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Getting Ready For The Dynamic Pricing Future Of All Things

Getting Ready For The Dynamic Pricing Future Of All Things

This week Wendy’s unintentionally stirred up some trouble as headlines popped up online that the fast-food chain was testing “surge pricing” similar to Uber where they would charge more for food when demand was highest. The chain quickly backtracked with the relatively bone-headed explanation that they were actually using it to offer “discounts during slower … Read more

New RXBands Offer a Secret Stretch Code and a Marketing Case Study

New RXBands Offer A Secret Stretch Code and a Marketing Case Study

Here’s something you probably haven’t seen before … a protein bar company launching a discount code promo that only appears once on an exercise band after it’s fully stretched. This clever stunt comes from RXBAR, which is partnering with three Instagram fitness influencers to give away the bands and free prizes too. It’s a fun and … Read more

New Program at Supermarkets Will Use Facial Scanning to Check Age

New Program At Supermarkets Will Use Facial Scanning To Check Age

Welcome to a case study on why facial scanning is a bad idea. Supermarkets in the UK have been experimenting for the past year with technology that estimates the age of shoppers by scanning their faces at checkout. Apparently “Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Co-op have already successfully trialed the technology which allowed anyone that is estimated to … Read more

Microsoft Turns the “World’s Most Viewed Picture” into an Ugly Holiday Sweater

Microsoft Turns The World's Most Viewed Picture Into An Ugly Holiday Sweater

“It looks good on a monitor, but better on you.” That’s the legendary tagline for this soon-to-be iconic ugly holiday sweater featuring the “world’s most viewed picture,” that green and blue landscape that has shipped as the default screensaver on Microsoft Windows for nearly a quarter century. This is the perfect combination of nostalgia, dorkiness and understated … Read more

Cyber Monday: 15 Non-Obvious Holiday Gifts

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Economists predict consumers will be in a bargain hunting mindset this season, ready to overspend on cheap stuff they don’t really need. Still, this season does bring many once-a-year prices for gifts for yourself and others. In this special edition of my newsletter, I’ll share a few products and experiences that are both non-obvious, and offer some gift … Read more

15 Non-Obvious Holiday Gifts To Buy This Black Friday

Today is Black Friday, a day that has earned a negative reputation as an unnecessary celebration of excess consumerism. Economists predict consumers will be in a bargain hunting mindset this season, ready to overspend on cheap stuff they don’t really need. Still, this season does bring many once-a-year prices for gifts for yourself and others. In this special … Read more

Self-Checkout Is a Failed Experiment

self-checkout

Self-checkout is not a delightful experience. Goods don’t always scan properly. The system stalls if you don’t put a scanned item in the right place. Double scanning an item, or buying something that requires validation, or getting an error requires waiting for a human employee to help you anyway. Self-checkout, in other words, usually sucks. A growing … Read more

What Is Prada’s New $650 Underwear Designed to Be Worn Without Pants Really Saying?

According to fashion industry insiders, Prada’s latest release of a $650 pair of underwear is “no surprise” given the brand’s track record of expensive essentials. What was unexpected, however, was how the brand seemed to be positioning the underwear as desirable outerwear without pants.  In conversation at a fashion industry event once, I recall hearing these runway … Read more

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Rohit is the author of 10 books on trends, the future of business, building a more human brand with storytelling and how to create a more diverse and inclusive world.

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