In this weeks "The Most Ridiculous Marketing Podcast" we discuss the following.

• Amazon tops the BrandZ Charts and is the most valuable brand for the third consecutive year running.

• How Chinese brands are fast becoming some of the most valued brands in the technology space.

• Bumble gives their employees a week off due to everything that's happened during the last year, we discuss mental health in the workplace.

• Deliveroo, UberEats and Just-Eat are major food delivery services, but how much more expensive are they, than dealing with a restaurant directly? How much more are you spending and how much is the commission that these services take?

Amazon tops Kantar BrandZ’s list of the world’s 100 most valuable brands for the third year in a row, as a host of global businesses bounce back with a vengeance despite the trials of lockdown.

Apple follows in second place ($611bn, up 74%), with Google claiming third place ($458bn, up 42%) from now fourth-placed Microsoft ($410.3bn, up 26%).

For the first time this year, Chinese brands outnumber their European counterparts, with US and Chinese companies now accounting for 88% of the top 100. Furthermore, the domination of tech and its influence on retail, leisure and media continues unabated.

Tencent (0700.HK), China's biggest social media and video games company, was the People's Republic's top brand, in fifth place, while Alibaba (9988.HK), was in seventh place.

"Chinese brands are steadily and slowly progressing, and have made significant headway as more companies leverage their own technological developments and demonstrate their abilities to align with the major trends shaping China and the global market,"

Tesla, founded in 2003, was the fastest-growing brand and became the most valuable car brand, growing its value by 275%.

Top Chinese brands consolidated their lead over top European brands: China accounted for 14% of the top 100 brands, up from 11% a decade ago, while European brands accounted for 8%, down from 20% a decade ago, Kantar said.

Dating app Bumble closes for a week to let staff tackle 'collective burnout'

Bumble, the dating app where women make the first move, has closed its doors for a week to give its some 700 employees a "much-needed" break to destress.

Bumble experienced a hectic year, with growing user numbers and a stock market debut, as well as a pandemic which meant meeting up for dating purposes, wasn't realistic....unless you were sneaky.

More recently, dating apps including Bumble have started offering perks to users to help the government encourage young people to get vaccinated.

Among the bonuses are vaccination badges and stickers, as well as free "super" likes.

FOOD DELIVERY

According to research, ordering a takeaway via a food delivery app can be up to 44% more expensive than dealing directly with a restaurant.

The consumer organisation said prices on the apps are "generally set by restaurants", which may increase them to cover the service charge they pay the companies operating the apps.

The commission each restaurant take is said to be between 15-35%.

Ronaldo ditching coca-cola and wipes $4 Billion from their share price, is he the sugar hero that everyone needs?

Cristiano Ronaldo has cost the drinks brand Coca-Cola billions of dollars after he removed their bottles from in front of him during a press conference, instead, Ronaldo told people to 'drink water'. What seemed a fairly innocuous move has sent the company's share price to a $4bn fall. Did he really know what he was doing and the impact it would have? We also discuss his own relationships and sponsors Herbalife.

Paddy Power is pledging large sums of money to grass routes football in Ireland for every goal England score. For every goal Gareth Southgate's men score, Paddy Power are pledging to donate €10K to the clubs who need it most in Ireland, they'll also cheekily double it €20k if Jack Grealish or Declan Rice find the back of the net. Call it a backstabber bonus.

“The #SaveOurGame campaign could mean a senior club gets their leaky roof fixed because Harry Kane found the back of the net

Jeff Bezos £19.8m bid for a 10 minute space flight. Is it good value for money? Would you want to go to space and what do you actually get for the substantial amount?

Blue Origin auctioned the first seat on its New Shepard rocket and space capsule system about to be used to take civilians into outer space. The price: A cool $28 million. The flight is scheduled for July 20 and the winner with join Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and his brother Mark. Here’s what $28 million gets you:

Training begins a few days before the flight with the goal of getting familiar with the space capsule.

The flight lasts 10 to 12 minutes. At about 250,000 feet, shortly after liftoff, the capsule and the rocket booster separate. The capsule carries on, making it to about 350,000 feet, or 100 kilometers up. That’s above the Karman line, the boundary that defines the edge of space.

At that point astronauts can unbuckle and experience weightlessness for about three minutes. Then they buckle back in and ready for descent. The capsule floats down with three parachutes and an air cushion that makes landing a little softer.

Shelby Houlihan: American middle distance runner blames burrito for positive test after she is banned for four years after being caught with a banned substance in her blood. Do we have a problem of steroids and juicing in sport? Do athletes need to find a better excuse than steroids being in their food?

In today's marketing podcast episode, we discuss whether England can win Euro 2020? What do we put their chances at? Can football come home? Will Gareth Southgate's men finally bring the misery of not winning a major tournament since 1966. The guys also make an intriguing bet about dying their hair blonde!

Skateboarder Sky Brown could be Great Britain's youngest ever summer Olympian after finishing third in the Olympic qualification....meaning she could potentially win a medal. Bombette Martin, also only 14 years old, has qualified. How amazing is that?

Nando's launches 50% off deal for 65+-year-olds in June. OAPs can enjoy the discount when dining with their younger relatives.

In a bid to celebrate the easing of lockdown restrictions and the reuniting of families with their older relatives, Nando's has launched the # NanGo's campaign. The limited-time offer pledges to give over-65s dining in the restaurant 50% off their food between 7-9 June when accompanied by their younger relatives.

In one of the weirdest brand collaborations of 2021 so far, Balenciaga has teamed up with Crocs to create an absolute monstrosity of a shoe. We discuss this and the brands that we absolutely hate.

We have come to terms with the fact that we may have to rename the podcast, as we don't even talk about Marketing. Let's see what we can come up with.