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The phenomenon of Pokemon GO and the lessons for marketers.

Last week, augmented reality game Pokemon GO was launched into Australia and the United States. By the weekend, people were meeting in large groups to play Pokemon GO, most notably in Sydney with over four thousand people expressing interest in an organised Pokemon GO Walk. Surprised by the idea of such a large group meeting together at short notice, this generated great concern for the police and local park authorities. On the day, hundreds of Pokemon GO "trainers" banded together for a peaceful day of Pokemon catching, while bonding over all things Pokemon.

Every Major Digital Platform Is Now At War Over The Future Of The Internet.

In recent months, the usual fierce competition between the major digital platforms has shifted into overt war, with blatant and aggressive attacks on what had previously been each others' sovereign territory. Looked at as a whole though, this is not just the usual land-grabbing - if you look at the big picture, it seems clear that the increased hostilities are part of a major change in the landscape, a fight to control the future of how we all use the internet.

So, We Broke Outbrain. This Is Why Advertising Can't Have Nice Things.

Publishers are increasingly removing Outbrain or similar links from their sites - and again, we see how fast advertising goes from noble and creative intentions to a total mess of awful stuff that annoys people, all within a short space of time. This is why we can’t have nice things and why everyone hates us.

What an anxious person can teach you about emotional intelligence

A topic I personally find very interesting and particularly relevant in the media industry is the idea of emotional intelligence (EQ). Recently, buzzwords such as personal headspace and emotional intelligence are becoming very trendy and people are starting to pay as much attention to their mental health as they do with their physical health, which is a great trend.

The New York Times Has It Wrong. Trump's Already Started Building His New Media Network.

In the New York Times, there's an article that pooh-poohs the idea that Donald Trump is even capable of starting his own media network, based on the fact that it's expensive, difficult, relies on the permission of the established cable players, and because he's said he's not interested. Here's a representative paragraph:

Rant: 4 Things That WON'T Be A Thing Even Though Pokemon Go Is A Thing

Much as I'm grateful for the umpteen billion thought-pieces on Pokemon Go, there are a few things that have been frequently mentioned by commentators that - truly, honestly - aren't EVER going to be a thing, even if you did catch them all. Deep breath, and...

The Strange Side-Effect Of Brexit - Companies Are The New Countries.

This piece is not about whether Brexit was right or wrong, but how it could change a generation's idea of where they belong. We'll talk about being "post-factual" or demagoguery or being master of your own house elsewhere. But the demographics of that vote - and the reaction of many businesses - suggest that the true, hidden, seismic effect of Brexit is that companies and corporations could become the last and only place where your voice is heard and where you truly feel at home.

Pesky Kids! Our Obsession With Understanding 'Millennials' Has Been Going On For A Whole Century Now.

There are a lot of articles and studies about Millennials - and there are almost as many articles complaining about just how obsessed we are with Millennials. But if I see one more presentation about how unique and new Millennial behaviour is I’m going to throw a shoe at someone. Here, for your amusement and reference, are five ways in which Millennials - despite what they’ll tell you in that research presentation you’ll be sitting through later on - are absolutely no different to their great-great-grandparents.

Programmatic... What happened to Automatic?

The advertising and marketing industry is obsessed with all things programmatic, but has the industry overlooked the benefits of automating non-programmatic media buying?

Trump vs. Hillary: A Review of their Online Campaigns

This article is a review of some of the key differences in the strategies behind the Republican (Donald Trump) and Democratic (Hillary Clinton) online advertising campaigns. In other words; (a) what is the target demographic for each of these two campaigns, and (b) how is each campaign reaching their potential voters.