Mike's Industry View - Issue #168
AI / Creativity
Why Mirror sold to Lululemon — insider.fitt.co An exploration of lululemon's acquisition of Mirror, including lulu's ambitions, Mirror’s motivation for selling, and how Nike, Peloton, and COVID-19 sealed the deal.
Business/Marketing/Adv
Amazon’s new smart shopping cart lets you check out without a cashier — www.theverge.com
Amazon announced the Dash Cart, a new smart shopping cart designed to track the items you take off shelves and place inside. It links to your Amazon account and lets you check out of the store without waiting in line or dealing with a cashier.
Omnicom’s $20M Spotify Buy Proves Better Measurement Draws Big Brands To Podcasting — www.adexchanger.com
Omnicom will invest $20 million upfront into podcasts on Spotify in the second half of 2020. The deal also gives Omnicom access to exclusive and original content globally and the opportunity to develop branded podcasts for clients.
Interestingness
London boroughs say Covid-19 shows digital and innovation ‘more important than ever’ — www.computerweekly.com An association of councils in the greater London area notes that local government’s capacity to adopt technology and innovate is essential in coping with the post-pandemic world.
Work-From-Home Will Reduce Driving by 270 Billion Miles Per Year — www.thestreet.com More shop-at-home and work-from home will make a significant dent in the total number of miles people drive.
Wellness
Are we too busy to enjoy life? — nesslabs.com
“How are things?” asked a friend. “It’s busy, but I’ll take some time to relax when things ease up,” I replied. I recently caught myself giving a variation of this answer every time I was asked how I was doing.
You’re Doomscrolling Again. Here’s How to Snap Out of It — www.nytimes.com In a pandemic that forces us to stay home, bingeing on doom-and-gloom news feels irresistible. These health experts offer ways to break the habit.
Platform News
How Instagram helps The Economist to reach a new generation — medium.com
Instagram has become a key platform for The Economist’s digital growth. As our community passes the 5m mark, it is worth examining how the app — which is opened by our followers a staggering 35 times a day…
TikTok Stars Race to Land Reality Shows — www.nytimes.com The drama among influencers at Hype House and Sway House seems like a natural fit for TV. Will the industry bite?