The glossy counterculture
The Brand Brief 2.20.26: Evie Magazine, Prince Andrew, Guy Fieri, UFOs, Team USA, Wes Moore, Chicago Bears, Mamdani, AOC, Ilhan Omar, Guthrie, and Iran
Actionable media intel: The Brand Brief delivers a daily snapshot of the conservative media ecosystem - FOX News, podcasts, and more. | Brought to you by On Brand Strategies | Written by Carly Moran and Nathan Brand
📣 Driving the Conversation…
1,503 words | 6 minute read | Written to be skimmable (14+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Carly on the growth of conservative women magazines
New Media Voices: Prince Andrew and Lex Wexner
Leading FOX: Tariffs, Prince Andrew, and UFOs
Trending: Uh… Democrats’ “educational” content for kids
What the Right is Writing: Epstein, taxes, and Al Jazeera
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Special Edition: Carly provides a quick take on where we’re headed…
The Wall Street Journal called Evie Magazine the “Conservative Cosmo” following their first live event during New York Fashion Week.
Evie caters to a growing demographic that legacy media struggles to understand: college-educated, city-living, yet paradoxically conservative women. Similar magazines like The Conservateur (long-form essays) and WARKITCHEN (real food movement) are on the rise, particularly as platforms like Substack give greater publishing freedom.
Giants like Vogue and Vanity Fair no longer cater to their entire audience, and publications like Evie are filling that gap. The age of the conservative woman is now. - CM
I would love to hear your feedback - survey here. Thank you!
🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 2/19
Ex-Prince Andrew was arrested for allegedly sharing confidential British government documents with Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction, Royal commentator Dan Wootton reacts
Podcaster Zack Peter explains the popularity of the Nancy Guthrie case
Will Geddes, security expert, and Jonathan Gilliam, former FBI agent, accuse Pima Sheriff Chris Nanos of being contradictory
Kelly mocks AOC’s fumbled foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference, contrasting to VP Vance and Sec. Rubio’s past speeches
She criticizes “woke” U.S. Olympian Amber Glenn for bashing America and then losing, as well as Eileen Gu for competing for China
The Ben Shapiro Show - 2/19
Shapiro says Ex-Prince Andrew’s arrest following Epstein file revelations must rely on verifiable evidence over online speculation
He critiques Lex Wexner, Democrat James Talarico, and Tucker Carlson all for being what he calls “fake victims” of their own actions
Shapiro warns of Iran mobilizing defenses, suggesting American hesitation could signal weakness to adversaries like Russia and China
White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan discusses recent media narratives regarding accusations of racism against President Trump
The Michael Knowles Show - 2/19
Knowles dismisses Ex-Prince Andrew’s arrest as a scapegoating tactic by UK authorities who ignore widespread migrant grooming gangs
He blasts the DC Water CEO for prioritizing DEI hiring practices over competence, leading to the massive sewage spill in the Potomac River
He mocks a CNN documentary framing “Christian Nationalists” as a threat, arguing the media projects left-wing violence onto conservatives
Knowles critiques NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s reversal on homeless encampments and the release of a violent trans-identifying criminal in Canada as failures of “expressive individualism”
He condemns the UN for using misleading imagery in a child marriage campaign, claiming liberal ideology prevents honest discussions about cultural crime statistics
TimcastIRL - 2/19
Comedian Robbie Bernstein joins to discuss the arrest of ex-Prince Andrew for allegedly sharing confidential government documents with Jeffrey Epstein, the panel is frustrated over no American arrests from the files
President Trump joked that Barack Obama “leaked classified info” about aliens, promises to release files on UFOs from the Dept. of War
Former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner’s lawyer was caught on a hot mic telling him he’d “f—ing kill” him if he kept giving long answers
The panel criticizes stupidity in politics, referencing AOC’s poor Munich performance, Juliana Stratton’s profanity-ridden campaign ad, and the rise in AI “slop” dominating social media
In other news, the Chicago Bears may be moving to Indiana, and public schools are allowing kids to vandalize in the name of ICE protests
The CJ Pearson Show - 2/19
Pearson recaps his “MAGA is in the Air” Valentine’s Day party in Washington, D.C.
He criticizes a Vanity Fair article on the event, arguing the left despises seeing conservatives happy and culturally relevant
Pearson thanks rapper Waka Flocka Flame for performing, noting DaBaby dropped out due to political pressure, and contrasts conservative masculinity with liberal men
He condemns the death of Dr. Linda Davis by an illegal immigrant evading ICE
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
Trump visits famous The Varsity restaurant during his Georgia affordability tour
Democrat Senate candidate Juliana Stratton releases a campaign ad with her supporters saying “F— Trump,” including IL Sen. Tammy Duckworth
Ex-Prince Andrew was arrested for “suspected misconduct,” his brother King Charles says “the law must take its course”
Bernie Sanders clashes with Gov. Gavin Newsom, calling for a tax on California billionaires, while NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani awkwardly retreats from demanding a wealth tax from NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, considers a property tax instead
Actor Michael Jai White talked on the Joe Rogan Experience about America’s masculinity crisis
A new study shows matching sleep schedules help marriages thrive
FOX & Friends
Following the first Board of Peace meeting, Trump says Iran has 10-15 days to make a deal and weighs a limited strike, calls for the Dept. of War to release all UFO-related documents
Of the eight dead California avalanche victims, six were moms on a girls’ trip
LA County threatens to sue the video game company Roblox for child safety negligence, despite numerous cases of online grooming
Team USA wins gold in the free skate final, women’s hockey
Ex-Prince Andrew has been released from jail
Grey’s Anatomy actor Eric Dane is dead at 53 after battling ALS
Former Cuomo campaign advisor Melissa Derosa reacts to Zohran Mamdani’s backfiring wealth and property tax plans, the mayor is accused of snubbing Christians during Lent
Guest Border Czar Tom Homan defends the DHS during partial government shutdown over ICE operations
In the search for Nancy Guthrie, authorities are looking for evidence of an accomplice
Trump visited Georgia ahead of a special congressional election
Cowboy Chad Berger explains the challenges of the ranching lifestyle
Punch, a baby monkey abandoned by his mother, is capturing the hearts of millions online desperate for him to find belonging
Steve Doocy interviews Flavortown Mayor Guy Fieri in Miami
FOX Newsroom
President Trump gives Iran an ultimatum of up to two weeks, tells the Dept. of War to release all UFO files, hosts governors at the White House, weighs a ban on investors bulk-purchasing homes
Former Prince Andrew is released from custody
The search for Nancy Guthrie enters day 20
Team USA beats Canada’s women’s hockey team, bringing home gold
Of the eight who died in a California avalanche, six were close friends going on a mothers’ getaway trip
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger place the blame on Trump for the Potomac River sewage spill
Elena Schlossberg of the Save Prince William County group raises awareness about dozens of AI data centers being built around the Manassas Civil War battlefield and a major watershed
The Labor Dept. is looking into unemployment fraud in California
The Supreme Court rules against President Trump’s tariffs just days before his State of the Union address
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today…
Transgender MN State Rep. Leigh Finke opposes age verification laws for adult sites because he thinks it can be “educational” for kids. [X, LibsofTikTok]
Sec. of War Hegseth: As long as I have breath, I will never allow anyone from blocking us from saying the truth — Christ is King. [X, Daugherty]
Roy Cooper deploys entire team to block questions about him releasing violent criminals [X, Townhall]
Susan Rice outlines what the left will do when back in power to anyone aligned with Trump [X, Western]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
Iran reportedly ‘preparing for war’ as new images surface [FOX News]
‘Very concerned’ neighbor breaks silence in Nancy Guthrie case [FOX News]
Former Prince Andrew’s arrest could bring the monarchy down [FOX News]
Breitbart
Ilhan Omar: Dems Don’t Just Want to Abolish ICE, They Plan to Dismantle DHS [Breitbart]
Bianco Vows to ‘Absolutely’ Support ‘Path to Citizenship’ for Illegals [Breitbart]
Ghislaine Maxwell Played Substantial Role in Clinton Global Initiative [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
The Embarrassing Truth About Tariffs [WSJ Ed]
The Arrest of Former Prince Andrew [WSJ Ed]
Washington State’s Latest Tax Gambit [WSJ Ed]
H-1B Visas and the AI Race [WSJ Ed]
New York Post
Savannah Guthrie not ‘coming back’ to ‘Today’ show after her mom’s disappearance: report [NYP]
Amazon’s latest round of sweeping layoffs hit hundreds in New York [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
Inside Al Jazeera’s Style Guide, Which Forbids Reporters From Calling ISIS a ‘Terrorist’ Organization[WFB]
Washington Reporter
Sen. John Barrasso explains how TrumpRx fills a core Trump campaign pledge [Reporter]
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