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Soon after hipster coffee brand Blue Bottle Coffee sold to Nestle, founder James Freeman gave this wonderfully candid interview where observes how the deal probably dragged on because lawyers get paid by the hour. When asked about the backlash on social, he rightly noted: “nobody grabs their telephone and opens up Twitter and types in … Read more
Earlier this week when Netflix sent a surprisingly human cease and desist letter to the folks who decided to create a “Stranger Things” themed popup bar without permission, people offered credit to their lawyers. It seemed to me like a better example of something that happens all too rarely in business: a brand deciding what … Read more
For years when charitable institutions tried to make giving and participation easier through using digital tools, they were accused of “slacktivism” a term coined to describe the fear that true participation might be replaced by feel good “like” button clicks. Those same critics would jump all over this new effort from No Kid Hungry aimed … Read more
While the last think you probably need is another streaming service, I found the premise behind this one interesting specifically because I have browsed the documentary categories on both Netflix and Amazon Prime and found them to be fairly small. Something like this could offer a new way to engage your mind on demand and … Read more
The popularity of the horror film “It” has created some predictable losers … professional clowns. After a group of clowns had a slate of birthday party cancellations because of freaked out parents, they organized a rally in New York to prove clowns aren’t all that bad. It’s an interesting reputation challenge to imagine what you would … Read more
Just ten days before the highly anticipated Star Trek: Discovery finally premieres, Netflix released a timely list of the most frequently re-watched Star Trek episodes. If you are a trekkie, the full list will be fascinating – but I selected this story for another reason. It’s a rare look inside the treasure trove of data Netflix has about … Read more
In the first Night at the Museum film, the hero invents a “snapper” device to control your lights, but it loses to the “clapper” because clapping is easier. Simplicity doesn’t seem to be winning at Apple. Plugging in headphones is easier than finding and pairing wireless ear buds. Using TouchID is easier than FaceID. The new fast … Read more
What if you could have a stranger hand deliver your package internationally? While intriguing on paper this idea has many challenges given security concerns and the relative inconvenience of actually delivering. With all the potential pitfalls, what would it take for an idea like this to succeed? Adding a social community could be the key. … Read more
In their bid to improve upon being named the best airport in the world, Singapore’s Changi Airport is using technology to get even better. From robot chefs to smart wheelchairs, travelers are well taken care of. I find it more interesting how much of Changi’s innovation is behind the scenes. For example, giving their 600 baggage handlers … Read more
Inclusiveness is certainly a hot topic right now and so Uno and Mattel are well on trend with this announcement that they now have a version of the game for people who are colorblind. While there probably weren’t large groups of people with colorblindness clamoring for this, it’s a good example of a longstanding simple … Read more
Non-Obvious Thinking is my latest book about the 4 secrets of becoming a non-obvious thinker - relesaed 10/01/2024.
Rohit Bhargava is a trend curator, founder of the Non-Obvious Company and the 3-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author of ten books.
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In addition to Non-Obvious Thinking, 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.
