Brands of the Week: Most Affordable U.S. Cities, Star Wars Box Office Flop, Red Lobster's Comeback & Freddie Mercury Named Greatest Vocalist of All Time
On Brand with Donny DeutschShow Notes
This week on Brands of the Week with Donny Deutsch, Donny breaks down the biggest brand winners and losers making headlines right now — from real estate trends to pop culture shakeups to health breakthroughs.
🏠 Best Cities for First-Time Home Buyers — Jacksonville, Florida tops Travel & Leisure and Zillow's latest affordability index. Find out which Southern cities are dominating the housing market and why they're the smartest moves for budget-conscious buyers in 2025.
🇬🇧 Britain's Pessimism Crisis — A Gallup survey of 139 countries reveals Great Britain is the most pessimistic nation on Earth, with only 21% of Brits saying their economy is headed in the right direction. What's driving the UK's economic malaise?
🚗 Driverless Cars Get Traffic Tickets — California is now citing autonomous vehicles for traffic violations. No driver? No problem. The ticket goes straight to the manufacturer.
🎤 Greatest Vocalist of All Time — A major music industry survey is out and Freddie Mercury takes the top spot. Mercury is joined by Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé and more.
🎬 Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu Box Office Disappointment — The first Star Wars film in seven years is eyeing a underwhelming $80 million Memorial Day opening. Is Star Wars fatigue officially setting in?
👗 Devil Wears Prada 2 Crushing It — Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, and Emily Blunt are back — and the sequel is already at $230 million thanks to powerhouse brand partnerships with Starbucks, Diet Coke, and Grey Goose Vodka. A marketing masterclass.
📺 ESPN Stays with Disney — New CEO Josh DeMorrow confirms ESPN is staying under the Disney umbrella. What does this mean for the future of sports media?
🎭 Oscars Ban AI Actors — The Academy Awards announces a landmark rule change: acting and writing must be performed by humans to qualify for nominations. A defining moment for Hollywood and artificial intelligence.
🍊 Florida's Orange Industry in Crisis — A devastating citrus disease called HLB has wiped out 90% of Florida's orange crop, dropping production from 230 million crates to just 12 million. What's next for American agriculture?
🦐 Red Lobster's Comeback — After going bankrupt in 2024 thanks to the infamous Endless Shrimp promotion, Red Lobster is back. But are cash-strapped consumers ready to return to casual dining chains?
🏓 Pickleball and Parkinson's Disease — New research suggests pickleball may offer major benefits for people living with Parkinson's disease, thanks to its cognitive demands, hand-eye coordination requirements, and social nature.
✈️ U.S. Airports Ranked Dead Last — The World Airport Awards are in, and the highest-ranked American airport is LaGuardia at #29. Asian and European airports dominate the top spots. Why is U.S. airport infrastructure so far behind?
📧 New Evite Phishing Scam Alert — Scammers are using fake digital party invitations from Evite, PayPal, and Punchbowl to steal personal information and identities. Donny breaks down what to watch out for.
👡 Chanel's Bizarre New Sandal — Chanel's latest footwear leaves the entire bottom of your foot exposed. Fashion forward or completely unwearable? Donny and Lou weigh in.
🏀 BONUS: New York Knicks NBA Playoff Hype — Donny is fired up about the Knicks' playoff run. Can New York finally make a deep run? They break down the bracket and the path to a championship.
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