Rohit Bhargava's Blog, page 52

The Dark Side of “Sharenting” (And Why You Should Avoid Posting About Your Kids On Social Media)

European telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom launched a campaign using deepfakes to scare parents into being more careful about what they share online. The effort is meant to illustrate the dangers of “sharenting” (parents oversharing photos of their kids online). The video showcased is a disturbing imagined future where kids are suffering from identity theft, exploitation and worse … all because of the “innocent” photos their parents shared of them online when they were younger.

Fair w...

When Influencer Marketing Goes Predictably Wrong

When a fast fashion retailer often criticized for negative environmental and labor track record wants to recast its brand image, it is not a good strategy to rely on the vapid commentary of social media influencers enjoying an all-expenses paid junket to your headquarters China. This week, retail giant Shein created their own predictable self-imposed controversy when the influencers they invited to do a factory tour with the hope they would debunk rumors about poor working conditions ended u...

Why Barbie Isn’t the Biggest Movie Marketing Story This Week

This week every marketing publication is talking about the movie marketing for Barbie, celebrating their “dizzying array of partnerships” and all the memes, parodies and brand collabs. Many of them mention, but minimize, the importance of two significant facts:

Barbie is about a 60+-year-old brand that is a household name (high awareness).The marketing budget was $150M (more than the film itself cost to make).

Of course, there are many ways to squander a huge marketing budget, bu...

The Crocs Engagement Ring Is Here for Couples Who Want to Stand Out (and Think Style Is Overrated)

How do you reinvent something as staid and traditional as the engagement ring? One jeweler in the UK had the bright idea to create this “Croc wedding charm” that is custom designed, uses flat back screws to ensure a secure fit, and starts at £1,790. In their words, “we love pushing the boundaries of jewelry … and we’re looking for fellow rule-breakers to create something completely unique and brilliantly bonkers!” I’ll admit my initial reaction to this was to dismiss it as yet another po...

Non-Obvious Profile of a Trend Setter – Emory University

How Coldplay Is Redefining What Sustainability Means for Music Concerts

What if a music concert was created with sustainability as a priority? Coldplay is showcasing just how significant a difference this could make in their new Sustainability Update from their Music of the Spheres World Tour. Their ambitious goal was to “cut the tour’s direct emissions by more than 50%” and in reviewing the June 2023 Sustainability Update Report, it is impressive how wide ranging and intentional their program is. 

The band is reducing their CO2 footprint by using electr...

How One-Star “Review Bombing” on GoodReads Is Tanking Books and Manipulating Public Opinion

Recently in a workshop I was leading, a gentleman mentioned he would often judge a book by its Amazon reviews. The problem with this strategy is that sometimes those reviews are unfair, biased or come from people who have never actually read the book. Author Cecilia Rabess is a case study in what happens when a book becomes the target of a concentrated negative “review bombing” campaign online. Many of the one-star reviews for her novel were from “readers” who admitted they hadn’t actually r...

Student Who Ate $120k Banana from Modern Artwork Tells His Story

Last year, a US judge issued a landmark ruling that an artist “cannot copyright duct tape or bananas.” These were the two primary materials used by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan when he taped a banana to a wall, called it art and then was promptly sued by another artist who said he was actually the first to duct tape fruit to a wall.

Later, in a twist no respectable modern art lover could have anticipated, Korean student Noh Hyun-soo visited the exhibit and ate the banana (which is cha...

Will Humans Inevitably Turn Faith in AI Into a Religion?

Imagine a future where AI was all-knowing and all-understanding. These are abilities humans have typically ascribed to Gods worthy of worship. Soon, they may also be among the feature set of artificial intelligence. An article in The Walrus takes this possible future to it’s extreme – asking whether there may come a time when AI itself is worshipped as a religion. The question may not be as unnecessary as we wish it were: 

“The massive decline in traditional religious adherence, combined ...

Are You Investing In Pointless Luxury?

It is a bad sign when it takes more than a few seconds to find a light switch.

Most business travelers can recall staying in a place where nothing is where it should be. A place where there are outdated ipads offering touch screen controls for simple things. A TV remote control that needs to be charged for hours before use. Curtains and AC that operate only by a touch screen hidden behind a closet door. Power chargers or plugs that are built into a secret drawer. Basic items like an iron ...