Mike's Industry View - Issue #171
AI / Creativity
Ikea Taiwan recreates its iconic catalog using Animal Crossing — www.engadget.com Ikea Taiwan has recreated parts of its catalog on Facebook using the iconic characters and in-game furnishings from Animal Crossing.
Business/Marketing/Adv
COVID-19 pandemic accelerated shift to e-commerce by 5 years, new report says — techcrunch.com
As the COVID-19 pandemic reshapes our world, more consumers have begun shopping online in greater numbers and frequency. According to new data from IBM’s U.S. Retail Index, the pandemic has accelerated the shift away from physical stores to digital shopping by roughly five years. Department stores, as a result, are seeing significant declines......
Spotify’s first esports partnership includes a ‘League of Legends’ podcast — www.engadget.com
Spotify has taken another step to diversify its offerings by entering its first-ever esports partnership with Riot Games. The music streaming giant has become Riot’s exclusive global audio service provider for League of Legends, and that means it’s planning to launch a bunch of new LoL-related content for its users.
Interestingness
The Rolling Stones open world-first flagship store in London — theluxereview.com You can’t always get what you want… but you will at The Rolling Stones’ new flagship store. The band will open their own world-first official shop in London on September 9th. The store, called 'RS No. 9 Carnaby', will launch in the heart of London’s Soho, on Carnaby Street - a fitting destination given its…
Work From Anywhere: How Airbnb & Guests are Approaching Remote Working — news.airbnb.com Travelers have long booked with Airbnb to immerse themselves in new communities. Airbnb is now a longer-term option for more guests who have the opportunity to work from anywhere.
Wellness
Why you’re finding it so hard to take time off 🌴 — medium.com
I wanted to try and understand why we’re less willing to take time off, and whether we’re falling into a trap of “work over all” as a way of coping with stress.
‘Success Addicts’ Choose Being Special Over Being Happy — www.theatlantic.com The pursuit of achievement distracts from the deeply ordinary activities and relationships that make life meaningful.
Platform News
Inside TikTok's Hidden Hit Machine — www.rollingstone.com
The viral-video app’s music team has given crucial assists to artists like Roddy Ricch, Doja Cat, and Saweetie. But can it keep powering the music industry — especially amid uncertainty about TikTok’s fate in the U.S.?
Facebook is bringing a Shop section to its app, while Instagram expands Live Shopping — techcrunch.com
Facebook is announcing a number of new e-commerce features both within the main Facebook app and on Instagram. The pandemic has forced many businesses to shift online, and Facebook made a big announcement in May around the ability of merchants to create Facebook Shops that are viewable on both Facebook and Instagram.