danish furniture play in this story? Listen to find out.
Our first episode! We explore the many untapped markets for America's favorite hard seltzer. We also discover some innovative ways to refresh the brand. Curious about Milk-claw? Give this ep a listen!