Miranda Smith

COMM 476

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@morningtoastmoments

For a taste of why i really love the toast

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Today's Episode/ Listen for yourself

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Toasty Tunes

One of my favorite parts of the podcast is having the girls tangent off into these silly songs they do throughout the show. Some notable ones are:

-Thuma, Thuma, Thuma

Do do do do do Where are You?

Its Friday

100%

And though these titles may mean nothing to you, they can have audience members laughing for hours.

Claudia Oshry expanded her music career far beyond the podcast and even created some music to share on streaming platforms.

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Patreon

Patreon is a platform for creators to build subscriptions for exclusive access to new content. Patreon allows audiences to build deeper and closer connections with creators. The toast Patreon users pay 7.99 a month for 5 extra podcast episodes a month that is often teased on their regular podcasts. The sisters will record vlogs of their trips or do seasonal episodes such as "Thanksgiving Table Topics" and publish them as the month goes on. There are currently 346 extra episodes of the podcast available on Patreon.

Patreon is yet another form of income and an outlet for the two Oshry sisters.

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Personality Test

This is what my personal podcast library looks like nowadays. The toast premiers 5 days a week and with that plus new music I find it impossible to keep up. However, that means there is always something new and exciting to listen to. If there ever is a day where I run out of content, now worries!! I can just run to patreon!

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More Works Cited

Shabinsky, Alexa. “Ben Soffer Talks Spritz Society and next Steps - Ocean Drive.” Ocean Drive, People, 3 Feb. 2022, https://oceandrive.com/ben-soffer-spritz-society. 

Jackson, Sadie. “A Gen Z Perspective on Podcasting.” Transistor, 4 Oct. 2021, https://transistor.fm/gen-z/. 

Oshry, Claudia. “Home.” Claudia Oshry, 2022, https://www.girlwithnojob.com/. 

Chan, J. Clara. “Dear Media Strikes Deal with 'The Morning Toast' Podcast Network.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Oct. 2022, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/dear-media-the-morning-toast-podcast-claudia-jackie-oshry-1235232000/. 

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And then there was Dear Media

In October earlier this year, Dear Media struck a deal with The Toast News Network. Here is what that means for our favorite podcasts:

Dear Media will have the exclusive ad rights to all shows in the Toast News Network, which includes podcasts from actor Josh Peck and influencers Lauren Elizabeth and Shannon Ford. The Oshry sisters will serve as advisers for future content expansion plans and digital strategy for the podcast network’s original shows and, timed to the deal, the hosts will rebrand their podcast The Morning Toast to just The Toast, five years after its initial launch in 2017.

Under this new management, the sisters have sworn that all creative rights and direction are to remain their own. Dear Media and the rebrand will not be turning the podcast upside down but instead helping it take a leap forward while also gaining investment from the CEO of DM for Spritz Society. Dear Media's acquisition of The Toast is a "no brainer" according to CEO Bosstick.

“It’s quite rare to discover talent who can not only build a loyal audience, but turn that loyal audience into a massively engaged community. Betting on The Toast, their network and their beverage business Spritz Society is a no brainer,” 

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Boy With No Job Makes It Full Time

Ben Soffer set his mind to creating the perfectly crafted, canned cocktail. He used his social media presence and fan base to construct a drink specifically tailored to his community. Soffer shared this in an interview with People; “I would post pictures of Aperol Spritzes and half the people would say oh that looks delicious, I love Aperol Spritzes, where can I get them, and the other half said, I’ve never heard of that. And that sort of sparked something in me, which was that I thought everybody had heard of Aperol Spritzes." This really sparked Soffers interest in filling the gap that was missing for these people when it came to canned alcoholic beverages. Soffer concocted a drink that has fewer calories and less sugar than other available canned drinks (Shabinsky).

The brand name "Spritz Society" stems from the 3,500 direct messages Ben sent in an effort to create the perfect group of spritz enthusiasts for the development of his product.

Here is the feedback he received from the "society": "they wanted a higher alcohol percentage compared to other canned cocktails, a slightly smaller can so the drink stays cold, vast flavor profiles and so many more amazing insights."

As an influencer, Ben believes that promoting somebody else's product is mainly transactional. His drive for merging his platform with his product is to be able to promote a brand he knows better than anyone else.

“I think honestly, the only way to not only authentically but with integrity stand behind something and say, I love this product is if you made it. Because I know where the grapes were sourced from, I know where the ingredients are sourced from, I know who is currently doing the blending, who makes the cans. All of this is so incredibly important to me when it comes to transparency and being able to stand behind it.”- Ben Soffer

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GirlBoss (And Ben)

So far we've learned about The Oshry Sisters' Podcast, The Toast, and their individual social media pages. What if I told you that they also launched a separate business with the help of Claudia's husband, Ben Hoffer.

Here is their telling of how the brand came to be:

BEN, CLAUDIA OSHRY, AND JACKIE OSHRY DEVELOPED SPRITZ SOCIETY AFTER SEEING THE NEED IN THE MARKET FOR A CANNED COCKTAIL THAT ACTUALLY TASTES GOOD WITH THE HELP OF THEIR LOYAL SOCIAL COMMUNITIES. AFTER DMING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, BEN CREATED A GROUP CHAT THAT WOULD BE DUBBED THE SPRITZ SOCIETY. THE SPRITZ SOCIETY WEIGHED IN ON PRODUCT CONCEPT, PACKAGING AND EVEN VOTED ON OUR FOUR ORIGINAL FLAVORS. BEN, JACKIE, CLAUDIA AND THE SPRITZ SOCIETY DID WHAT NO OTHER CANNED COCKTAIL COMPANY COULD DO - CREATE A MODERN TWIST ON THE CLASSIC SPRITZ. 

Spritz Society can be found in stores in Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Georgia, New York City, and California. They are continuously growing their in-person selection and also offer subscription services to their customers who order online.

Spritz Society

Meet Spritz Society, your new favorite sparkling cocktail. Made with 100% real wine, real flavors, and real ingredients, each 8.4 oz. can is

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Business Women

The Oshry sisters are wickedly beautiful, talented, and smart. With both of their business minds combined, the girls launched their own merchandise website. They release collections as the seasons roll in as well as offer a variety of knick-knacks with their brand on it.

The Morning Toast

Merch websites are a great example of how many influencers go from 0-100 very quick. Merch allows for brands to be more recognizable and also provides another source of income for the brand.

Personally, merch is one of my favorite ways to subtly spark conversations around interests or brands I may like. For example, I was on a trip for my friend's birthday and across the table, I saw his sister wearing a "NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS TOUR" sweatshirt. I immediately recognized Claudia's tour merch and was able to start a conversation with her about it.

Are you an influencer looking to get started selling merch?: https://influencermarketinghub.com/make-money-selling-merch/

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Pups With No Job

The most important characters of The Toast are Theo and Bruno. They are arguably the best part of the podcast, the sisters refer to them as prestigious businessmen who must work to support the family but never do. They add a hilarious component to the show as well as a cute factor. The dogs have been struggling with Jackie's recent move to Florida, but nevertheless, they continue to be the handsome men of The Toast.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Theo, Bruno and Magnolia (@pupswithnojob)

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A Closer Look Into Jackie O

Jackie Oshry is the elder of the two sisters on the Toast. She graduated with a degree in history from Colgate University but knew she wanted to work in media very early on. Jackie married Zach Weinreb in 2019 and welcomed their baby, Harold, in 2021. Jackie has worked in many social media companies like iHeartMedia, A.O.L., and “The Huffington Post”.

Jackie stands out on the podcast because of her passion for reading. Jackie launched "The Red Heads Bookclub" and has grown that into it's own podcast and brand. She is able to talk about the Red Heads on The Toast as well as vice versa allowing fans to increase their brand loyalty and expand.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jackie Oshry Weinreb (@jackieoshry)

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A Closer Look Into GWNJ

Claudia Oshry is one half of the podcast personalities on The Toast.

Claudia is not only one of the most famous influencers in the US but also a distinguished comedian and writer. The 27-year-old was born in New York City where she attended New York University and still resides there with her husband Ben Soffer. Claudia is best known through her Instagram handle @girlwithnojob. On her account, Claudia shares hilarious lifestyle content that charms her following. She is relatable and unhinged, creating an entertaining space for laypeople. Within a year, GWNJ gained 60 thousand followers and has grown to 3 million since. In 2021 she also released her book "Girl With No Job: The Crazy Beautiful Life of an Instagram Thirst Monster" which quickly became a New York Times best-seller. In 2020 the social media personality released her comedy special "Claudia Oshry: Disgraced Queen".

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Claudia Oshry (@claudwithnojob)

Claudia has really made a name for herself apart from her family's previous controversial title. Her and her husband Ben are brilliant business people who have really taken the Toast brand and network to new levels.

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Why Gen Z loves podcasts:

"I listen to podcasts when cleaning my room because they are entertaining."

"I have Spotify premium and music gets boring and repetitive so it’s nice listening to people talk and learning some cool things through it, also the Chuckle Sandwich podcast is really funny!"

"Unlike TV, I don't have to focus on a visual part too! I love to listen to podcasts when cleaning or just for fun because I only have to listen. I also think that they're a very interesting medium and I love to see what people do with their podcast (especially with fictional podcasts)!"

"Because I get sick of music."

"I like to hear other people’s thoughts on things."

"To gain new perspectives, to learn new things, and to hear interesting stories."

"I like learning while driving or walking around. It's like reading when I can't sit down to read. Audiobooks are not as good."

"I originally listened to podcasts to help me sleep, but now I do it also because it's teaching me a lot."

"To learn new things or stay up to date on what is going on in the world, as well as pass time on long drives."

"Started as a great way to kill time during long commutes to school and became a great way to absorb knowledge."

"I like to listen to people's points of view; podcasts make me ask myself questions and reframe my own point of views of some topics." -Sadie Jackson

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tangent

In my previous post, I touched on tik tok being used as a tool to reach more audiences as well as grow their brand recognizability. The Toast hosts Claudia and Jackie LOVE using tik tok to post snippets of their show in hopes of going viral and reaching niche audiences.

Other Gen Zers began listening to podcasts after being introduced to podcast clips on Youtube, TikTok, Instagram, and other social channels. 

Gorgeous gorgeous girls explain ⏰ sounds to their older sisters 💞 #thetoast #sisters #gorgeousgorgeousgirls #AEHolidayCard #podcast #themorningtoast #sistergoals

As much as Jackie Oshry loves social media, the new mom cannot fathom having TIkTok on anything other than her iPad. This leaves Claudia responsible for keeping Jackie up to date with the trends and sounds that take over many social media posts.

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Podcasts and Gen Z

Nearly 50% of gen z users use Spotify specifically for podcasts (Jackson). Personally, I prefer apple music, aka the app that comes pre-downloaded on your iPhone that you either use multiple times a day or it sits in the cloud. Research has found that the pandemic led to an increase in Gen Z podcast listeners. During the lockdown, podcasts became a way for individuals to stay up to date with current events and news. With the growth of tik tok, podcast clips were also spread to new audiences, take Sadie Jackson's experience as an example:

"For myself, I was much more inclined to try a podcast when I recognized the host from somewhere else (YouTube, Instagram, etc.). For example, I’d seen Emma Chamberlain’s YouTube videos before, but I got a better idea of her character and essence on her podcast. That was enough to get me to listen once but not continue listening."

In Jacksons' article, she also touches on how she prefers to listen to millennial hosts.

Gen Zers are becoming independent from their parents, developing their values and beliefs, and attempting to find one’s identity. With John and Hank Green, I was eager to get wisdom from people who had already gone through the struggles of being a young adult.

I relate to her feelings exactly. The toast's hosts feel like two older sisters talking back and forth, and maybe that's because my two real sisters are their age, but regardless it brings a sense of comfort to me when I listen to them. Jackson also makes the point of gen z wanting to hear from people who have already been through the struggles of being a young adult as well as people who have a "solidified sense of self".