Dez Reads. NASA’s Big Leak, Wendy’s Ice Cream Roast, Pokémon Goldmines, Fat Bear Controversies, and Eric Adams’ Contraband Video.

Eric Adams made X/Twitter fun again, at least for one night. The embattled New York Mayor’s federal indictment set off a trip down memory lane on the platform, with various politicos and New Yorkers sharing their favorite clips of the mayor over the years. The best? The Contraband Video. I urge you to watch it in full, and then see our blurb this week on an old Vice column breaking down the creation of the video. You will laugh audibly, I promise.

In other news this week, Anne Marie looks at a different kind of leak than the one we are accustomed to dealing with at Dez, and this one involves a nightmare for NASA. Bova highlights Wendy’s unique brand voice and its clever ploy to take on the McFlurry. Mark Emerson confirms what we have long expected, that he’s a nerd, with an admittedly cool look at the market for Pokémon cards. And I try to tie together my love of our national parks with my cheerleading for better satire, with a take on The Onion’s take on Fat Bear Week at Katmai National Park.

And finally, while it didn’t make the cut this week, I’d like to highlight this NYT column on the Detroit Tigers’ manager, AJ Hinch. This man is the embodiment of innovative leadership driving results, as we saw this week as the Tigers dominated the Hinch’s former Houston Astros. Hinch challenged his team in August after it had been decimated by trades and an unending string of losses, saying, “What kind of team do you want to be.” With roughly 1.5 starting pitchers on the entire team, he was also forced to innovate, trotting out a string of relief pitchers in a way that has never been seen before in the history of the game. The result? Rampant success; we are clearly going to win the World Series in a few weeks.

Thanks, as always, for reading along with us. Go Tigers.  

Here we go.

Science.

WIRED. An International Space Station Leak Is Getting Worse – and Keeping NASA Up at Night

When I first read this headline about a leak, my mind went to leaking classified information to media, or leaks for political gain. No, this is an actual physical leak, likely an issue with internal and external welds between modules of the International Space Station, according to a recent Inspector General report.

While it’s not my usual sort of leak, it is a crisis of atmospheric proportion, literally – with 3.7 pounds a day of atmosphere being leaked and neither Russian nor US officials have identified the underlying cause. While the leak has been known since September 2019, its severity was news to NASA.

This leak is at the top of NASA’s risk matrix and the only solution in sight is to keep the leaking module closed and separated from the rest of the ISS, reducing the number of Russian docking ports from four to three.

One of the first questions we ask new crisis clients is “what keeps you up at night?” You can imagine why this headline caught my attention. This is a question that leaders should be asking themselves early and often, and actively working to mitigate against whatever their answers may be.

What’s keeping you up at night?

– Anne Marie Malecha

Marketing.

CNN. Wendy’s takes aim at McDonald’s broken McFlurry machines with a $1 Frosty

Wendy's rounded out the month of September by taking corporate trolling to new heights with its $1 Frosty the “McBroken” – targeting its longtime rival, the McDonald's McFlurry. While the low price of the Frosty is a strong selling point, sometimes there is nothing better than a good roast to drive consumer engagement.

Brands often forget that personality matters. Wendy’s recent campaign has mastered the art of humor in a way that draws consumers into the conversation and taps into an online joke about a rival in a jovial way. By publicly challenging McDonald’s, whose ice cream machines seem to be perpetually “out of service,” Wendy’s is not only generating buzz, but also positioning itself as the fun and reliable alternative. And who doesn’t love a brand with a sense of humor? It’s the kind of playful rivalry that keeps consumers engaged and entertained.

When a company can combine value with wit, it resonates with consumers on a deeper level. Wendy’s has a reputation for its sharp wit on social media, and this Frosty campaign only reinforces its brand identity while poking fun at a competitor. It’s not uncommon for brands to take themselves too seriously, but thankfully we have Wendy’s to remind us that a bit of trolling and sarcasm can go a long way.

– Mike Bova           

Pop Culture.

Express. 'Rarest' Pokemon cards up for sale online – and some are 'priceless'

I’ve been waiting for the right moment to write about Pokémon cards. As a collector of this fine vintage, there’s nothing quite like the mix of nostalgia and excitement that comes from finding a rare Charizard in mint condition – shiny pieces of cardboard that have been lost to time and are now resurfacing like fine art.

Recently, a sheet of Pokémon cards went up for sale – a rarity not just because of its content but because of its uncut nature. The “disco holo base set shadowless uncut test sheet” represents an era of Pokémon history that few collectors have ever seen, and it’s currently listed for a jaw-dropping $2.4 million.

But like all high-stakes collectibles, Pokémon cards come with their own set of risks. Scammers and fake cards plague the market, sometimes slipping past even the most seasoned appraisers. Just ask Logan Paul, who famously lost $3.5 million on what he thought was a case of first-edition base set Pokémon cards.

Whether you’re in the game for nostalgia, investment opportunity, or to be a part of this trendy hobby, the value of these cards only goes up [editor’s note: This is not investment advice; not only would we never offer investment advice to our readers, if we did so regarding Pokémon cards we would be branded as extreme nerds]. And if you ever need consulting on vintage Pokémon collections, you know who to email.

– Mark Emerson

Wildlife.

The Onion. Fat Bear Week Contest Delayed After Contestant Killed

During COVID, we spent my daughter’s eighth birthday at Katmai National Park, one of the most remarkable places I will ever see. The salmon run at Brooks Falls attracts dozens of grizzly bears for a wild feast, and it’s remarkable to see.

The scene at Brooks Falls gave way to Fat Bear Week, an extremely fun community-driven event in which people from around the world watch the bears as they prepare for hibernation, and vote on which one is the fattest. It’s become a true cultural phenomenon, as evidenced by the fact that The Onion has decided to satirize the tragic murder of one of the bears on cam this week.

I’d rate the quality of the humor here as average, but I’m pleased to see the cultural relevance of something so silly, as well as the continued reconstruction of The Onion’s brand.

– Josh Culling

Remember When?

Vice. We Interviewed the Guy Who Made Eric Adams’ Bizarre ‘Contraband’ Video

Before reading this content, you must watch the original footage of embattled NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ video, from his time in the New York Senate, in which he informs parents that they may be sitting on an arsenal of contraband hidden by their own children in their own homes.

Then read this Vice deep dive on the making of the film. I promise you this is one of the funniest pieces of journalism you will ever read. I will spoil nothing here and encourage you to read in full.

– Josh Culling