18th Jan 2019

Maureen Mullen and Scott Galloway (author of No Mercy / No Malice) look back to 2018 and forward to 2019 , with their annual prediction discussion. Here is the video and here the summary text version. Some highlights include – ‘Snap is the walking dead’, ‘Twitter cut in half’, ‘Amazon becomes one of the five largest media firms’, ‘Big Health’, and ‘Woke as a business strategy’. From the same gang, here is a Year in Digital Intelligence.(scrolling infographic)

Automation, now going beyond routine manufacturing activities, has thepotential, as least with regard to its technical feasibility, to transform sectors such as healthcare and finance, which involve a substantial share of knowledge work.’ From McKinsey, this is where machines could replace humans and where they can’t (yet).

Loads of noise around the new Gillette #metoo Ad this week. Despite having a rather blunderbuss approach, it has its heart in the right place. And as Campaign Mag observes – pi**ing off Piers Morgan is a valid marketing strategy.

Surprisingly, according to the Pew Research Center, ‘around 75% of Facebook users in the US are unaware the social network tracks and records a list of their interests in order to target adverts. Once directed to their Facebook ad preferences page, 59% said it reflected their interests while 27% said it did not. Interestingly a small majority (only??) 51%—said they were uncomfortable with Facebook compiling this information. It seems Facebook users are baffled by its advertising practices’.

From JWT Intelligence. ‘Historically, cities and cultural centres have assumed a ‘more is more’ attitude towards the tourism industry, unable to resist its enticing economic boons. But now, as landmarks and monuments are becoming overrun with tourists and precious ecological systems are coming under pressure, governments and gatekeepers are taking a more conservative approach with long-term preservation in mind.’ This is the trend (in some places) towards Guardrail Tourism.

Accenture’s 2019 Digital Consumer Survey – ‘Reshape to Relevance‘, is an interesting (and short) read. Areas of focus include : ‘extended reality breaks out its gaming niche, re-imagining the OTT video market, and voice assistants ‘becoming part of the furniture.” (HT @here_forth)

Online retailer boohoo has bucked the downward trend in its sector, seeing sales rise by 44% in the four months to the end of December. Although success in the area of ‘throwaway fashion’ has come under fire; their approach is driven by a highly effective influencer focused marketing strategy, as demonstrated by the #weareus campaign and We Are Influencers range. Meanwhile….Adweek reports that Instagram Stories were embraced by influencers (and brands) in 2018, now representing one-third of sponsored feed posts.

According to WARC, social media activity now accounts for over a third of daily online time.

From Wired – Why working into your 70s or 80s needn’t be a bad thing. ‘A later retirement age and staying in the workplace for longer will create a demand for extended careers that follow multiple paths.’

Love this new ad from IKEA – IKEA’s Fantasy Nightclub is all about a good night’s sleep, not a big night out. ‘The advert opens with a group of friends driving through town late at night, passing food trucks serving bowls of Cheerios and toast kebabs. Upon reaching their destination we see them and other clubbers in their pyjamas….’

Wonderful. British photographer Neil Burnell captures striking environments void of human subjects, often traveling to remote areas far outside of civilisation.

A Vimeo Pick Of The Week. A train ride reveals strange incidents : TheTrain, The Forest. (3’28”)