Listen Now: The Best Idea Yet

American Scandal

Wondery

True Crime, Exhibit C, Society & Culture, History, Documentary, History Daily, American History Tellers, Lindsay Graham

4.6 • 18.7K Ratings

🗓️ 4 November 2024

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The untold stories behind the products you’re obsessed with and the bold risk-takers who made them go viral. How did Birkenstocks go from a German cobbler’s passion project 250 years ago to a starring role in the Barbie movie? Who created that bottle of Sriracha permanently living in your fridge? Did you know the Air Jordans were initially banned by the NBA, or that Super Mario became the best-selling video game character ever thanks to a strategy called “The Infinite Game?” On Wondery’s new weekly podcast The Best Idea Yet, Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer (hosts of the award-winning daily pop-business podcast, The Best One Yet aka TBOY) have identified the most viral products of all time and reveal their untold origin stories — plus the bold risk-takers who brought them to life. From the Happy Meal to Levi’s 501 jeans, come for the products you’re obsessed with, stay for the business insights that’ll make you the most interesting person at your next brunch.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Have you ever wondered how the McDonald's Happy Meal became the best-selling meal of all time,
0:05.4	or who's really behind that bottle of saracha in your fridge,
0:08.8	or why almost every house in America has at least one game of Monopoly?
0:13.4	Introducing The Best Idea Yet, a brand-new podcast about the untold origin stories of iconic products
0:19.8	and the people who made them go viral.
0:21.8	Like, did you know that Super Mario, the best-selling video game character of all time,
0:26.4	only exists because Nintendo couldn't get the rights to Popeye,
0:30.3	or that the idea for the McDonald's Happy Meal first came from a mom in Guatemala.
0:35.1	Every week on the best idea yet, they'll be digging into a product you already know well,
0:40.0	but you'll never believe their surprising origin stories.
0:43.1	You're about to hear a clip from The Best Idea Yet.
0:45.6	While you're listening, follow the Best Idea Yet on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Podcasts.
1:01.4	It's June 19th, 1974,
1:03.8	Guatemala City's historic district,
1:08.9	and Yolanda Fernandez di Cofino is grinning from ear to ear because it's opening day for the very first McDonald's franchise
1:12.3	located in Guatemala.
1:13.7	And she and her husband,
1:15.0	they own it.
1:15.8	She's turning 40 next month
1:17.0	and she's feeling excited
1:18.4	for this new chapter in her life
1:20.3	because it's been months of work
	...

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