This is the first in an 11-part series of blog posts that focus on Centro’s corporate guiding principles, and how those values show up in the workplace and the lives of our people.
One of Centro’s corporate principles, Support Each Other, takes on an especially important meaning during Women’s History Month and at the tail end of a global pandemic that has disproportionally impacted women, especially women of color.
The circumstances under which women are working and living have changed drastically over the last year. McKinsey calculates that women’s jobs are 1.8 times more vulnerable to the COVID-19 crisis than men’s jobs, and recent projections estimate that employment for women may not recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2024—two full years after the projected recovery for men.
One reason for the disparity is the burden of unpaid care—shopping, cooking, cleaning, taking care of children or elders in the household—which is disproportionately carried by women. Not surprisingly, in September, when many U.S. schools resumed, 80% of the 1.1 million people who exited the workforce were women.
The COVID-19 pandemic added to what was an already unequal baseline at work. That baseline for many women can include contending with imposter syndrome, shouldering a larger amount of labor at home, dealing with sexual harassment, and struggling against a promotion and pay gap (to name just a few).
The impact to women of color is often multiplied. For example, the pay gap for Black women is $0.63 for every $1.00 white men earn, while white women earn $0.79.
So how can our workplaces, which now more than ever blur the lines between work and home and professional and personal– support women? To help answer that question, I asked four successful women at Centro about the different ways that they’ve experienced support in their careers and what workplaces can be doing better.
Ashley Press, Sr. Account Lead; Jennica Pui, Talent Operations Analyst; Jenny Jayne, Manager of UX Research; and Vitoria Cabrera, VP, Client and Media Services discuss below.
It’s no secret that many women feel pressure to "lean in," to balance their work and home life seamlessly, and to "have it all"–all of which are harmful myths. What has been a challenge for you as you’ve navigated this mythical balance of your personal life and career?
Ashley Press: The biggest challenge has been juggling the unknowns of being a first-time mom with an 8-month-old and the pressure to continually grow and succeed in my sales role. I’ve had to readjust my day-to-day to ensure that I can maximize my time and dedication toward work and home life.
It’s not always going to be an equal division of labor, and this can be difficult to navigate as a new working parent. There’s a constant pressure to do well in all areas, and I’m learning to not be so hard on myself. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and I’m constantly reminding myself to take a step back and enjoy everything that’s happening.
Jenny Jayne: As a mother of two, I can tell you that the pressure to produce as though parenthood doesn’t exist is very real. I was once advised to push past my morning sickness to “set an example” about working mothers for all my younger female colleagues. Here’s what I’d like to say to them: Don’t let anyone make you think that you have to sacrifice yourself or your family for work. You don’t.
Jennica Pui: I’ve found it’s been more difficult to disconnect while working from home. There isn’t anything particularly exciting or interesting going on, so it feels like continuing to work is the most effective use of time. Especially when there are projects with massive undertakings or tight deadlines, it feels natural to just keep going. It’s something that I really want to focus on this year.
Vitoria Cabrera: One of the biggest challenges for me is keeping up the appearance that I have it all together on both sides of the coin. I mostly do have it together, but not all 24 hours of the day or 365 days of the year! Learning to be OK with some cross-pollination (we are working from home, after all!) has been a stretch for me this past year, as was the realization that it is perfectly OK to slow down.
How has Centro supported you in your professional career or personal life as you’ve navigated your career?
AP: I started at Centro as an intern back in 2010. Since then I’ve taken on many roles on different teams. Having the opportunity to gain this cross-team experience has enabled me to be successful in my current role as a Senior Account Lead. This wouldn’t have been possible without the internal support I’ve received. Many times, employees have to hop from company to company to gain this type of experience, but Centro continues to evolve its tech and services alongside all the changes that are happening in the industry.
JJ: I’ve been impressed with how flexible Centro has been regarding my familial duties, especially during the pandemic. I have always felt like I have the space to do what I need to do AND take care of myself–not one or the other.
JP: I’ve found that my team takes a positive stance in learning from mistakes, and it gives me the opportunity and autonomy to figure out what works best for a given situation. My ability to adapt is something I think I’ve truly been able to harvest and nurture at Centro.
VC: Professionally, Centro has been pretty pivotal in my career. I've learned about different corners of the internet I hadn’t yet been exposed to, there are extensive webinars & POVs to keep us and the industry up-to-date, the T&D team provides trainings that are key to my role, I’ve been afforded the opportunity to use my voice, and overall, I’ve been shown what true transparency looks like from all levels of the org.
It’s hard to find all of this in one place and I am better for it! Personally, I find that Centro takes great care of its people, from urging us to practice mindfulness, to teaching us all how to be inclusive and supportive conscious leaders–I’ve grown so much as a person in the last year.
A lot of women, especially women at the beginning of their careers, feel pressure to have it all figured out or follow some imagined straight-and-narrow career path. How has your career path surprised you? Have you taken any left turns?
AP: I never thought I’d be such a tenured employee at Centro. Despite leaving the company for a short time to take on a new opportunity, I returned (boomeranged, if you will) and have now been with Centro over a decade. Not only have I been with the company for many years, but I’ve also taken on many roles, which has allowed me to continually grow in my professional career.
JJ: When I was in college, I wanted to be an international lawyer. I had no idea what that was, but I just wanted to travel the world and save people. When the recession hit in 2008, I struck gold by finding HCI/d (Human-Computer Interaction Design). I knew immediately that it was the path for me and that it was the best way I could use my skills to help people.
JP: I originally went to post-secondary for accounting, thinking that my appreciation for math would come in handy, and that it would be a career that my parents would be supportive of. I quickly found that public accounting wasn’t an industry I was interested in or excited about.
Trying to start a career in HR proved difficult. A lot of entry-level roles in Toronto require you to have experience in HR, and with a background in accounting, it didn’t quite line up. I ended up taking a series of administrative roles that allowed me to wear many hats, and was able to show my potential to my previous employers and pivot to HR.
VC: My career in digital was an accident! I’ve learned over the years that building equity in yourself yields the greatest results–it’s important to occasionally "take the project" or say yes quicker.
I studied radio production in college and then went on to work at a radio station as a Sales Assistant. The radio station evolved its offerings to include digital advertising, and I was chosen to be an ad trafficker. I could have said no, but instead I embraced the challenge. And now many years later, I have a career I am proud of, that all started because I was right where I was supposed to be to accept that challenge.
Women represent 54% of Centro’s employees and 48% of leadership roles, so there are a lot of role models here! Who is another woman who has inspired you or is a mentor or role model? How has she opened doors for you?
AP: When I returned to work from my maternity leave, I was overwhelmed by the amount of outreach and support I received from other woman in the company. I received advice, resources and words of encouragement from so many individuals, which made it so much easier for me to transition back to work and feel empowered. All the moms that reached out proved how amazing women are and how we are able to manage so much and still be successful in our careers.
JJ: Aubrey Lehrmann is someone here at Centro who truly inspires me. She’s not only smart and sharp as a tack, she’s open-minded and empathetic, with an ability to bring focus that never ceases to amaze me.
JP: Kati Fratesi, my previous manager, made note of the skills that I had and would recommend me on projects that were outside of my usual responsibilities so that I could advance my knowledge and continue developing.
VC: What excited me most about joining Centro was the amount of women in leadership in all levels. It is hard to choose one Centro woman, but if I had to choose one, I’d nominate Kaela Green for her role in creating the first Black ERG group–Black Excellence.
BE came about at a pivotal time at this company and in this country and creates a safe place for peeps and allies with Black identities. Having this space to share experiences and general thoughts has been key for me spiritually, and is a step in the right direction for Centro to further build out its DEI initiatives, therefore opening doors for me and others. Role models come in all forms–thank you, Kaela!
So much has changed over the last year, from shifting to virtual work, to dealing with added caregiving responsibilities. As the future of the workplace changes, what do you think the corporate world can do to better support women?
AP: Advance gender equality by ensuring the same standards are being applied when women are being evaluated for title or salary promotions. It’s also important that women are visible in leadership positions and encourage female empowerment across the company.
As a new parent, I would also have to say providing more flexible work environments for employees. By doing so, current parents will be able to better manage their work-life balance, and individuals planning for a family won’t feel discouraged. Additionally, raising a child still falls disproportionately on women, so companies should provide equal paternity care to allow each parent to equally contribute and transition easier back into work.
JJ: If the corporate world wants to help women, it needs to focus on men. I have found that much of what pushes women away from the workforce is the overwhelming pressure to cave to the traditionally masculine way of thinking about work and leadership. Women and feminism have so much to offer to help make the workplace more inclusive to women, and it requires men to make room for that.
JP: There are a number of organizations whose sole purpose is working towards empowering women, and I would love to see corporations collaborating with them to identify and implement mentorship or leadership programs that are scalable.
VC: The corporate world could: hire women, take women seriously, listen to and believe women’s stories, bring women to the table, promote women, pay women what they are worth and then some, and provide paid parental leave that is equivalent to Canada and Europe. Caregiving is not a woman-only experience, so to aid in that overall, the corporate world could be more flexible on a more permanent basis and give people the opportunity to be with their families in a meaningful way when needed.
The topic at the forefront of marketers' minds these days is identity. How will our industry function in a post-cookie world? If anything's clear, it's that a one-size-fits-all solution doesn't exist (yet).
To better understand how changes in identity will impact marketers moving forward, we reached out to Alex Cone, Senior Director of Product Management at the IAB Tech Lab.
Read on for his answers to our top three questions about the future of identity:
Ryan Manchee: What's the most important thing for brands to know about the changes in identity?
Alex Cone: There’s no silver bullet—a portfolio strategy is demanded. It’s time for brands to engage with the industry on privacy, data protection, and identity standards.
RM: What's the most important thing for agencies to know about the changes in identity?
AC: Brands expect agencies to know what’s going on, and to be prepared to deploy a range of new tactics. Don’t fall for unsustainable workarounds.
RM: How can marketers prepare for the massive changes coming to the landscape this year?
AC: Lean in. Don’t wait for the experts to come to you—reach out and engage with them yourself. If a solution sounds too good to be true (i.e. a silver bullet) then it most likely is.
Learn more about the future of identity in our upcoming webinar on March 31: Identity Crisis: Embracing the Future of Privacy.
Marketers crafting nonprofit campaigns are typically starting from a disadvantage compared to their for-profit peers. Budgets are smaller, resources more scarce, and teams all-too-often spread thin.
It doesn’t take much more than opening your mailbox to recognize that, traditionally, much of a nonprofit’s marketing spend goes toward snail mail donor appeals. But there are major opportunities for nonprofits in the digital space, too.
Of course, due to the aforementioned resource restrictions, it’s all the more important to embrace and implement best practices when crafting your nonprofit marketing campaign. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the key elements of successful nonprofit digital strategies:
When you have the budgetary constraints facing most nonprofits, you’re going to want to develop a lean, mean marketing plan. At the start of the fiscal year, be sure to ask yourself how you want to allocate your time and your budget, with an eye toward a marketing mix that will help you efficiently connect with your target audience.
For instance: Who do you want to reach? Are you trying to create awareness, drive new donations, or connect with the people you wish to serve? In terms of marketing, how heavily can you rely on email and direct mail campaigns? Should you invest in developing SEO-friendly content, or paid search (or both)? What are the potential benefits of programmatic advertising, with its range of ad types and hyperlocal targeting possibilities?
Your budget may be limited, so understanding the benefits (and drawbacks) of each channel to your end goals is critical.
When it comes to extending that budget, be sure to take advantage of grant programs from Google Ads, Microsoft (which offers free Office 365 subscriptions to many nonprofits), and others.
The Google Ad Grants Program in particular gives nonprofits the opportunity to advertise on Google Ads at no cost, providing qualified organizations $10,000 per month in Google Ads spend to be used to promote their missions and initiatives in nonprofit ads on Google. This is a huge, no-brainer of an opportunity that all eligible nonprofits should immediately jump at.
Speaking of maximizing your budget: in terms of advertising bang-for-your-buck, you may be best served by focusing your efforts on social media. Which brings us to our next point...
Social media campaigns for nonprofits are a great way to reach specific audiences and engage your most passionate supporters.
Whether you’re looking to boost brand awareness, engagement, website visits or on-site conversions, social media ads are an efficient and effective means of reaching your target audience—all at a (generally) lower price point than other ad types. Plus, sites like Facebook allow registered nonprofits to add “Donate” buttons directly to their brand pages, helping facilitate direct giving.
In your ads, both on social media and elsewhere (but particularly on social), try to lean on the emotion and passion behind your mission. The best nonprofit marketing campaigns—and best nonprofit ads—create an emotional connection with their audience, and the image- and video-friendly world of social media allow for the type of compelling storytelling that’s critical in nonprofit marketing.
And with users able to share that content with their own networks in just one click, it’s a great way to maximize exposure, which can lead to a coveted boost in digital engagement.
As Amanda Pyron, Executive Director of The Network, put it on the AdTech Unfiltered podcast, “We love having online digital engagement, right? Because that’s free! And for a nonprofit like us, that’s really, really helpful to have such a platform online where we can reach all of our core audiences.”
As the old saying goes, there’s no need to re-invent the wheel here. Nonprofits all over the world are running successful digital campaigns right this very moment, so why not learn from their experiences? Peruse your peers’ websites, read some nonprofit marketing case studies, and let their work inspire you as you create dynamic digital strategies of your own.
A great place to start: this podcast episode, where Jordan Ruden, Co-Founder of cause-driven ad agency Craft and Commerce, and Amanda Pyron, Executive Director of The Network provide some perspective on the process of creating cause-based campaigns. Listen now >
With the COVID-19 pandemic putting strain on our collective mental health, it’s no surprise that outdoor recreation has become quite popular. We've seen huge category growth across areas like cycling, camping, paddle sports, and hiking. The pandemic has also also introduced and expanded demographics for these activities, and created new consumers as people look to gear up for their new interests.
When looking at the outdoor industry, “core” audiences have long been king. A core audience member is typically someone who is highly enthusiastic in a certain sport or leisure activity. However, these audiences can be small and existing perceptions can be more challenging to overcome. With an increased focus on health for many, plus new ways to find leisure in the outdoors due to COVID-19, it’s advantageous for brands to look beyond this niche group.
There is tremendous opportunity to make a first impression and grow reach and lifetime value beyond the core outdoor audience. In addition, there is an increased need for representing a diverse consumer set and creating an inclusive brand experience. Brands can grow by discovering new audiences that are emerging as curious hand-raisers for the first time.
Knowing that some of the products in this category come with high price tags and a lot of questions, it can be a huge challenge to build an authentic connection through a screen. Brands can build a real connection with these curious consumers by utilizing the right creative mix and data capture that will help them navigate the purchase funnel. Here are our tips to help brands discover, capture, and ultimately convert these new consumers in the space.
For those newer to the category, going into brick and mortar retail can be an intimidating experience. Plus, COVID-19 has made the ability to visit specialty retail even more challenging. Video and rich media can help bridge the gap between the consumer and the product. Painting a beautiful picture of what life looks like when using the product, or allowing for the user to play around with some more technical product features, will create a strong impression and begin building desire and trust. This is also a great format for focusing on diversity and inclusion, ensuring that many perspectives are represented.
The ways brands can leverage data and inventory to reach and capture new audiences is limitless. Digital can help brands find users who have visited a national park in the last 30 days, have ski resort or hiking guide apps installed on their phone, watched how-to videos, or browsed relevant articles about outdoor destinations. Remaining top-of-mind with banners and native ads throughout the discovery process will reinforce the connection and begin driving users to the brand site for deeper engagement.
The decision process can be long for some of the more expensive outdoor products, so understanding your audience’s interests will help keep messaging as relevant as possible as you continue the conversation with them. Dynamic retargeting allows brands to reach users across screens with a message to reinforce brand equity or include the exact product they were browsing.
Once a user makes a purchase, consider reaching that user with products within the same category that pair well with their new purchase. In addition, CRM data can be used to foster lifetime value and repeat purchase, if applicable. The consumer journey will play out across screens and platforms, and it’s best when these efforts are working together and playing their individual role. Centralize a source of truth that will help drive business decisions and budgets across search, video, social, and programmatic investments.
Connect with us to learn more about outdoor industry marketing with Centro.
The client wanted to generate interest and awareness about the travel destination being promoted. Basis Technologies’ Media Services team recommended a combination of connected TV, native video placements, and full-episode player deals curated to drive scale and high completion rates.
Spark interest during a period where travel bans are in place and mobility is restricted.
A high budget had to be dispersed over a short period of time while reaching as many unique users as possible without over-exposing them to the ads.
90% VCR. Exceeding the client’s KPI goal by 10%
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Digital Media Specialist, Travel Company
“Algorithmic Optimization helped us exceed the KPI. Basis’ PMP library and access to native placements allowed us to broaden the campaign’s reach and target a larger audience.”
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Search Optics offers class-leading marketing technology backed by real people. Headquartered in the Detroit area with a global footprint, Search Optics is a full-service marketing agency specializing in SEM, SEO, programmatic, and analytics with expertise in the automotive industry. They are constantly raising the technological bar and pair their MarTech expertise with human logic, heart, integrity, and hands-on experience.
From quick questions to deep strategic conversations, Search Optics is fully supported by multiple layers of people and teams at Basis Technologies. The support they have received has enabled Search Optics to do more for their clients with fast turnaround times and increased capabilities for the agency.
Basis user and Programmatic Team Lead at Search Optics, Trevor McCalmont shared, “The teams at Basis Technologies always exceed our expectations. Most vendors will say "we’ll find the answer." With Basis Technologies, you ask and that person knows the answer. It gives us confidence.”
When Search Optics needed extra hands, Basis Technologies quickly provided a knowledgeable and flexible workforce. A large client recently heavied up their holiday promotions requiring significant additional bandwidth. To deliver, Search Optics would normally have to hire, on-board, and train new media planners for temporary work, which wasn’t feasible with the fast turn-around requested. Basis Technologies' managed services team stepped in and provided the additional bandwidth, seamlessly bringing in smart, digital media-savvy Basis experts. Together, the teams successfully executed the additional influx of campaigns.
The marketing world is full of unique business challenges. Basis Technologies is nimble, flexible, and invested in finding solutions that work for you. “The teams at Basis Technologies are focused on doing what is right for Search Optics, our goals, and our clients,” said Trevor McCalmont, Programmatic Team Lead at Search Optics. “Basis has been very agile and creative in finding solutions for our business.”
Basis Technologies has worked closely with Search Optics to build solutions for currency conversion, seasonal bandwidth needs, and product enhancements.
During any given month, Search Optics executes several hundred campaigns through Basis. Not only does the platform keep up with the volume, but the organization features and tools help Search Optics stay on top of their campaigns and enable the team to move quickly.
The Search Optics team enjoys features like bulk editing, universal search, and duplicating line items, flights, groups, and tactics. These features help the execution team easily flight campaigns and quickly manage renewals.
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Trevor McCalmont, Programmatic Team Lead, Search Optics
"Basis Technologies' consistently amazing service and readiness to assist give us the ability and the confidence to do more for our clients."
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Even after another controversy-filled year, Facebook is still the king of the social media world. With 2.74 billion monthly active users, it’s the world’s third-most visited website, and in recent years, video has been a major part of its growth strategy. It’s no surprise, then, that marketers want to get in on the Facebook video boom.
Research has shown that including video ads in an integrated marketing strategy can increase conversions by 35%, and Facebook can be a great home for those ad placements. More than 1.25 billion users watch videos on Facebook every month, together accounting for 4 billion video views per day on the platform. What’s more, the engagement rate on Facebook video posts (6.01%) soars above other categories like photos (4.81%), links (3.36%), and status updates (2.21%), making it a highly valuable medium for advertisers.
Add on the fact that they also own Instagram—which itself boasts more than 1 billion monthly users—and it’s clear that marketers have a lot to gain from video advertising on Facebook. And with Facebook giving marketers the ability to create video ads for both Facebook and Instagram at the same time using Ad Manager, it’s easy to take advantage of this valuable audience.
So, want to know how to do video advertising on Facebook and Instagram? Read on to find out!
Once you’re logged in to your company or brand-managing Facebook account, head on over to Ads Manager.
Under the “Campaigns” tab, click + Create.
Choose an objective that supports video from Facebook’s options—such as video views—and then click Continue.
Click through the next two screens to select your optimization preferences, budget, audience, and placements. The default placement is “Automatic Placements,” but you can edit where your ads may appear by instead selecting “Manual Placements.” You can also choose which bid type you’d like for your video ads. Once you’re done, click Next.
In the Ad Creative section, select the format of your ad. Keep in mind that if your objective is Video Views, your only format option will be Single Video, so if you’d prefer to use the carousel format, you’ll have to choose a different objective.
Dance break!!
Upload your video to Ads Manager.
Looking to run a single image or video? Click on Add Media, then click Add Video and select your video from your library. Click Upload to upload a new video. Alternatively, if you want to create a video from scratch using Facebook’s Video Creation Kit, choose Create Video.
Alternatively, if you’d like to use the Carousel format, scroll on over to the Ad Creative section and click Video/Slideshow. Then, click Select Video to upload a video or select a video from your library (or, to create a new video, select Create Video). Do this for each carousel card you wish to include in your ad.
Click Edit Video to crop or trim the video and customize a thumbnail image. While you’re here, you can also add captions, text overlays and logo overlays. That being said, keep in mind that not all options may be available when including a video as part of a carousel.
Add your text, links and tracking. When you're done, click Confirm to publish your video ad.
Boom! You’re done. Time to reward yourself. Tacos, anyone?
Of course, if what you’re hungry for is more knowledge, why not check out our guide to video advertising?
https://www.facebook.com/business/help/247179845697378?id=603833089963720
https://imgur.com/cvFCm
The imminent end of cookies. Major changes to iOS 14. Privacy-enhancing technologies in both the browser and OS. Everywhere you look, identity disruption rooted in privacy and data protection concerns is upending the digital advertising industry. Instead of holding tight to the status quo, it’s time to understand why things are changing, what is changing, and the frameworks for thinking about how to harness the change.
Tune in as Alex Cone speaks about the portfolio of standards IAB Tech Lab is introducing to help and how they fit in to the bigger picture, and hear from Shawn Riegsecker as he shares his perspective on how these changes are healthy for the industry.
At Centro, we know that keeping up with the trade pubs and latest trends can be tough and time-consuming. To make that easier, we’ve compiled all the articles, reports, and other bits of awesomeness you may have missed, but should definitely read. Enjoy our latest list below!
Digital 2021 Global Overview Report [:30+]
Plugged as the ultimate guide to the evolving digital world, this MASSIVE report, published in partnership between We Are Social and Hootsuite, provides insights into how people around the world use the internet, mobile devices, social media, searching, and buying via e-commerce. It is chock-full of fascinating tidbits and stats.
The Great Unbundling [:30+]
Once a year, analyst Benedict Evans produces a monster macro tech trends presentation. This year’s focuses on how COVID-19 brought shock and a lot of broken habits to tech, but mostly, it accelerated everything that was already changing. 20 trillion dollars of retail, brands, TV and advertising is being overturned (and unbundled), and software is remaking everything from cars to pharma.
Digital Marketing Matures In House [:04]
The In-House Agency Forum (IHAF), in partnership with Forrester Research, shared findings examining the degree to which in-house agencies are involved with digital marketing. While many agency functions have moved in-house, media is the exception, with a majority still handled by external agencies. This is changing as more brands find the right tools and talent.
The 6th Wave of Advertising Technology: Privacy [:06]
There’s a revolution happening in digital media, primarily driven by a new focus on privacy by major players at the core of the digital ecosystem–from OS/browser companies to regulators. These changes limit many of the targeting and measurement standard practices and will upend the industry as we know it. But there are also huge opportunities for anyone in the right position to take advantage of it. Read about how the waves of the industry how to ride this next one.
To Succeed Without Cookies, Try Content Commerce [:03]
The absence of the cookie means that content is king again. Especially if you are a publisher. And while every publisher is trying to figure out how to maintain or grow revenue while navigating the loss of the cookies, online purchasing is only increasing with the backdrop of the pandemic. This means that publishers have the opportunity to better connect audiences to sales through content.
The Crawl, Walk, Run Guide To Contextual Targeting [:07]
Contextual targeting dates back more than a decade. And the tried and true technique is having a renaissance, as marketers test out strategies that thrive in a cookie-free world. From signaling intent to aligning with creative messaging, contextual targeting companies now utilize natural language processing to ascertain more than just keywords. So, the absence of the cookie means that context is king!
Bayer Claims Industry First With Interactive Smart-Speaker Ads [:03]
In what may be an industry first, a Bayer vitamin brand has launched "actionable audio ads” to encourage radio listeners on an Amazon Alexa device to use voice commands to ask for more information about the product and even order the product directly. While an accompanying video in the article showcases the potential, it also shows a potentially cumbersome process requiring multiple steps to navigate the experience.
Clubhouse Is Booming. So Is the Ecosystem Around It [:07]
Are you on Clubhouse? Experiences range from cringeworthy bloviation (? Leave Quietly option) to insightful discussions that in the past may have only been available after paying for a hefty conference pass, and all the travel & expenses associated with an event. While it is still in a closed beta, there is a growing ecosystem to support its meteoric rise. What advertising opportunities could be in the future for Clubhouse? Well, I’m hosting a Clubhouse tomorrow at 6pm to bring together…just kidding.
Non-Fungible Tokens 101 [:08]
NFTs are blockchain-based assets that are essentially crypto-collectibles, ranging from artwork and sports “cards” to unique in-game items for video games. They are uniquely assigned, and while copies can be made, the copies don’t have the blockchain certification of originality.
The rising value of cryptocurrencies is accelerating value for NFTs, while the market is growing quickly with major artists offering ownership of their art and platforms like NBA Top Shot offering ownership of basketball highlights (akin to trading cards). Will this be the Beanie Babies (or for me, PEZ dispensers) of the 2020s and go out with a bust, or could this be the future of collectible investments?
In the Digital Economy, Your Software Is Your Competitive Advantage [:05]
For all the talk of digital transformation, many companies feel lost when it comes to actually transforming. This HBR article explains how more companies can take a software-based approach to tackling problems over tasks, working fast and not fearing failure, and taking a more adaptive and responsive approach to working with their customers.
