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Transcript
Welcome to The Brief by Kuro House, where we cut through the noise to bring you the most compelling stories shaping the marketing world today. Whether you’re listening on your commute or catching up between meetings, we’ve got the insights you need to stay sharp and ahead of the curve.
Let’s kick things off with a story that’s as much about grit as it is about creativity. Bianca Fernandez, a Gen Z marketer from New York, never imagined herself on reality TV—until an Instagram DM invited her to compete on NBC’s new advertising competition show, On Brand with Jimmy Fallon. Unsure if it was even legit, Fernandez called her mom, but decided to take the leap. That leap paid off: she emerged as the show’s first-ever Innovator of the Year, winning $100,000 and seeing her final campaign for Therabody produced as a commercial. The journey was no cakewalk. Fernandez faced “pressure cooker moments,” like having just minutes to turn ideas into campaigns with graphic designers, and shooting a commercial for Therabody with almost no time and minimal help. Her marketing roots go back to her high school Tumblr days, where she built a preppy fashion following and even landed a brand deal with Vineyard Vines. After a stint in pre-law and politics, she pivoted back to marketing, joining TikTok in its early days, then running social at Tarte Cosmetics, and now heading brand engagement for Lili Reinhart’s beauty brand, Personal Day. The show demanded not just strategic thinking but also personal storytelling and the ability to adapt—like when her ASMR dome activation for Pillsbury overheated under the sun, forcing an emergency fix. Fernandez’s willingness to take risks, embrace big swings, and show her true self on screen made her a standout. Now, with more collaboration requests rolling in, she’s riding the wave, still focused on growing as a marketer and taking on more commercial work. As she puts it, she’s excited to keep doing the work and getting better every day. That’s the kind of energy we love to see in marketing.
Next up, let’s talk about K-pop—and how it’s rewriting the rules for brand deals in the U.S. According to Adweek, live touring revenue for K-pop jumped 79% year over year in the first half of 2025, with groups like Stray Kids and Ateez selling out stadiums and dominating U.S. album sales. K-pop isn’t just a music trend; it’s a cultural force. Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters became the streamer’s most-watched film ever, and brands like Samsung and Mattel wasted no time jumping on the hype. But what’s really interesting is how new K-pop acts are moving beyond simple endorsements. Take TXT’s limited-edition General Mills cereal boxes or Walmart’s K-Pop Personalization Studio bus that tours concert stops. Girl group Le Sserafim has built a passionate U.S. following—“Fearnots”—and partnered with NYC brand Guizio for a sold-out clothing capsule, while Amazon Music hosted pop-ups that drew fans as early as 2 a.m. The NBA has also tapped into the K-pop wave, appointing Le Sserafim as “Friends of the NBA” in a multi-year deal after fans dubbed them “lucky charms” for the Lakers. The key to these partnerships? Authenticity. K-pop idols are seen as role models, and brands that work closely with artists to co-create products and experiences are winning big. As Le Sserafim’s Yunjin told Adweek, the fan support has transformed their fear into excitement and a stronger sense of responsibility. With new groups debuting constantly and fans eager to buy everything from records to collectibles, the K-pop and brand collaboration space is only getting hotter.
Switching gears, let’s dig into the latest cable news ratings from Adweek’s TVNewser. For the week of October 20, 2025, Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN all saw viewership declines in both primetime and total day—but there’s a silver lining for CNN. While all three networks lost viewers, CNN was the only one to post week-to-week gains in the key Adults 25-54 demo during total day, up 2%. Fox News continued its dominance, marking its 42nd consecutive week leading all cable TV in total day viewership, averaging 2.274 million primetime viewers and 1.46 million in total day. MSNBC had the sharpest primetime drop, down 11% in total viewers. Looking at the year-over-year numbers, the declines are even starker: Fox News is down 18% in primetime viewers and 41% in the demo, MSNBC is down 43% and 60%, and CNN saw a 48% drop in primetime viewers. On the programming side, Fox News continues to own the charts, with 14 of the 15 most-watched cable news shows, led by The Five. MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show holds its own, taking the 13th spot. The takeaway? Cable news is facing significant headwinds, but CNN’s slight demo gain suggests there’s still room for movement in the crowded space.
That’s all for today’s edition of The Brief. We’ve seen how marketers like Bianca Fernandez are thriving under pressure, how K-pop is reshaping the brand partnership landscape, and how even the biggest names in cable news are adapting to a changing media world. Thanks for tuning in—keep pushing boundaries, stay curious, and we’ll catch you next time with more stories that matter to marketers.
