They’ve been called “gerbils with birth defects,” “Mr. Potato Rats,” “hell lemurs” and “the weirdest corporate mascot of all time.” Since appearing in ads for Quiznos in 2004, Spongmonkeys have divided customers. While the characters were meme-worthy, there were also reports that they made some children cry. Quiznos’ former agency partner The Martin Agency was…Read More
Scientists have developed tiny robotic tentacles that travel into the lungs to detect and treat cancer. The device is just 2.4 mm in diameter and ultra-soft. It’s sent to the periphery of the lungs from the end of a bronchoscope — a thin tube with a light and camera. During the journey, magnets adapt the robot’s shape to the body’s anatomy. As it moves, both its form and position and form are fed back to a clinician. After reaching its destination, an embedded laser fibre can deliver localised treatment. The robot was developed at the University of Leeds’ STORM lab, which…
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Since launching in 2009, VanMoof, known for its sleek, high-tech city bikes, developed an almost cult-like following — from the streets of Amsterdam to New York. Today, what was once the world’s most-funded ebike startup is bankrupt, leaving riders angry, loyal followers depressed, and the industry wondering — what’s next? Pretty much everyone and their dog has an opinion on the matter. But we wanted to hear from those closest to the action and perhaps the most affected in the long term: ebike startups. “The VanMoof story deserved a better ending,” says Tanguy Goretti, founder of Belgian ebike company Cowboy,…
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Reckitt is betting that generative AI tools will not only unleash creativity at the multinational CPG, but help reduce its carbon footprint as well. That’s according to Fabrice Beaulieu, who has worked across various roles within the business since 1999. In April 2022, he was appointed to Reckitt’s Group Executive Committee, overseeing marketing and sustainability…Read More
It’s simple: This surgery will fix your problem and you’ll be better.
It’s complicated: Changes in lifestyle, diet and attitude will, over time, help you feel better.
Or…
Our enemies are bad, and we’re good. Vote for me.
The world is a big place that is filled with nuance, shifting alliances and constant change. It’s worth taking a minute to look for what works. Vote for me.
Perhaps…
Search is simple. Type what you want in the box and click the first match.
Information is vast. Look over our taxonomy of the world’s information and start to winnow the results in search of what you’re looking for.
The easiest thing to sell is a simple solution to a problem someone knows they have.
It’s a lot more difficult to bring nuance, understanding and resilience to a complex situation.
More difficult but honest.
But not all real problems lead to good businesses.
There are problems all around us. People need housing, health care and food. They want delight, belonging and status.
When a company shows up in the marketplace with a product or service that people eagerly choose to buy, it’s possible to make a profit. If there are assets and other ways to offer something at a premium, a business can actually thrive.
But sometimes, a problem doesn’t lend itself to a private solution. Or, a private solution might simply be a low-cost commodity, something we need, but because it’s available from many sources, it might not actually be a good business for any given entity.
We are unlikely to run out of problems. And finding a business that solves a problem is a great first step. But it also helps (a lot) if it’s also a good business.
Next year, a Dutch company will put a new kind of battery in a drone and — if all goes according to plan — that drone will fly for 50% longer than it could with a standard lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Flight times of nearly an hour, say, rather than 34 minutes. The souped-up drone won’t be any heavier than before and the new battery will actually be smaller than the old one, despite offering more juice. Fixed wing and multi-rotor drones are just the beginning. LeydenJar is also targeting electric vehicles and Tim Aanhane, the company’s business developer, estimates that…
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Earlier this year, crowds of onlookers gathered outside Louis Vuitton stores in Paris, London, New York and Tokyo to catch a glimpse of legendary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. From the shop windows, strikingly lifelike robots of Kusama-dressed in her signature polka dots–gazed out at the spectators, occasionally blinking or waving. At the height of Kusama’s…Read More
Ahead of the 2024 elections, Microsoft-owned ad-tech firm Xandr will no longer allow political ads to run on its platform, according to an email obtained by Adweek. The policy will go into effect in October 1. In an email sent to clients, Xandr’s ad team said it will ban political ads as well as ads…Read More
Immersive advertising isn’t just a game anymore. That’s true on several levels since the drive to “immersion” in media intersects with several trends upending the advertising landscape. There’s the slow death of cookies and the rise of artificial intelligence, both of which are poised to reduce search-driven impressions. And as content owners and publishers view…Read More
