Working Girl's Guide #39: Super Bowl ads, IVs in bed, spicing up Zoom calls

Today we’re talking Super Bowl ad recaps, Amazon’s power move, and prepping for my favorite holiday (Galentine’s Day). Let’s get into it.

Super Bowl recap (aka ad news for my brand girlies)

If, like me, you see the Super Bowl as an opportunity to loudly and annoyingly comment on every single ad while your friends try desperately to watch the game in peace, then this recap is for you. Two brands (Little Caesars AND Pringles) turned to flying facial hair for two nearly identical ads. Seal became an actual seal for Mountain Dew’s Baja Blast ad, and hims & hers got some flack for calling out a weight loss establishment that was “built to keep us sick and stuck,” while avoiding the fact that their own weight loss products aren’t F.D.A. approved. Unrelatedly, a huge shoutout to Jake Shane for a stunning Super Bowl ad debut with Poppi!

Amazon is beating Walmart in the revenue game (for the first time ever)

Walmart’s carried the crown for highest revenue-earning company for the past 12 (count em!) TWELVE years. But times are changing: Amazon crushed Q4 and overtook Walmart for the first time ever. Yes, we all have a shopping problem, but Amazon is making their real money from digital products: Amazon Web Services has more than doubled in the past 5 years, and accounts for about 17% of the company’s annual revenue.

Not to talk about the weather but..

Meta is laying off a ton of people — about 5% of its workforce, or 4,000 people — and Google is offering buyouts to employees on its platforms and devices teams (i.e., asking them to leave in exchange for money). Both companies are replacing humans with AI, which is kind of the thing in tech right now: Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta will spend more than $320 billion on AI in 2025.

Crazy weekend spent in bed with my roomie! Got IVs (while FaceTiming my mom of course). We were feeling a bit sick, and hydration is a lot of effort, so we decided to bring the goods straight to our veins. I am OBSESSED with Drip Hydration (they literally send a nurse to your house to give you an IV — amazing.). Not an ad, I just genuinely love a good IV!

Name a time you've found a dress this cute for less than $200...I'll wait. Still waiting. I give up. You can wear this dress to work, a rehearsal dinner, your friend's engagement party, a cute date night, dare I say even over a swimsuit on vacation? The list goes on forever. This is just one of many pieces I created with 12th Tribe, and the collection is selling out FAST, so head on over to their website to browse my photoshoot and treat yourself before everything is sold out and goes for double on the secondhand market (a girl can dream of that kind of fame!!!).

Tomorrow is Galentine’s Day, which is arguably a much better holiday than Valentine’s Day. So gather your gals and your gays, because we are celebrating, and of course we are making it as simple (read: lazy) as possible.

Here’s how we’re handling it.

Step 1: Drop a “Who’s free tonight?” in the group chat. If no one replies, congrats, you just saved money. If they do, proceed to step 2.

Step 2: The no-cook potluck: everyone brings a store-bought snack or drink. Cheese and crackers? Done. A bottle of wine? Elite. Rotisserie chicken straight from the container? Absolutely.

Step 3: Lazy Girl dress code is matching pajamas or sweats. Effort level: zero.

Step 4: Entertainment? Crowdsource it: throw a poll in the chat: rom-com, reality TV, or nostalgic Disney Channel reruns? Whatever wins, put it on in the background while everyone scrolls TikTok anyway.

Step 5: Take one cute group selfie so it looks like you went all out. Post, then return to horizontal mode.

There will be no hand-crafted cards in my house (but kudos if that’s how you celebrate). Keepin it simple and easy and unsexy. Love!

This week, we’re getting into some seriously unhinged workplace stories. We share listener submissions that will make you grateful for your (relatively) normal coworkers, from violent outbursts to espresso-induced hospital visits (wish I was making this up!). Plus, is going topless on a video call a power move? I’m gonna go ahead and say NOPE. We discuss the do’s and don’ts of fantasy football team names and Cash App handles, offer tips for spicing up your Zoom calls (no, we do not recommend removing your shirt), and even tackle the etiquette of vaping during a one-on-one. And don’t miss Ross’s previously unreleased story about a late-night encounter with an au naturel merchant! Listen here.

Thanks for reading!