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Netflix & Disney: The 2 giants of entertainment are borrowing strategies from each other in the battle for attention

Netflix & Disney: The 2 giants of entertainment are borrowing strategies from each other in the battle for attention

Disney wants to be more like Netflix...

For the last 3 or 4 years the biggest story in the world of entertainment has been streaming. The old guard of media stood and watched as Netflix's market cap soared past $50bn, $100bn and $200bn in just a few short years.

That rise prompted the rush to streaming. Disney, the global media giant, announced in 2017 they would pull their content from Netflix's platform and build their own (Disney+) — which now boasts more than 100 million subscribers. So in one way, it's easy to frame the last few years as "everyone wants to copy Netflix" but, increasingly, it feels like the other way around.

‍**...and Netflix wants to be more like Disney**

Disney gets phenomenal use out of its brands. Famous Disney characters are sold as action figures and toys, they are put on t-shirts and clothing and stickers and books — and of course you can go and meet them in a Disney theme park.

So it was interesting that this week Netflix announced Netflix.shop — the first e-commerce site that will sell official merchandise and apparel related to Netflix original shows and characters. The starting selection is fairly sparse, with some apparel related to anime shows Yasuke and Eden and some items related to hit French crime show Lupin — but over time the collection is expected to expand significantly.

The Netflix theme park?

Selling merchandise online is a step, albeit a small one, towards replicating the sprawling empire of Disney. In theory, Netflix's plan could be to eventually go after physical spaces or experiences, such as theme parks — which (in normal times) are an absolute behemoth of a business in their own right for Disney.

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Starbucks issues apology after viral “Bearista” cup meltdown

Holiday cheer turned into chaos this week for Starbucks after the coffee giant’s new “Bearista” holiday cup sent fans into a frenzy. 

Dropped alongside its 2025 holiday menu, the $30 beanie-wearing glass bear tumbler sparked long lines, sellouts, and even in-store scuffles before Starbucks stepped in with an apology.

“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” the company said in a statement to People. “Despite shipping more Bearista cups to our coffeehouses than almost any other item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast.”

Within hours of launch, frustrated fans flooded Starbucks’ social media pages and even store hotlines. Some customers waited in line before dawn and others said their stores received only a handful of cups. In one Houston location, the craze even turned physical, with police reportedly called to break up a brawl. Meanwhile, the cup is already reselling on sites like eBay, with listings topping $600.

“We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused,” Starbucks said. While in-store customers may be upset, investors seem happy about the viral hit, as the stock has risen over 3% on Friday.

If you’re still hoping for a Bearista at market price, that may not be on order: the chain didn’t disclose how many cups were made or whether a restock is planned.

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Target tells workers to smile, wave, and greet shoppers if they come within 10 feet of them

Target just rolled out a new rule for store employees: smile, make eye contact, and greet or wave when a shopper comes within 10 feet — and if they get closer, within four feet, ask whether they need help or how their day is going, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Dubbed the 10-4 program internally, the rule mirrors rival Walmarts own 10-foot policy, formalizing behavior Target had previously only encouraged.

business

Monster surges on energy drink buzz, while Celsius sinks on distribution concerns

Shares of Monster Beverage climbed 5% after the bell on Thursday, and held most of those gains into early trading on Friday, following strong Q3 results.

The energy drink giant topped market expectations, with quarterly sales up 17% year over year to $2.2 billion and adjusted net profits growing 41% to $524.5 million — 11% ahead of Wall Street’s estimates. In the report, Monster highlighted its zero-sugar line and new product launches, with a stack of novel flavors already released this year, as bright spots.

During a call with analysts, Chief Executive Hilton Schlosberg said that the global energy drink category “remains healthy with robust growth,” The Wall Street Journal reported, adding that demand for more affordable caffeinated drinks is rising as coffee has become “really expensive.”

Meanwhile, rival beverage business Celsius saw shares fall as much as 23% on its Q3 results yesterday — despite beating expectations, with revenue jumping 173% — largely due to concerns about a change in the company’s distribution channel, as its newly acquired Alani Nu brand joins the PepsiCo distribution network.

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