logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2021
33m 27s

Loss Leader | Weight Watchers

Slate Podcasts
About this episode

In 2018, the company once known as Weight Watchers changed its name to “WW.” Is its best chance at survival to convince people that it’s not that interested in dieting after all?

Podcast production by Asha Saluja and Cleo Levin.

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Aug 24
What Next: TBD | Trump Vs. Cancer Research
President Trump has proposed cutting $2.5 billion from the National Cancer Institute, which in addition to cuts to the National Institutes of Health and research universities almost makes you wonder: whose side is he on in the fight against cancer? Guest: Angus Chen, cancer repor ... Show More
30m 18s
Aug 23
Slate Money | ATM Scam Summer School
This week: We got more details on the ATM scam that swept New York City thanks to a teen summer job program and an infinite money glitch last month. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss the mechanics of the scam, the fallout for the many parties involved, and th ... Show More
57m 42s
Aug 23
ICYMI | ChatGPT Has Ruined the Em Dash
Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay get into the war between em dashes and artificial intelligence. Back in 2024, what started as a developer question became an all-out grammar war, with the use of em dashes becoming a possible indicator that something was written using ChatGPT. In the ... Show More
39m 40s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
WeightWatchers CEO Explains Why ‘We Got It Wrong’
Long before WeightWatchers became a weight loss empire, the legacy dieting company started as a small support group in the 1960s. The company rose to popularity preaching a message of moderation and making healthy choices. But in what some call a surprising pivot, WeightWatchers ... Show More
31m 14s
Mar 2023
Ep. 139, What's Working Now (In Facebook Ads): The Wonders Of An ABO Campaign
Our senior media buyer is back on the show to bring you up to speed on what's working now in Facebook Ads Manager. You can almost hear the media buying community worldwide as they scramble to get to this episode! You'll hear Smart Marketer CEO Molly Pittman talk with Dennis Paska ... Show More
34m 59s
Apr 2023
Taco Bell’s innovation kitchen
This fast food chain has been doing some serious innovating in recent years. We’re going to break down what the chain has done to make things work. Plus: Americans hit a record amount of credit card debt, Apple partners with Goldman Sachs, NYC is the world’s wealthiest population ... Show More
15m 13s
Sep 2023
Not your mom’s jingles: Ad music gets an upgrade
Why more and more companies are finding it well worth the price tag to commission original compositions for their brands. Plus: Police surveillance drones, AI video game moderation, and Tesla updates. Join our hosts Sara Friedman and Ben Berkley as they take you through our most ... Show More
11m 51s
Sep 2021
How to Attract Podcast Listeners & Grow an Engaged Audience of Superfans - It's Your Turn to Podcast Series
How can you find your first podcast listeners before you've even started your podcast? In Day 2 of our podcasting series, Cathy shares why the level of engagement is more important than the number of followers, how to create excitement for your show before it launches, and how to ... Show More
1h 4m
May 2023
Avoid Advertiser Fatigue
“I have certainly had conversations with some of the OGs in the podcast space that are like, ‘Hey, podcasts were created to be ad-free. We were trying to get away from this in terrestrial radio, and that’s why we started podcasting.’ I totally get that, but also, it feels like th ... Show More
37m 59s
Jun 2024
Diet Success Stories
Original Air Date: January 8, 1987Oprah talks to men and women who have lost and kept off dramatic amounts of weight. They discuss what their lives were like before their weight loss as well as what life is like for them now. Oprah also talks to Dr. Judi Hollis, author of "Fat Is ... Show More
40m 26s
May 2023
Lei low, spend high
Hawaii struggles to strike a delicate balance in its bid to solve over-tourism. Plus: Warren Buffet quotes to remember, CEOs want you back, ChatGPT but make it Jewish, and more. Join our hosts Jacob Cohen and Rob Litterst as they take you through our most interesting stories of t ... Show More
12 m