Yelp Overreaches, Prayer Boom, Everlane Not Transparent, Bread Making Rises, Podcasts Declines Amidst WFH, GGV Investments, AirBNB Pulls Marketing, Sky Zone CEO Interview
Covering trends in commerce, media, and marketing daily
Yelp pauses GoFundMe Covid-19 fundraising after opt-out outcry – TechCrunch
A fundraising program that Yelp and GoFundMe put in place this week to help local businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic has been paused after public outcry over how it was rolled out — specifically, controversy over how the two provided no easy and quick way to opt out of the fundraisi…
The original fundraising feature was launched by Yelp earlier this week as part of a bigger effort from both companies to provide assistance to businesses and individuals impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
At a time when we are seeing a huge groundswell of good works and charity to help our communities get through what is not just a public health crisis, but a social and economic one, the resulting rollout made the effort feel more a bit opportunistic than altruistic — both GoFundMe and Yelp are businesses, after all.
This social network for churches is thriving in the coronavirus pandemic
Faith leaders are already worried about how to stay afloat without Easter services, which — despite President Trump’s hopes — will probably be conducted remotely to avoid an even higher death toll in the US.
“But faith leaders around the country hadn’t planned or prepared for tools like this being exponentially valuable in the case of a global health pandemic because they couldn’t foresee having to close down their churches.”
After Tidying Up Your Home, Can Marie Kondo Fix the Workplace?
Marie Kondo’s Joy at Work arrives at an awkward time.
Everlane Sent 'We're In This Together' Emails as They Laid Off Temp Workers
The ethical clothing brand has been touting its commitment to workers. Just not these exact workers.
The clothing brand Everlane is no different: It has sent out a raft of uplifting emails, reminding customers that, as they write, “We’re all in this together.” This evidently does not apply to the company’s temporary remote customer-service employees, all of whom were laid off this week with three days’ notice, and now face the prospect of trying to find work during a global pandemic.
The CX employees worry that they’ll be dinged for decreased “productivity” even though many tickets are taking longer to resolve, given the complicated issues the pandemic has introduced and the fact that they’ve suddenly lost some of their coworkers.
So Everyone’s Googling ‘Bread’ Now
Coronavirus isolating has led to a bread-baking boom
It makes sense: Using the no-knead and sourdough recipes that have become popular over the past decade, baking bread at home works best when you’re there for hours on end, with time to tend to dough between its long rests and rises.
Bill Tine, King Arthur’s VP of marketing, says the two-item limits were instituted today to ease operations; the company has plenty of supply, but heavy eight-bag orders were slowing down shipping.
Coronavirus Causes Dip in Podcast Listening
It seems everyone just wants the news, on TV and online, not a true crime podcast.
For both metrics, the drops became more precipitous around March 9, the same day financial trading in the U.S. was briefly halted after stocks fell so far so fast around ongoing economic concern given what were then only conversations about how to limit the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S.
Twitter and Facebook have already said in financial disclosures that increased usage is not translating into ad sales and both companies, along with most major news publishers, are expecting a decline in advertising revenue.
'There is no long term now': Why this crisis isn't like previous financial downturns - Digiday
“In all the conversations I have had, [with business leaders], there is no long-term now: it’s a total focus on the short-term,” said S4 Capital CEO Martin Sorrell. “All bets are off.”
As Warren Buffett wrote to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders in 2001, as the dot-com bubble burst: “You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.” Indicators of media companies and vendors in severe distress — longer payment terms and layoffs — will be expedited, execs predict.
Subscription businesses will need to assess their pricing mix to be reflective of the content they now offer (especially if they leaned heavily on travel or sports) and also be empathetic that many of their customers will have new financial constraints.“Uncertainty” is the word I keep hearing over and over again as I speak to media executives in the U.S. and Europe.
What GGV Capital’s Hans Tung is investing in during the pandemic
And how this venture capitalist who has gone through multiple recessions think startups will weather coronavirus.
Top 10 E-commerce Website Designs for 2020
What pulls customers to an E-commerce store?
The website rather gives a transparent, persuasive and clean vibe, which makes the entire browsing experience pleasurable and laid back, so you won’t feel like someone is desperate to get your credit card number.
The designers were able to bring in the users’ consideration into effect by delivering exclusive high-quality product images and blending them perfectly with vibrant colors, making it an exquisite experience to shop from the platform.
Why aesthetic innovation is the backbone of the modern brand strategy
Every time brands includes photos of artisans in their packaging, have a carefully curated Instagram account that conveys a particular aesthetic, or put their social mission at the front-and-center of their messaging, they contextualize their products in a taste regime.
GOOP fans are prompted to be continuously attuned to appearance, as even the smallest and the most mundane details of the everyday can be reworked into a sensorially and stylistically pleasing experiences that come with intention (self-care, self-actualization, a more loving home, a more fulfilling relationships).
Airbnb to Halt All Marketing, Most Hiring as Losses Mount
Airbnb plans to halt all of its marketing, pause most hiring, and likely withhold employee bonuses as it tries to conserve cash amid a slide in bookings, CEO Brian Chesky told employees in a video conference call Thursday, a person familiar with the matter said.The steps are the first indication ...
Seth Godin on marketing in the time of corona - Magali De Reu
I was supposed to interview Seth Godin in his New York office on March 18. But the coronavirus had other plans. So I decided to touch on the burning issue of the day during our video call via Zoom, and at the same time managed to peek into the soul of the American marketing guru
If everyone used the time that has been freed up to brush up on their skills instead of studying the current infection rate, this crisis could bring some real benefits within a few weeks or months.
“I like asking people: ‘teach me why I’m wrong, I would love to change my mind.’ And I can recommend that mindset to everyone, because it gives you direction and helps you evolve.
How The Weeknd Mastered his Brand - Trapital by Dan Runcie
The Toronto artist's strength is his ability to maintain his mystery while becoming a superstar.
First, OVO’s main value prop is the Drake “stimulus package” —the proverbial career bump that artists get from collaborating with the Toronto rapper.
First, she arranged for him to record the duet he would perform with Ariana Grande at the A.M.A.s, ‘‘Love Me Harder.’’… ‘If I’m gonna be the biggest in the world,’’ he told her, ‘‘I need a handful of songs like that.’’
EP035 – Jeff Platt, CEO, Sky Zone | FINIEN
My guest today is Sky Zone’s CEO Jeff Platt, who has grown the beloved indoor trampoline experience founded by his father into more than 200 franchises across the world.
Then, the kids need to find that their experience with the brand is hip as well and then they grow out of mom being a decision maker and you feel like readying yourself for the entire customer journey which is very smart.
It is bittersweet to listen to Jeff, but I urge you to soak up his wisdom, to apply it to your own brand, to follow Sky Zone on social media and to add it to your list of to-do’s to visit one of his indoor trampoline experiences when we are allowed to do so.