Podcasts Under Siege
This week on Future Commerce After Dark, we get into a lively back-and-forth over the efficacy of programmatic advertising for the affluent, the “eMerge”-ence of Miami Tech Week, and we ask, “Is Quantum Computing B.S.?”
But the real question: is podcasting in decline? The unexpected downturn of many podcast networks comes after a substantial change to Apple’s auto-download eligibility requirements and amid algorithmic shifts at Spotify. We discuss the specifics and what it means for the future of B2B commerce media.
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— Phillip
The Wrath of Khan. After decisively knocking down non-competes, blocking Kroger’s $24B acquisition of Albertson’s, and reviving the long-closed $5B privacy case against Meta and Cambridge Analytica, FTC Chair Lina Khan aims to protect consumer choices in the luxury accessory market. In its first foray into fashion antitrust, the FTC will now oppose an $8.5B merger between Tapestry and Capri, the parent companies of Coach and Michael Kors, respectively. Is this what they meant by “Khan Academy?” 🦋
Results Are In. A new paper studying the effects of a Nordic smartphone ban in schools has surprising results. Girls experienced a substantial reduction in doctor visits for psychological symptoms and diseases, alongside improved GPA and attendance rates. Bullying incidents decreased across all genders. The most pronounced benefits were observed in the poorest children. A direct link to the study can be found here.
Fries-yay. The fast-and-free food Aprilstravaganza continues. As we reported last week, Shake Shack is giving away chicken sandwiches (only ‘on Sunday’, iykyk). Now, Wendy's embraces the weekend spirit by giving out free fries every Friday throughout 2024.
Chapter Eleven (Million). Shrimp may be the fruit of the sea, but it’s the potential undoing of restaurant chain Red Lobster. They ‘reeled in’ (womp womp) too many customers in Q4 due to an ‘Ultimate Endless Shrimp’ campaign. Now their cheddar bay biscuits are thoroughly buttered—the company is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid rising food costs and surging inflation, slumping to an astounding $12.5M loss in Q4 alone.
October’s Very Owned. The certified lover boy might need to get more billboard space on his pants. The very week Drake ducked a lawsuit following the deadly 2021 Astroworld concert in Houston, the estate of Tupac Shakur is threatening to sue over the unauthorized use of a deepfake soundalike. The diss track released by Canada’s most swagless rapper as part of an ongoing beef with Kendrick Lamar.
Our Take: Maybe in the three weeks it took to respond to Kendrick, he could have consulted his lawyers. The track drops nearly one year to the day after ‘Heart on My Sleeve’ by ghostwriter, the first AI deepfake song to be taken down via copyright claim by UMG.
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