The Economics of Everyday Things
Freakonomics Network
3 episodes
87. Ski Areas
2 Nov · 20 min
- Recreational skiing and snowboarding generate nearly $60bn in annual US economic activity.
- Vail Resorts and Alterra own about 10% of US ski areas but sell Epic and Ikon passes that rival independent season passes on price.
86. Toothpaste
29 Oct · 17 min
- Colgate-Palmolive makes a little under half of the roughly 20bn toothpaste tubes produced globally, and Colgate and Crest together hold about 75% of a $22bn market.
- Peter Miskell says industrial sugar consumption created a dental problem that made brushing, and therefore toothpaste, worth selling, though early toothpaste had no proven health benefit.
109. Billboards
6 Oct 2025 · 22 min
- Clear Channel Outdoor CMO Dan Levi says billboards are a data-backed brand medium, not the oldest, dumbest ad format.
- Anna Bager, CEO of the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of America, argues billboards are among the least intrusive ads because they cannot be skipped or blocked.