This Again? — March 25, 2019

Hit replay for the TV revolution, and a bonus Streisand effect sitcom; A.I. and ethics are becoming interwoven (or should be); what the tech sector gets wrong about mobility; the #AdobeSummit is here; how to build trust as a leader; what went wrong at Boeing; tales of the drunk shopper; Walmart's secret weapon against Amazon; Instagram goes shopping; Facebook's adult content guidelines, explained; Pinterest files for an IPO; Google gets a massive fine; Disney completed its acquisition of Fox; branded podcasts are preferable; Facebook employees may have had your password for years; Airbnb's guerilla warfare against municipalities; marketers can't put ROI against everything; why Wite-Out is still at thing; and more in the This Again? edition of The Full Monty for the week of March 25, 2019.

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Top Story

Remember when streaming video was a novelty? When you could brag about being among the first to switch from Netflix's DVD-mailer model to online video? The world of streaming media seemed simple in those days.

The idea was that you could exercise choice and determine what kind of programming you wanted to watch — not be told by your cable company that you had to accept the sports package if you wanted to include a channel like AMC or Bravo. It was called bundling, and it led to ever-higher prices for consumers as they were locked into programming situations that they couldn't control.

Along came Netflix — and Hulu— and Amazon Prime Video — and you were free from that.

Until...

Suddenly streaming services popped up everywhere. CBS, HBO, Showtime, and now newcomers Apple, Disney+, WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal and suddenly consumers are feeling subscription fatigue. It's like the 1990s, all over again, but this time consumers are creating their own bundles. And it's getting a bit pricey.

In the return to what is essentially the same business model (i.e., you can't get all of your preferred content in one place), we're also seeing retro programming. In 2018, 14 of Netflix’s top 20 shows, and all 10 of its top 10 shows, were broadcast-network reruns.

It's as if we forget the past and long for it at the same time.

Another case in point: there are instances when the misinformed public uses historical examples to reinforce a point, but haven't done their research thoroughly. Which is why it' heartening (at least for this former classics major) to see historians taking to Twitter to set the record straight.

Then there's the instance of Congressman Devin Nunes suing Twitter over the Devin Nunes Cow account — a parody account — that annoyed him. But Rep. Nunes forgot the very real Streisand effect: the account had around 1,000 followers before last week's lawsuit; it currently has over 630,000.

Those who don't know history...

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About this week's image: Ulysses and the Sirens (John William Waterhouse, 1891) depicts Homer's hero Odysseus (the Greek version of Ulysses) on his way home from the Trojan war, facing the Sirens. The Sirens, who with their melodious voices lured all navigators to destruction were, according to classical tradition, creatures having the body of a bird with the head of a beautiful woman. They were informed by the oracle that as soon as anyone passed by without heeding their songs they should perish. Circe warned Odysseus in advance, and he plugged his the ears of his crew with wax and ordered himself to be bound to the mast, allowing them to successfully pass the fatal coast.

Artificial Intelligence / Autonomous

The latest in A.I., machine learning, and bots; mobility and autonomous everything.
Aʀᴛɪꜰɪᴄɪᴀʟ Iɴᴛᴇʟʟɪɢᴇɴᴄᴇ / Mᴀᴄʜɪɴᴇ Lᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ

As tech companies begin to recognize the flaws in technology, the need for A.I. ethicists is becoming clear. (WSJ Pro)
In the last week or so, we witnessed how tech companies simply haven't prioritized some things that are harmful to users, but instead have worshiped at the altar of the golden calf. (Medium)
Why do we struggle with ethics and technology? Largely because tech creates an artificial barrier between humans and tasks. And that reduces empathy. (Timeless Wisdom) Can we create artificial empathy?
In the hopes that it can democratize A.I., MIT has a system that can train neural networks 200 times faster than before. (Engadget)
How CMOs are adapting to the machine learning age, including cleaning up data and working outside of the traditional marcomms channels. (AdWeek)

Aᴜᴛᴏɴᴏᴍᴏᴜs / Mᴏʙɪʟɪᴛʏ

The high tech sector certainly has a lot to contribute to mobility, but the arrogance that has characterized its initial forays into the space has also exposed a deep sense of utopian naivete. (The Drive) This former auto executive's take: tech's predictions are usually on an unrealistically sped-up timeframe and involve urban prognosticating for the entire country. More ranting on this tomorrow on Timeless Wisdom.
Autonomous cars will generate more data and as blockchain technology develops, it could offer a secure way to manage that data while providing additional benefits to passengers. (Axios) The data thrown off by cars is already voluminous. The future of auto data needs to be secure and manageable.
A guide to the future of trucking. Trucking is among the three most common jobs in 29 U.S. states, but it’s getting automated and the trucking industry is transforming. (Quartz)
Ford is building a factory in Michigan for autonomous and electrified vehicles. (CNBC)

Communications / Marketing / Business Strategy

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

Sᴛʀᴀᴛᴇɢʏ / Mᴀʀᴋᴇᴛɪɴɢ / Cᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ

Advertisers don’t appear to be uncomfortable with the digital duopoly—at least, not enough to stop spending there. (eMarketer) What are you going to do about it? It's a two-party system!
It’s an all-star lineup (and me) heading to the biggest digital customer experience conference of the year. (Adobe)

Jᴏᴜʀɴᴀʟɪsᴍ / Cᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴs / Rᴇᴘᴜᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ

The three most effective ways to build trust as a leader may not be what you think they are. (Signal v. Noise) Again, it comes down to being human.
If you think leadership and communication doesn't matter, look at the impact Alan Mulally had on Boeing (and Ford). (Forbes) The "Working Together" model is deceptively simple: articulate a clear and compelling vision, develop a comprehensive strategy to deliver on that vision, and execute on that through a relentless implementation process led by a team of talented people working together. Which is where leadership and communication come in.
How CEOs are boosting ethics engagement to build culture and brand trust. (Agility PR)
Five ways to evolve and learn new communications skills. (Spin Sucks)

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Retail Apocalypse

Humans are a transactional species, and the practice — if not the very notion of what retail is — is undergoing a historical metamorphosis.

What percentage of alcohol-consuming Americans shop drunk? How much do they spend? What do they buy? The 2019 Drunk Shopping Survey has answers. (The Hustle)
Jetblack is a $600 a year personal shopping service for New Yorkers. Walmart is using Jetblack’s army of human agents to train an artificial intelligence system that could someday power an automated personal-shopping service, in a battle for retail's future. (Wall Street Journal)
Walmart announced it was halting its popular Savings Catcher feature in its app, which automatically refunds customers the difference of any item purchased at Walmart that's found elsewhere for less. Then the social media backlash began. (Retail Dive)
From customer-centricity to tech with a purpose, here are some themes from NRF 2019 to take into 2019. (Smartbrief)
New York Magazine has opened a retail store based off of its newsletter offerings. Is this the future of retail? Or perhaps the future of commerce for publishers? (Medium)
Two from the excellent series The Amazon Diaries (OneZero):

What it's like working as an Amazon Flex delivery driver.
A vote for automation from a warehouse worker: “I Don’t Have Energy to Do Much Else Aside From Amazon.”

Platforms

News to know about relevant social media and technology platforms that may affect your business.

Fᴀᴄᴇʙᴏᴏᴋ / Iɴsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ / WʜᴀᴛsAᴘᴘ

Instagram announced it is launching a beta shopping program with over 20 beauty and fashion brands, including direct-to-consumer players, in which it would test the ability to shop, check out and manage orders within the app. (Digiday) Watch this space. As Facebook looks to link Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, commerce is a play that puts it on par with WeChat, the app from Tencent in China that is a Swiss Army knife of services.
Instagram is testing the locking of usernames for 14 days after changing them, in an effort to crack down on bots and theft. (AdWeek)
Facebook Messenger now has message threads. (Venture Beat)
A close reading of Facebook's guidelines around...some of the more sensitive issues around adult activity on its platform. (The Next Web) The visual alone is worth a click.
Sweeping changes after an investigation mean that Facebook will no longer allow employers, landlords, or lenders discriminate in ads. (ProPublica)

Tᴡɪᴛᴛᴇʀ

Twitter is cracking down on API abuse. If customers primarily use the data to serve business customers as a B2B tool, like for customer service or social media monitoring, they’ll have to pay to enter a commercial licensing agreement with Twitter with a custom price based on usage. Twitter refused to even specify the range those prices fall into. (TechCrunch) If data is the new oil, expect to pay.
For months, Twitter has been inserting tweets from popular accounts into feeds of users who do not follow them. (CNN Business) The practice means Twitter at times has amplified inflammatory political rhetoric, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. Because, why not? Everyone else is doing it.

Oᴛʜᴇʀ

Pinterest filed for its IPO, speeding up the process to race to market. The company will be PINS on Nasdaq. The company reported a $63 million net loss on $756 million in revenue for 2018, compared to a $130 million net loss on $473 million in revenue for 2017. (Axios)
Which makes perfect sense why Pinterest is hiring more salespeople than engineers for the first time. (Thinknum)
European regulators hit Google with a $1.7 billion fine for its role in blocking other advertising on its platform. (CNBC) This won't be the last we hear of this.
Google unveiled Stadia, its game streaming service for Chrome, Android, and TVs. The service will support cross-platform play and 4K at 60FPS with HDR, launching later in 2019. (9to5 Google)
Snapchat is launching Snap Originals, its first full slate of roughly a dozen serialized original shows, including scripted series and docuseries. (Axios) More advertising and branded content opportunities ahead...

Media

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

Vɪᴅᴇᴏ

Disney officially completed its $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox, a move that transforms the entertainment and media industry. (AdWeek) The impact of this deal should not be understated. Disney is a media juggernaut, now with a 30 percent stake in Hulu, ownership of Twentieth Century Fox, FX, National Geographic, ABC, ESPN, and the catalogs of Marvel, LucasFilm, Pixar, and Disney proper, to name a few. When you wish upon a star...
Nine reasons why Disney+ will succeed — and four reasons why criticism is overhyped. (Redef) Including the classic 1957 strategy schematic that shows how all of Disney's elements are interconnected.
There are more streaming options than ever, and consumers are feeling the strain. (USA Today)

Aᴜᴅɪᴏ

Branded podcasts are better than podcasts with ads. (Fast Company) Yeah, done well they are.
After tracking Apple Podcasts for two years, here are the results that include seasonal patterns and category leaders. (Pacific Content)
Google Podcasts is now available on desktop, with syncing to your Android device. (9to5 Google)
In another nod to the ubiquity and universality of audio, Moby released his latest album on the Calm app. (Calm) It's actually the perfect place, given the kind of music Moby writes.
Program of the Week: "Tally," the first season of Over My Dead Body is a seven-part series from Wondery that looks at the "perfect" couple, two lawyers whose relationship ended in a bitter divorce and the husband's murder. Throw in Miami-area gangsters, an overly possessive set of in-laws, and you've got yourself a real-life murder mystery.

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Privacy / Security / Regulatory

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

Pʀɪᴠᴀᴄʏ / Sᴇᴄᴜʀɪᴛʏ / Hᴀᴄᴋɪɴɢ

Facebook's treatment of data and its refusal to fundamentally address its policies and practices is causing a Congressman to call on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Facebook for antitrust practices. (New York Times)
And then, the next day, as if to prove his point, Facebook employees had access to hundreds of millions of user passwords for years. (Recode)

Rᴇɢᴜʟᴀᴛᴏʀʏ / Oɴ-Dᴇᴍᴀɴᴅ Eᴄᴏɴᴏᴍʏ

Guesty — a startup that provides a suite of tools aimed at property managers that list on Airbnb (and others) — announced it has raised $35 million to continue to help fund the company’s rapid growth. (The Hustle)
Why is there so little tech regulation? Politicians are reluctant to disrupt the enormous wealth creation machine that technology has turned out to be. (The Register)
Airbnb has stated publicly that they want to pay taxes. So why are they waging a guerilla war against local governments by suing them when the governments seek tax payments? (Wired)
Lyft is seeking a valuation of between $21 million and $23 million in its IPO, equating to $62 to $68 per share. (Wall Street Journal)

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.

Marketers shouldn't try too hard to relate everything back to ROI or they might risk looking like an idiot in front of finance. (Marketing Week)
Is too much of something a bad thing? When it comes to data, the answer may be yes. Data managers feel overwhelmed by an abundance of tools. (eMarketer)

Speaking

I'm pleased to be heading to the #AdobeSummit as an Adobe Insider, courtesy of Adobe.

How can you energize your team and give them actionable ideas for boosting customer engagement? It's all about applying Timeless Wisdom to your process — practical and relatable lessons drawn from historical and literary contexts, updated to inform business growth.

Combine this with Fortune 10 executive experience and some great stories, and you'll be happy that you spent a fraction of what it costs to send your team to a major conference. I'll spend anywhere from an hour to a whole day with your team and give them the power to develop trusted, lasting relationships with your customers.

Let's chat and see if I can customize a session for you.

Mental Nourishment

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

You've probably come across your fair share of grammar philistines in texting or email, who don't care to follow protocol. Well, meet the man brought to trial for murdering the English language. (LitHub)
The 1922 book The Fourth Dimension and the Bible by William Granville is a fascinating example of the intersection of science and religion. In this case, Granville explored the more mysterious aspects of the Bible through the rigors of pure mathematics, using the terminology of C.H. Hinton, who visualized this spatial dimension in "Tesseracts." (The Public Domain Review)
A history of the humble milk crate, and the story of this commonly stolen type of container: how it became an icon of storage and design, and the target of tough legal regulations—and how those regulations have started to backfire. (Tedium)
Correction fluids have improbably outlasted the typewriter and survived the rise of the digital office. Who Still Buys Wite-Out, and Why? (The Atlantic) I think I smell a good story...

Top image credit: Ulysses and the Sirens by John William Waterhouse, 1891 (Wikimedia Commons - public domain)

Monday, March 25, 2019