11 chapters across the catalog
Bowling Green, Kentucky as a National Test Market
A producer report from Bowling Green, Kentucky, describes the city's role as a primary test market for new fast food products and pharmaceutical advertising. The report claims anecdotally that the local "Ozempic summer" has led to a surge in divorces as residents experience rapid weight loss and seek new relationships.
John C. Dvorak reviews Blueberry Cheerios purchased at a Grocery Outlet, noting an intense scent and flavor. The discussion covers the product's status as a market research experiment and a rumor from the "troll room" regarding the cereal causing green stool in children.
Wuhan Mass Testing, Surveillance, and Post-Lockdown Pollution
Producers on the ground in Wuhan, China, describe the government's ambitious plan to test 11 million people in 10 days using neighborhood testing stations. The report details the heavy use of QR codes for tracking, the reopening of wet markets with one-way traffic, and the return of heavy air pollution following the end of the lockdown. The necessity of using tracked taxis over Uber-like services due to ID requirements is also noted.
Pandemic Predictability, Historical Government Testing Claims
The predictability of pandemics during election years is discussed, with a skeptical look at whether the current situation is a "dry run" or a live exercise. Historical references are made to the medical establishment and government agencies conducting chemical or biological tests on unsuspecting populations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Jenny Craig has introduced a "DNA weight loss kit" as a marketing twist to their portion-controlled meal plans. The hosts express skepticism, suggesting there is no scientific "fatso gene" and that the DNA component is merely a trendy gimmick to sell standard diet products.
Jingle Requests, Email Marketing Tips, Goat Karma
A donor from North Carolina requested a series of specific audio jingles and "goat scream karma" for an upcoming trip. This leads to a technical discussion about email marketing tactics, such as using preview text and specific subject line characters to bypass Gmail filters. The hosts share results from A/B testing these methods, concluding that many "tricks" have little impact on deliverability.
IKEA launched a controversial advertisement in Sweden that doubles as a pregnancy test. The ad encourages women to pee on a designated strip to reveal a discounted price for cribs, a marketing tactic that has been described by critics as both innovative and unhygienic.
The discussion turns to how shell companies are used to manipulate stock markets through "pump and dump" schemes. John C. Dvorak recalls how Commodore allegedly used "dry testing"—announcing products to gauge interest—to influence stock prices without committing to production.
Newsletter A-B Split Test, Kittens vs. Harry Reid
John C. Dvorak presents a "Big Data Report" on an A-B split test conducted via the No Agenda newsletter. The test compared a subject line about a "cute kitten" versus one about "Harry Reid being beaten up." The results showed that while the Reid subject line had more opens, the kitten subject line generated twice as many clicks and significantly more donations, suggesting upbeat content drives better engagement.
Newsletter Strategy, Kittens vs. Puppies, and A-B Testing
A discussion on the weekly email newsletter focuses on the use of "cute" imagery to drive engagement. One host describes the success of including kitten photos and contemplates switching to puppies to see if it impacts donation levels. They briefly discuss the technical limitations of A-B testing within MailChimp for this specific purpose.
Port Angeles and the broader Pacific Northwest are identified as primary test markets for American consumer products and Hollywood films. Examples of local trials include a McDonald's self-service condiment counter and specific film screenings used to gauge national success.
