What a week: The Grammys delivered, Super Bowl campaigns are gearing up, and the White House is inviting “new media” (content creators) to press briefings. Meanwhile, Netflix is coming for everyone. Let’s get into it.

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitzi
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps:

• 00:30 – This past weekend the Grammys happened and there were some amazing, well deserved wins.
• 07:30 – Some of our favorite performances from the Grammys.
• 10:00 – Was this shade against Drake?
• 14:00 – Super Bowl predictions and stories we’re following.
• 19:20 – The White House is inviting “new media” (aka content creators) to ask questions during press briefings.
• 25:00 – Media literacy, independent journalism and sourcing content from outside of your algorithm.
• 31:00 – Netflix is coming for… Everything. Everyone.
• 34:40 – What would pull us further into Netflix.

Show notes:

The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2025 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2025

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

What a weird week it has been online. TikTok was banned.. And then it wasn’t. Meta got rid of fact-checking (we dive into that) and things heat up in the football world. Let’s dive in.

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitzi
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps:

• 01:00 – TikTok was banned in the US… and then it wasn’t.
• 09:00 – While it was going down with TikTok, Meta launched a ton of updates (including a new grid, editing app, and more).
• 18:00 – Meanwhile, Meta is getting rid of fact-checking. Why it isn’t as bad as you might think.
• 24:20 – Drama from recent football games.
• 39:00 – Updates from the WAGs of the NFL.
• 42:00 – Check out our 2025 Trend Report! Linked in the show notes below.

Show notes:

• The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2025 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2025

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

This week, we welcome our first guest speaker, Alyssa Yuhas, Arcade’s Creative Director and resident Futurist. With a background working with online creators to Nike and the United Nations (Canada), Alyssa brings the experience and mindset for compelling results. Together, we break down the 2025 Trend Report and discuss 5 trends, revealing what digital audiences REALLY want this year. From authenticity to shared moments, here’s how creators and brands can meet the evolving demands.

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitzi
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps:

• 02:05 – What exactly is a futurist?
• 05:40 – Scan club & Signals: Current, surprising and specific trends.
• 15:08 – Breaking down the 2025 Trend Report.
• 19:25 – Trend 1: People want to be seen.
• 24:15 – Trend 2: People crave realness. How do we keep it real?
• 29:07 – Trend 3: People want shared moments.
• 36:40 – Trend 4: People want to (parallel) play — being alone, together.
• 46:10 – Trend 5: People want ease. Making life more manageable.

Show notes:

• The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2025 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2025
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2024 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

New year, new us? Nah. We’re about practical goals that help us take the things we’ve worked hard on to the next level. On today’s episode, we break down the 4-step process we use each year to set goals we can’t wait to achieve. We start by sharing our theme for the year, and then we break it down from setting a focus to identifying milestones. Hint: It might be the start of Mitzi’s running era and Mike is taking a page from Bruno Mars’ book.

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitzi
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps:

• 00:15 – How we approach setting goals and themes for 2025 as business and life partners.
• 02:50 – Mike’s theme for the year.
• 05:40 – Mitzi’s theme for the year.
• 08:00 – After we’ve set our focus, how do we make this practical?
• 12:00 – Why we missed goals in previous years.
• 16:00 – Goals for 2025: sleep hygiene, writing, reading, and more.
• 21:00 – Identifying milestones to hit our goals.
• 29:10 – The last step: Talking about it (with the right people).

Show notes:

1. The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2024 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

This week, we’re celebrating 500 subscribers on YouTube (thank you!). Mike and Mitzi step into the magical world of Harry Potter, for the first time, and we break down Instagram's new “Trial Reels” feature. Plus we share our thoughts on the Golden Globe 2025 Nominations and explore the viral TikTok trend “We Listen and We Don’t Judge” that puts relationships to the test.

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitzi
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps:

• 04:00 – We hit 500 subscribers on Youtube! Thank you for listening!
• 05:00 – Mike and Mitzi experience Harry Potter for the first time.
• 12:20 – Check out the Easy Reads podcast and join the community!
• 13:00 – Big Thing 1: Instagram introduces ‘Trial Reels’ to test content with non-followers. Should you try this?
• 19:55 – A trip down memory lane: Mike was a hipster and an emo?
• 22:00 – Mitzi wants to start a reality TV show—but we need a villain.
• 24:50 – Who would win in a fight at Arcade? (HR did NOT approve this question).
• 27:20 – Big Thing 2: Golden Globe 2025 Nominations are out and we’ve got opinions.
• 40:58 – Big Thing 3: TikTok’s ‘We Listen and We Don’t Judge’ trend, explained - Relationships are falling apart while others get stronger.

Show notes:

• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2024 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

Seeing double? Sea la vie? This week we’re diving into the 2025 Pinterest Predicts report, what we’re reading, thoughts around the potential TikTok ban, Fourth Wing (dragon monogamy?), and more.

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitzi
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps:

• 00:30 – This week’s Big Things!
• 03:00 – What we’ve been reading (spoiler alert: dragon mates).
• 08:30 – Big Thing 1: Pinterest Predicts 2024 is out! These are some of our favorite trends.
• 16:00 – The matching trends and why people are coordinating outfits.
• 18:00 – We have mixed thoughts on the 2025 color of the year…
• 25:30 – Big Thing 2: The TikTok ban is back on the table; here’s what we know & what we recommend if the ban goes through.
• 34:00 – Big Thing 3: The WNBA was one of the fastest rising brands of 2024.
• 44:50 – Alex Cooper’s first product had a cool launch (hydration drinks targeted at women).

Show notes:

• Pinterest Predicts report: https://business.pinterest.com/en-ca/pinterest-predicts/2025/cherry-coded/
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB 2024 Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024
• Easy Reads podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/easy-reads/id1728312993
• [book] The Sword of Kaigen: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41886271-the-sword-of-kaigen

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

This week’s episode is the personality hire of episodes; it’s fun and light (and just what we needed). From trying to understand what “brat” even means, to the unhinged gifts for celebrity lookalike contests and influencers suing each other for “vibes,” you don’t want to skip this episode.

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne @mmmitziP
• Mike Payne @mmmiiike

Timestamps:

• 01:00 – Personality stories ONLY this week.
• 02:30 – Be sure to check out Arcade’s TikTok for our Vlogmas!
• 06:00 – Mike & Mitzi explain new slang (Big Thing 1 - the word of the year isn’t one word).
• 20:00 – Thing 2: Influencer, Sydney Nicole Gifford, is suing Alyssa Sheil for copying her aesthetic. This is a slippery slope.
• 30:00 – Big Thing 3: Lookalike contests are on the rise (with exciting prizes like a literal pack of cigarettes). Why?
• 38:00 – Buffalo fans are built different.

Show notes:

• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.

Beyoncé is gearing up for the NFL Christmas Gameday halftime show, while Volvo and Jaguar’s latest ads are bringing the tears (for very different reasons). Plus, Smirnoff appoints Troye Sivan as their new Chief Vibes Officer—what does that even mean? This week on Big Things, we’re talking all things holiday hype, brand moves and more.

More from us:

• Mitzi Payne
• Mike Payne

Timestamps:

• 01:00 – We are living in a winter wonderland ☃️
• 02:30 – Big Thing #1: Beyoncé is performing during the halftime show for the NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix.
• 5:20 – Netflix livestreaming attempts (is Netflix gaslighting us?).
• 8:20 – NBA’s Disney take over: a family-friendly game.
• 11:40 – Jason Kelce to host a late-night talk show on ESPN.
• 19:00 – Big Thing #2: Volvo and Jaguar ads make us cry, and it’s not for the same reasons.
• 25:00 – Rebrands aren’t easy, but this was not it Jaguar.
• 27:50 – Mitzi wants a Volvo.
• 35:00 – Big Thing #3: Smirnoff announces Troye Sivan as Chief Vibes Officer and charged with keeping the vibes immaculate ✨
• 41:40 – Domingo makes an appearance on SNL again and shows up at the Sabrina Carpenter concert in LA.
• 45:44 – We’re in the top 15% of podcasters!

Show notes:

• Volvo commercial: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_f2Ecuol6t/?igsh=MWNiNGVodWR6MDVtbg==
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Gift Guide: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/gift-guide-what-people-want-for-the
• The SCAN 👀 CLUB Trend Report: https://scanclub.substack.com/p/what-digital-audiences-want-in-2024

Big Things with Mitzi (@mmmitzi) and Mike (@mmmiiike).

For more from Arcade, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @helloarcade. https://www.arcadearcade.ca/

Production by Morgan Berna, editing by Oliver Banyard.