From the latest in people racing sharks and Amazon’s latest conquest, you won’t want to miss this week’s What We Read.
Facebook Gets Brands Ready for 6-Second Video Ads
Can you communicate your brand’s message in only 6 seconds? As consumers’ attention spans continue to decrease online, companies need to get their message out quicker and quicker. And Facebook is helping them do it!.
Rachel Arther, Account Supervisor
Why Companies Rebrand
This week I read a quick little designer’s blog look on “Why companies rebrand”. Small little notes on why and when companies need to rebrand.
Jeffrey Steffonich, Art Director
Online Giant Blending Offline and Online Grocery—and it’s not Amazon
“We believe the future of New Retail will be a harmonious integration of online and offline, and Hema is a prime example of this evolution that’s taking place,” — Daniel Zhang, CEO of Alibaba Group. Seems most industry thought leaders are on the same page with this one.
Karen Johnson, Senior Account Director
Taco Bell and Lyft Want you to Crave Them
Calling it an “experience innovation” Lyft and Taco Bell are partnering in a limited CA test to bring people to their food. (They also have delivery service in some markets.) Uber also has a similar program with McDonald’s where riders use the UberEATS app. Launched in June, they are continuing to expand this partnership as well.
Anne Wright, Director of Client Services
Wisconsin Company Offers To Implant Chips In Its Employees
Calling it an “experience innovation” Lyft and Taco Bell are partnering in a limited CA test to bring people to their food. (They also have delivery service in some markets.) Uber also has a similar program with McDonald’s where riders use the UberEATS app. Launched in June, they are continuing to expand this partnership as well.
Steven Busch, Digital Specialist
Michael Phelps ‘Raced’ a ‘Shark,’ Kind Of. Not Really.
The much anticipated ‘Phelps races a Great White” took place over the weekend. Except it didn’t, really take place. Instead, he jumped in the water wearing a special fin and suit, and ‘raced’ a computer-generated image of a shark, supposedly simulating a real shark’s speed. The Twitter universe certainly made it known how disappointed they were in the whole display, with comments like: “I can’t wait until Usain Bolt races a fake cheetah!” But then again, as one user tweeted, did anyone really think they were going to put the greatest olympian of all time in the water next to a great white shark? I don’t think so.
Steven Busch, Digital Specialist (again!)
Amazon Is Showing Interest in Health Care, Making Industry Players ‘Nervous’
It’s such a delight to see Amazon boxes resting on your front porch when you get home from work. But when Amazon—the company—comes knocking at your work’s front door? Well, that’s a terror you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemies. (Just ask the grocery industry.) With its latest moves, Amazon seems to have tipped its hand on the next industry it plans to irreversibly alter: healthcare. A new pharmacy unit, a health cloud offering, and expanded medical supply sales—Amazon seems to be gearing up for another industry takeover. “Everyone in the supply chain is nervous,” says an industry insider. “It’s a low-level paranoia that Amazon will drive down profitability.” Standing in Amazon’s way is complex regulation and a severe operational burden. But let’s be honest: Amazon is a categorical juggernaut, and I think we all know how this story ends.
CJ Powell, Writer