- __[Spoiled](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/6CD1aBMrjtdn6cA4HQjWbS/):__ __[Beyond Meat](https://robinhood.com/stocks/BYND)__ has been the most shorted stock (investors bet against it), as its protein patties lose market share and the plant-based-meat industry shrinks.
- __[Zynger](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/ttIvZRE8iPSUMYKDtpCyi/articles/7J1KPl6IrvYfOGG3GCcWHr/):__ Grand Theft Auto maker __[Take-Two](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TTWO)__ is set to buy FarmVille parent __[Zynga](https://robinhood.com/stocks/ZNGA)__ for $12.7B in a bet on mobile games. The small screen accounts for more gaming spend than PCs and consoles *combined*.
- __[Coins](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/4EvkfQv2ddElX8wVmHCO7L/articles/6tfwvsW2bGsbN5buGA10g4/):__ Kim Kardashian and Floyd Mayweather were sued in connection with promoting alt-coin __EthereumMax__ in an alleged scam — which has added fuel to the push for more crypto regulation.

ICYMI

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__Vertical dancing > vertical integration...__ 17-year-old Charli D'Amelio [earned more](https://www.wsj.com/articles/these-tiktok-stars-made-more-money-than-many-of-americas-top-ceos-11642078170?mod=hp_lista_pos1) last year than the CEOs of __[Exxon](https://robinhood.com/stocks/XOM)__, __[Starbucks](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SBUX)__, __[McDonald's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/MCD)__, *and* __[Delta](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DAL)__ (sorry, Ed). D'Amelio is __TikTok's__ #1 kidfluencer, or under-18 influencer whose fans are mainly kids. While TikTok doesn't share ad revenue, last year the D'Amelio fam converted Charli's 133M following into [$17.5M](https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2022/01/07/top-earning-tiktokers-charli-dixie-damelio-addison-rae-bella-poarch-josh-richards/?sh=1ed35a03afa4) worth of brand deals, product promos, and a clothing line. By comparison, median pay for S&P 500 CEOs was $13M (womp).

- __Kidfluencers are getting younger,__ with toddlers and tweens raking in [more](https://www.insiderintelligence.com/insights/influencer-marketing-report/) marketing $$. Like: 10-year-old Ryan Kaji, the star of toy-themed YouTube channel “Ryan’s World,” which clears his family [$25M](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/05/magazine/ryan-kaji-youtube.html) a year.
- __Toddler influencers:__ Some of the biggest kid-driven YT channels feature [toddlers](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/business/media/social-media-influencers-kids.html). Take 3-year-old twins Taytum and Oakley Fisher, whose channel can reportedly rake in [$300K/month](https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/public-relations/the-rise-of-kidfluencers-3-examples-of-todays-biggest-stars/) through brand deals, sponsored posts, and ads.

__"Account managed by mom"...__ Instead of watching “SpongeBob” on TV cut by cereal commercials, iPhone-laden kids are consuming sponsored content from young influencers they idolize (Addison Rae vs. Hannah Montana). As internet usage skews [younger](https://www.traackr.com/blog/trend-lightly-keeping-up-with-kidfluencers), corporations are putting kidfluencers at the center of their marketing strategy. Last year the global kids digital ad market was worth __[$1.7B](https://www.traackr.com/blog/trend-lightly-keeping-up-with-kidfluencers)__.

- __[Mattel](https://robinhood.com/stocks/MAT), [Staples](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SPLS), and [Walmart](https://robinhood.com/stocks/WMT)__ are bankrolling major endorsement deals for toddlers and tweens with large followings. Think: "[First Sleepover Opening Giant Presents](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEOMugn0zN4)."
- __[Amazon](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AMZN), Walmart, and [Skechers](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SKX)__ partnered with Ryan to reach kids on his 32M-strong YT channel, where he unwraps and reviews toys.

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__Kidfluencer culture is raising concerns…__ Advertisers are [splurging](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/business/media/social-media-influencers-kids.html) to reach children beyond TVs, but often kids can’t distinguish between ads and content — *especially* on social apps. They can be subconsciously prompted to pine for the latest Hot Wheels or D’Amelio eyeshadow. Also: Kidfluencers [aren’t](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/business/media/social-media-influencers-kids.html) as legally protected as child actors (e.g.: parents don’t need to set aside their earnings). Kidfluencer marketing is sparking [backlash](https://thehill.com/policy/technology/548342-instagram-sparks-new-concerns-over-kidfluencer-culture) from regulators, who view it as deceptive and potentially [psychologically harmful](https://www.wsj.com/articles/instagram-effects-on-children-is-being-investigated-by-coalition-of-states-11637262000?mod=article_inlinehttps://www.wsj.com/articles/instagram-effects-on-children-is-being-investigated-by-coalition-of-states-11637262000?mod=article_inline). US lawmakers recently [proposed](https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-and-blumenthal-rep-castor-reintroduce-legislation-to-protect-children-and-teens-from-online-manipulation-and-harm) legislation to protect kids from manipulative social-media marketing.

The rise of uber-rich “kidfluencers” raises concerns over the growing biz of targeting children

__The Great Sick-Out...__ The fast-spreading Omicron variant has left [millions](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-omicron-workers-out-sick/) of workers stuck at home, with 700K+ new cases [reported](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html) in the US *daily*. Grocery stores are [operating](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/11/empty-grocery-shelves-return-as-sick-employees-supply-chain-delays-collide.html) with half their staff and empty shelves. __[Starbucks](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SBUX)__, __[Apple](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AAPL)__, __Walmart__, __[Lululemon](https://robinhood.com/stocks/LULU)__, __[Macy's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/M)__, and __[Nike](https://robinhood.com/stocks/NKE)__ have [reduced](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/4EvkfQv2ddElX8wVmHCO7L/articles/3c2guEIznx5uVgAenePw4u/) store hours or temporarily closed locations. Meanwhile, a fifth of US hospitals [are](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-05/one-in-five-u-s-hospitals-face-staffing-shortages-most-in-year?sref=q3KSFp38) severely understaffed. But Omicron appears to have [peaked](https://www.wsj.com/articles/omicron-peak-appears-to-have-passed-in-u-k-offering-hope-the-wave-is-receding-11642078349) in the UK, and could be peaking in the US. __[Pfizer](https://robinhood.com/stocks/PFE)__ says its Omicron vax will be ready by March, while President Biden is [preparing](https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-in-shift-prepares-americans-to-see-covid-19-as-part-of-life-11641465004) Americans to accept Covid as part of normal life.

__“House Hunters” IRL…__ Home sales spiked during the pandemic as Americans took advantage of record [low](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/mortgage-rates-drop-to-new-record-low-as-coronavirus-cases-climb-11605802099) mortgage rates and flocked to the ’burbs. Unprecedented demand and low inventory have pushed home prices to all-time [highs](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220113005655/en/Home-Prices-Start-New-Year-at-New-High). This month alone, the median price of a home jumped 16% to $365K. But the Fed is expected to hike interest rates several times this year, which would lead to higher borrowing costs for home buyers. While housing price growth should start cooling, experts predict demand to stay strong.

Zoom Out

Stories we’re watching...

__Hold the Biscoff cookies...__ Airlines have [canceled](https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/588495-more-than-1700-flights-canceled-in-us-wednesday-almost-20000-since#:~:text=The%20spike%20in%20cancellations%20coincided,been%20canceled%20since%20Christmas%20Eve.) 20K+ flights since Christmas because of Omicron-driven staffing shortages and bad weather. __[Delta](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DAL)__ recently reported a $408M loss for the holiday quarter, when thousands of workers called in sick. But the airline expects to return to profitability after the first quarter of this year, and predicts business travel will bounce back in the spring. We’ll see whether __[United](https://robinhood.com/stocks/UAL)__, which is expected to post a quarterly loss on Thursday, also sees clearer skies ahead. 

__Not so pumped...__ about #PumpAnxiety. Oil prices [jumped](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf) 40% last year, prompting Biden to offer an extra $4.5B to help low-income Americans with winter heating costs. Oil prices could hit $125/barrel this year, up from $50 last year. Soaring gas prices have *benefited* __[Schlumberger](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SLB)__, the world’s largest oil-tech biz (think: giant robo drills). Schlumberger posted expectation-beating profits last quarter as customers like __[Chevron](https://robinhood.com/stocks/CVX)__ boosted production to meet demand. Schlumberger, which reports Friday, expects higher spending on its drilling tech as production revs up.

10 canceled flights later [Dmitry Marchenko / EyeEm via Getty Images]

Events

Coming up this week…

🧸 Charli D’Amelio earns more than S&P 500 CEOs — why the “kidfluencer” economy is raising concerns

Dow Jones

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[Gotham]

4X more people worldwide speak English as a second language than as a native one

🧸 The “kidfluencer” economy (feat. Charli D’Amelio)

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