Strategy Roundup | 2.26.21
Why an Animated Flying Cat with a Pop-Tart Body Sold for Almost $600,000
This article explores the fast-growing market for digital art. Bought with Blockchain Technology, these pieces can be confirmed as the official and original copy of a piece of digital media. This allows artists, musicians, influencers, and sports franchises to make money selling digital goods that could otherwise be replicated, shared, and stolen, making them cheap or free.
“People don’t buy things like sneakers, art or baseball cards for the value of their materials, he and his partner, Ben Horowitz, explained. They buy them for their aesthetics and design. “A $200 pair of sneakers is, like, $5 in plastic,” Mr. Andreessen said. “You’re buying a feeling,” Mr. Horowitz added.”
The U.S. Postal Service will be replacing it’s aging fleet in exchange for new high-tech mail delivery trucks. Retrofitted to meet the latest advances in electric vehicle technology, this move is reflective of government efforts to decarbonize. The trucks will incorporate features such as 360° cameras, advanced breaking, front-and-rear collision avoidance systems, and more — a move that demonstrates that going green can rethink & improve existing systems, not just future-proof us against global warming.
“Our fleet modernization also reflects the Postal Service’s commitment to a more environmentally sustainable mix of vehicles,” said USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in a news release. “Because we operate one of the largest civilian government fleets in the world, we are committed to pursuing near-term and long-term opportunities to reduce our impact on the environment.”
Thinking Fast & Slow: A Baseball Scouting Bible
“Thinking Fast and Slow” has become essential reading among many of baseball’s front offices and coaching staff. A master class in bias, this book has helped scouts and coaches alike understand the importance of maintaining non-judgmental evaluation in finding their next star players.
“No area of baseball is more susceptible to bias than scouting, in which organizations aggregate information from disparate sources: statistical models, subjective evaluations, characterizations of mental makeup and more. “The independent opinion aspect is critical to avoid the groupthink and be aware of momentum,” said Josh Byrnes, a senior vice president for the Dodgers. “There’s some purity for how the information is collected and then, ultimately, how it’s weighed.’”
Will jingles have a renaissance?
With the rise of sound-based apps like TikTok, which turn sound clips viral, marketers are wondering if the return of the jingle is here. Studies show the correlation between audience recall and audio stimuli is hard to ignore — in 2016, IPA found that jingles are 27% more likely to report large business effects compared to non-music campaigns. To hear what other marketers are saying, check out the conversation thread.
“Audio is ablaze right now with the rise of everything from audiobooks to podcasts to Clubhouse. I started thinking about brand personality and how these jingles, beyond just being super catchy, give you a very real flavor of a brand. Are they playful? Sentimental? Practical? It’s an instant injection of personality in a way that is non-intrusive or over the top. Brand identity work is always so heavily founded in the visual (logos, colors, fonts). I wonder as audio accelerates and brands look to find new ways to create lasting and memorable connections with consumers if the jingle finds its way back and becomes baked into the brand identity.”
Media’s Take: The jingle works effectively as a Pavlovian response, so it strengthens with frequency. If it’s to be used, the brand should consider going all-in and including it across most or all media with audio, and of course realize where audio could be muted. If nothing else, it can be effective at brand association with new messages. At this point, who doesn’t know State Farm’s “Like a good neighbor” melody, even without the words? So you immediately know you’re hearing from State Farm — even without visual cues, like in a podcast ad. And it doesn’t have to be a jingle. Toyota has used a simple two-tone cue at the start of TV and radio ads for years.
