Monday, October 30, 2017

Want to See Something Really Scary? — October 30, 2017


The spooky side of technology; Walmart leverages machine learning to scale to 60 million items online; AI myths, busted; why car ownership may not be worth it; agencies have new competition; the precedent for Amazon's conglomerate model; Walmart is a disruptor; e-commerce means more jobs; Facebook has some serious issues; YouTube on TV passes 100M hours/day; hacking secure buildings with your personality; get ready for the bike-sharing war; how to spot a machine learning opportunity; the five elements of effective thinking; and more in the Want to See Something Really Scary? edition of The Full Monty from Brain+Trust Partners for the week of October 30, 2017.



Please support this newsletter by becoming patron. We'll let you decide how much. 


You know you want to

Thank you for doing your part to keep this publication going.  



The Full Monty, a Brain+Trust Partners publication, exposes you to virtually everything you need in business intelligence at the top of every week. Links are below with commentary in italics. Please sign up for our email updates to make sure you don't miss a thing. And please click send your colleagues to this page to sign up as well.

We've got all of these links — and those that didn't make the cut for publication — in The Full Monty Magazine on Flipboard.



Top Stories

Tomorrow is Halloween, which of course turns everyone's thoughts to the macabre and ghoulish. When it comes to technology, there's plenty of that going around, so we rounded up a few stories that range from creepy to chilling to downright dystopian.
"There are many bromides applicable here: 'too much of a good thing', 'tiger by the tail', 'as you sow so shall you reap'. The point is that, too often, Man becomes clever instead of becoming wise; he becomes inventive and not thoughtful; and sometimes, as in the case of Mr. Whipple, he can create himself right out of existence. As in tonight's tale of oddness and obsolescence, in the Twilight Zone."
* For those paying attention to our choice of title this week.




Artificial Intelligence / Autonomous

The latest in AI, machine learning, bots, blockchain, mobility, and autonomous everything.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / MACHINE LEARNING

AUTONOMOUS / MOBILITY



Communications / Marketing / Business Strategy

Industry developments and trends, including advertising & marketing, retail, journalism, customer experience, content, and influencer relations.

COMMUNICATONS / MARKETING / STRATEGY

THIS WEEK IN RETAIL:



SPONSOR

Want to know what 500 marketers (budgets up to $10 million) believe and how those beliefs influence their behaviors when it comes to hiring and firing agencies just like yours?

Don't miss this FREE 16 page report, full of information, insight and guidance on how to best approach prospects based on the findings.

Some of the results are going to really surprise you.

If you're seeing this, maybe you'd like to see your company's name here too. Let us know.


Platforms 

News to know about relevant social, virtual, and augmented reality platforms that may affect your business.

TWITTER / PERISCOPE

FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / WHATSAPP

SNAP

ALPHABET / GOOGLE




    Media

    The latest in the world of streaming video, audio, and the advertising, pricing and bundling models related to them.

    VIDEO

    AUDIO

    • Program of the Week: This week, in honor of Halloween, we bring you Spooked. Host Glynn Washington was born to a seer and has traveled the world seeking the strange, mystic, and divine. Do you have a program to recommend? Add yours to our Google Sheet:  smonty.co/yourpodcasts.  



    Regulatory / Security 

    Business disruptions in the legal, regulatory, and computer security fields, from hacking to the on-demand economy and more.

    SECURITY / HACKING:

      ON-DEMAND ECONOMY



      Measurement / Analytics / Data

      The future is not in plastics, but in data. Those who know how to measure and analyze it will rule the world.


      Mental Nourishment

      Other links to help you reflect, improve, or simply learn something new.
      • Do you want to come up with more imaginative ideas? Do you stumble with complicated problems? Do you want to find new ways to confront challenges? Then you'll want to read up on the five elements of effective thinking.
      • The New York Times' Adam Bryant has interviewed 525 chief executives through his years writing the 'Corner Office' column. Here's what he has learned
        • "[T]hey share a habit of mind that is best described as 'applied curiosity.' They tend to question everything. They want to know how things work, and wonder how they can be made to work better. They're curious about people and their back stories." 
        • "CEOs seem to love a challenge. Discomfort is their comfort zone." 
        • "They focus on doing their current job well, and that earns them promotions. ... [M]any people can seem more concerned about the job they want than the job they're doing."
      • Similarly, Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent years caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives and identified common elements that gave her the top five regrets of the dying.
      • Napoleon had a Kindle of sorts: the miniature traveling library that he carried on his campaigns.
      • Pay close attention to those who zone out: daydreaming may be a sign of greater intelligence.




      Do you like what you see here? Please subscribe to have trends on digital communications, marketing, technology and business delivered to your inbox each Monday.


      patreon.com/scottmonty

      Wow! You made it this far. That took a lot of work. Can you imagine how much work it took to write this? If you can appreciate the effort and this publication provides any kind of value to you, maybe you'll consider joining as a patron.



      Upcoming Brain+Trust Speaking Engagements

      • SocialFresh in Orlando December 8-9, 2017 (Christopher and Tim)
      Can we speak for your organization? Drop us a line.



      Brain+Trust Partners helps smart, risk-taking executives discern the real from the hype. From strategy development to technology and data vendor selection, and streamlining processes, our focus is on digital business transformation that improves customer experience and drives efficiency for your company. And our decades of experience working for major brands means that we deeply understand the challenges you're facing. Let us know if we can help you.


      Top image credit: The Scream by Edvard Munch, 1893 (Wikimedia Commons, public domain) 

      -- 

      Monday, October 23, 2017

      Hubris Considered — October 23, 2017


      Think state-sponsored media manipulation can't happen to us? Check your ego. The workplace in the age of robot overlords; smart speakers don't mean smart users; gas and oil companies and alternative energy sources; helping job applicants cope with uncertainty; the battle for your time; various retail approaches of Walmart, Target and Kohl's amid disruption; Twitter pledges to crack down on harassment and hate; Facebook makes moves to keep attention; Netflix is spending big on content in 2018; the KRACK Wi-Fi security breach; a series on predictive analytics; embarrass your way to success; and more in the Hubris edition of The Full Monty from Brain+Trust Partners for the week of October 23, 2017.



      Please support this newsletter by becoming patron. We'll let you decide how much. 

      You know you want to

      Thank you for doing your part to keep this publication going.  



      The Full Monty, a Brain+Trust Partners publication, exposes you to virtually everything you need in business intelligence at the top of every week. Links are below with commentary in italics. Please sign up for our email updates to make sure you don't miss a thing. And please click send your colleagues to this page to sign up as well.

      We've got all of these links — and those that didn't make the cut for publication — in The Full Monty Magazine on Flipboard.



      Top Stories

      The technological expertise of and lengths to which Russia will go to meddle in U.S. elections — regardless of where you land on the political spectrum — should be concerning to Americans and to American companies. Keep an eye on the steps that tech companies are taking (or not) to address this very real issue. And also on good old-fashioned investigative journalism, as curious and inquisitive reporters dig in. We are not above being fooled and must guard our institutions with care and respect.




      Artificial Intelligence / Autonomous

      The latest in AI, machine learning, bots, blockchain, and autonomous everything.

      ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / MACHINE LEARNING

      AUTONOMOUS / MOBILITY



      Communications / Marketing / Business Strategy

      Industry developments and trends, including retail, fake news, customer experience, content marketing, and influencer relations.

      COMMUNICATONS / MARKETING / STRATEGY

      • The future of tech and media is more than about attention; companies are waging a war for people's time.
      • More than three-quarters of people in several countries across the world believe that their video viewing habits will change in the coming 5 years. Of most significance: the expectation that TV will be watched in VR. Seems like a stretch at this juncture, as that requires a huge investment and infrastructure for creators, not to mention a complete shift in consumer behavior.
      • One of the biggest challenges for an externally digitally-savvy company is the HR experience once applicants, enthusiastic after seeing a company's digital marketing prowess, get to know the 'real' company behind the campaign.

      THIS WEEK IN RETAIL:



      SPONSOR

      Want to know what 500 marketers (budgets up to $10 million) believe and how those beliefs influence their behaviors when it comes to hiring and firing agencies just like yours?

      Don't miss this FREE 16 page report, full of information, insight and guidance on how to best approach prospects based on the findings.

      Some of the results are going to really surprise you.

      If you're seeing this, maybe you'd like to see your company's name here too. Let us know.


      Platforms 

      News to know about relevant social, virtual, and augmented reality platforms that may affect your business.

      TWITTER / PERISCOPE

      FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / WHATSAPP

      SNAP

      ALPHABET / GOOGLE




        Media

        The latest in the world of streaming video, audio, and the advertising, pricing and bundling models related to them.

        VIDEO

        • In its Q3 earnings call, Netflix said it could spend a whopping $8 billion on content in 2018, up from $6 billion this year. To put that in perspective, ESPN—TV’s biggest spender—was expected to have shelled out about $7.3 billion on content in 2016. 
          • Not satisfied with disrupting the TV business, Netflix also plans to blast through cash to release 80 original movies next year. Original content plus having its own talent, production and intellectual property is key if Netflix is to hold off increasing competition from the likes of Amazon, Apple and Disney
          • Netflix added 5.3 million streaming users in its third quarter, outpacing the 4.4 million net additions it had projected. That growth, boosted by an increase in promotional marketing activity, comes as companies like AT&T and Comcast warn they are feeling the pain from the cord-cutting trend.
        • Nielsen has a new syndicated service that claims to enable content providers to see how many people watched their shows—and their rivals’ shows—on Netflix; Netflix says the data are "not accurate."

        AUDIO




        Regulatory / Security 

        Business disruptions in the legal, regulatory, and computer security fields, from hacking to the on-demand economy and more.

        SECURITY / HACKING:

          ON-DEMAND ECONOMY



          Measurement / Analytics / Data

          The future is not in plastics, but in data. Those who know how to measure and analyze it will rule the world.


          Mental Nourishment

          Other links to help you reflect, improve, or simply learn something new.




          Do you like what you see here? Please subscribe to have trends on digital communications, marketing, technology and business delivered to your inbox each Monday.


          patreon.com/scottmonty

          Wow! You made it this far. That took a lot of work. Can you imagine how much work it took to write this? If you can appreciate the effort and this publication provides any kind of value to you, maybe you'll consider joining as a patron.



          Upcoming Brain+Trust Speaking Engagements

          • SocialFresh in Orlando December 8-9, 2017 (Christopher and Tim)
          Can we speak for your organization? Drop us a line.



          Brain+Trust Partners helps smart, risk-taking executives discern the real from the hype. From strategy development to technology and data vendor selection, and streamlining processes, our focus is on digital business transformation that improves customer experience and drives efficiency for your company. And our decades of experience working for major brands means that we deeply understand the challenges you're facing. Let us know if we can help you.


          Top image credit: Diana and Apollo Attacking the Children of Niobe by Jacques-Louis David (Wikimedia Commons) 

          -- 

          Monday, October 16, 2017

          Guard Your Time — October 16, 2017


          Twitter had a rude awakening and the public is looking for answers from immature architects of the attention economy; AI isn't that intelligent—it requires us to ask the right questions; Alexa knows your family; the next wave of automotive dominance: vertical integration; the brands that consumers are the most loyal to; the battle for online video ads; the most innovative retailer; what Washington gets from the tech companies; a wide-ranging interview with Tim Cook; the flight from Netflix to Hulu; the machine learning behind your Spotify recommendations; credit card breach at Hyatt (again!); research shows the effect of Uber and Lyft on cities—it may not be what you expect; a Stoic's take on life; and more in the Guard Your Time edition of The Full Monty from Brain+Trust Partners for the week of October 16, 2017.



          Please support this newsletter by becoming patron. We'll let you decide how much. 

          You know you want to

          Thank you for doing your part to keep this publication going.  



          The Full Monty, a Brain+Trust Partners publication, exposes you to virtually everything you need in business intelligence at the top of every week. Links are below with commentary in italics. Please sign up for our email updates to make sure you don't miss a thing. And please click send your colleagues to this page to sign up as well.

          We've got all of these links — and those that didn't make the cut for publication — in The Full Monty Magazine on Flipboard.



          Top Stories

          It seems clear that tech companies, while still enjoying the acclaim of the public, need to self-regulate, lest they come under fire of the government. These companies have built products and services that improve our lives, but at a moment's notice — due to a lack of human oversight — they have the ability to make life miserable as well. As a society we need to understand exactly what we're giving up and at what price, as well as how the industry must engage in a higher level of civic responsibility. 




          Artificial Intelligence / Autonomous

          The latest in AI, machine learning, bots, blockchain, and autonomous everything.

          ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / MACHINE LEARNING

          AUTONOMOUS / MOBILITY




          Communications / Marketing / Business Strategy

          Industry developments and trends, including retail, fake news, customer experience, content marketing, and influencer relations.

          COMMUNICATONS / MARKETING / STRATEGY

          THIS WEEK IN RETAIL:



          SPONSOR

          Want to know what 500 marketers (budgets up to $10 million) believe and how those beliefs influence their behaviors when it comes to hiring and firing agencies just like yours?

          Don't miss this FREE 16 page report, full of information, insight and guidance on how to best approach prospects based on the findings.

          Some of the results are going to really surprise you.

          If you're seeing this, maybe you'd like to see your company's name here too. Let us know.


          Platforms 

          News to know about relevant social, virtual, and augmented reality platforms that may affect your business.

          TWITTER / PERISCOPE

          FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / WHATSAPP

          MICROSOFT / LINKEDIN

            OTHER

            AR / VR




            Media

            The latest in the world of streaming video, audio, and the advertising, pricing and bundling models related to them.

            VIDEO

            AUDIO




            Regulatory / Security 

            Business disruptions in the legal, regulatory, and computer security fields, from hacking to the on-demand economy and more.

            SECURITY / HACKING:

              ON-DEMAND ECONOMY


              Measurement / Analytics / Data

              The future is not in plastics, but in data. Those who know how to measure and analyze it will rule the world.


              Mental Nourishment

              Other links to help you reflect, improve, or simply learn something new.

              “We’re tight-fisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers.” 

              — Seneca




              Do you like what you see here? Please subscribe to have trends on digital communications, marketing, technology and business delivered to your inbox each Monday.


              patreon.com/scottmonty

              Wow! You made it this far. That took a lot of work. Can you imagine how much work it took to write this? If you can appreciate the effort and this publication provides any kind of value to you, maybe you'll consider joining as a patron.



              Upcoming Brain+Trust Speaking Engagements

              • Speaking at RetailLoco in Atlanta on October 18, 2017 (Tim)
              Can we speak for your organization? Drop us a line.



              Brain+Trust Partners helps smart, risk-taking executives discern the real from the hype. From strategy development to technology and data vendor selection, and streamlining processes, our focus is on digital business transformation that improves customer experience and drives efficiency for your company. And our decades of experience working for major brands means that we deeply understand the challenges you're facing. Let us know if we can help you.


              Top image credit: by The Suicide of Seneca by Manuel Domínguez Sánchez (Wikimedia Commons) 

              -- 

              Learn from the Past to Inform Your Future

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