How CPGs Can Thrive in the Digital Era

Great little story about the consumer packaged good brands and their efforts to interact with their customers through channels other than physical retail stores.

This is all about modern digital folks.  Very cool opportunity for these companies.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Consumer Packaged Goods companies are navigating a time where eCommerce is growing more popular than in-store experiences. But when your business model and KPIs are tied to store shelf sales, how can you get your foot in the door?

CPG marketers must go “beyond the shelf” – whether they offer on-site commerce or not – and deploy a strong cross-channel presence through store, website, email and social. This reflects the cross-channel nature of today’s shoppers and their demand for real-time connectivity.

Here are five simple strategies

Here is the full story, a short read:

https://www.chainstoreage.com/featured/five-winning-cross-channel-strategies-cpg/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Struggles with Supply of iPhone X

Reports indicate Apple has taken the path of “an aggressive design” with the iPhone X and is attempting to fulfill demand with “a very aggressive schedule”.

Okay. Maybe I should wait to order mine?

Here is a snippet from the story:

As of early fall, it was clearer than ever that production problems meant Apple Inc. wouldn’t have enough iPhone Xs in time for the holidays. The challenge was how to make the sophisticated phone—with advanced features such as facial recognition—in large enough numbers.

As Wall Street analysts and fan blogs watched for signs that the company would stumble, Apple came up with a solution: It quietly told suppliers they could reduce the accuracy of the face-recognition technology to make it easier to manufacture, according to people familiar with the situation.

Here is the full story:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-25/inside-apple-s-struggle-to-get-the-iphone-x-to-market-on-time?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

PS  Apple has pushed back against this story.

Stranger Things at Netflix Personalized for YOU

Netflix is the king of data when it comes to people’s viewing habits and they are really, really good at using it.

How?

Personalization.

They know what images are most likely to attract you to watch a show vs. a different images for a different person and that is what is shown to you.

Personalization.

Binge on the hit show ‘Stranger Things’ yet?  You should.  First, though, read this fine article on how Netflix convinces you to watch their content.

https://www.cnet.com/news/stranger-things-addict-heres-how-netflix-sucked-you-in/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Netflix is in High Gear and Going Faster

… but it does come with a price tag.  They are burning a ton of cash on original new programming.  The winner in this?  You, the subscriber.  Just keep paying Netflix your monthly bill.

Here is a snippet from the story:

From Germany to Brazil, Netflix stormed ahead in its drive to create a global TV network, scoring the video-streaming provider's best third quarter on record and sending the shares to a new high.

Shows such as thriller "Ozark," starring Jason Bateman, "American Vandal," a spoof of true crime shows, and a Jerry Seinfeld stand-up special helped lure 4.45 million new customers abroad and 850,000 in the U.S., both ahead of estimates. 

Here is the whole story:

http://adage.com/article/digital/netflix-beats-subscriber-forecasts-spending-nears-8-billion/310915/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Experience Experimentation or Checkout Optimization?

Any time I read about a sophisticated experimentation effort to optimize some digital process or tool I get all starry eyed.

Yes, these are the things that keep me up at night wondering about the larger meaning.

The folks over at eConsultancy have another excellent entry that goes right down this rabbit hole.  Well worth the read:

https://econsultancy.com/blog/69447-ask-the-experts-conversion-rate-optimisation-trends-challenges-strategy/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

There is a divide taking place in the industry. The businesses at the strategic and transformative level of maturity don't even use the term CRO or conversion optimization. Experimentation is the mindset change they have adopted and made part of their DNA. Brands like Amazon, Skyscanner, Booking.com…

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Financial Services Technology

Also known by short as “FinTech” for Financial Technology. This is a good and short little read that should help everyone understand what this is, what is happening here, and where it might be going.  Worth the read.

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3225515/financial-it/what-is-fintech-and-how-has-it-evolved.html

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Watch Caught Stealing Signs

RedSox baseball news, and Apple Watch news.

What?

Really?

Yes.

The world she is a changing.

Stealing signs in baseball is where a player somehow "read" the communication between pitcher and catcher to figure out what pitch is coming next.  This is a practice as old as the sport itself.

Do you ever wonder, or have you noticed, pitchers cover their mouths with their gloves when talking with their catchers on the mound?  That's because the San Francisco Giant great Will Clark read the lips of the pitcher and banged another great hit once upon a time.  Changed the game.

Now the RedSox have introduced wearable devices for the same effect, breaking the rules of baseball in the process:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/05/sports/baseball/boston-red-sox-stealing-signs-yankees.html?mcubz=1

The results?  They've been fined and the practice is discontinued. The amount of the fine is to remain undisclosed and will be donated to hurrican relief in Florida.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20716110/boston-red-sox-new-york-yankees-fined-separately-part-mlb-investigation-sign-stealing

Wow! Tech has taken over sports hasn't it?

Happy ... something,

J.W. Gant

This is Amazing!

Just … take a look.  You’ll like yourself for doing it.

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/this-guys-simple-looking-camera-tricks-are-actually-pre-1809074820

Happy Illusions,

J.W. Gant

PS  I'm labeling this under 'Cool'.  Yeap.

Drone Deliveries are Working Well

This little article tells a pretty compelling story.  If drone delivery can work well under the rather extreme demands of Iceland then maybe we should  be taking the concept seriously.

Yeah.  Just maybe.

Read on:

https://thenextweb.com/eu/2017/09/14/using-drone-deliveries-in-iceland-isnt-as-stupid-as-it-sounds/#.tnw_aU7AEwx2

Here is a snippet from the piece:

…upcoming drones will be able to handle any type of precipitation with simple modifications — and the wind isn’t as much of a problem as you’d think. It was quite windy when I went to AHA’s headquarters but the drone handled itself easily in the skies. The main concern is the windspeed at the landing sites, if it’s more than 4 m/s it could make the drone trip over during landing.

But despite the current drawbacks, the drone deliveries are already saving the AHA a lot of time and resources — drones actually make more sense to use than cars.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Why I’m Going to Buy the New iPhone X

What matters to you when it comes to smart phones?  Latest and greatest?  Well, okay, but what does that do for you?  Why does the latest and greatest matter to you?  Utility then?  Okay.  What does this new gadget do that I need and wasn’t available before?

What if it’s just better?

That’s why I’ll pick up the iPhone X when it comes out.  Forget about the silly (but perhaps hyper futuristic) “Face ID” capability where you unlock the device with you face.  This new beauty has the very best screen, OLED, and the best camera, and is in the form that I prefer.

Here’s what sold it for me: the dimensions of the device.  I’m going to boor you a moment with some numbers.

Dimensions of previous iPhones:
iPhone 6S – 5.44” x 2.64”
iPhone 6S Plus – 6.23”x3.07”
iPhone 7 and 8 are similar to the 6S
iPhone X – 5.65”x2.79”

Let us take a look at that.  Starting with the 6S series the camera was improved in the “Plus” version over the smaller phone.  This has continued through the 7 and now 8.  Want the nicer camera?  You have to get the much larger device.  This has bothered me, but Apple just changed that.

They took the hardware of the larger “Plus” models and put it in to the much smaller iPhone X, plus they  greatly improved the screen to OLED technology, and only had to make it slightly bigger than the smaller non-Plus phones. That’s what I’ve wanted all along.  The quality phone of the “Plus” with the form factor of the non-Plus.

That’s it.  I’m in.

Prediction time.  We’ll see the iPhone X sell well and the next generation will bring back the “Plus” concept to the premier level phone.  We’ll get something like an iPhone 8S with 8S Plus and a premium iPhone XI with XI Plus.  Coming to your local Apple store in 2018.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Event 2017

I actually wrote this up quite a while ago but then needed to transfer it to my blog.  Ugh.  My new workflow for this is not pretty, but I'll find a way.

Here goes...

iPhone
Three new phones: the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and … the iPhone X (or “ten”).  I’ll pop an article or two at the bottom of this entry.

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
Think iPhone 7 improved.  Or as one writer noted about the new glass backed phone “now you can shatter the glass on the front AND back of your expensive new phone”.  It is necessary for wireless charging introduced with this version so … okay, fine it looks good too.

iPhone X
This is the one we had heard about and were waiting for and it mostly lived up to the hype.  They basically took the guts of the iPhone 8 Plus and put it in to a form factor like the plain ole 8.  Not huge like the Plus, but with the excellent camera and a greatly improved screen with (finally) OLED technology.  This is a really great phone.

Apple Watch
Fitness and health is the mantra for these wearables and with good reason.  The series 3 mostly improves the software around those with version 4 of the software but also adds an option for LTE connectivity so you can leave your phone at home and still get data, phone calls, etc.  The first time you hail a Lyft ride from your watch you’ll gasp I’m sure.

Apple TV 4K
So now that the whole world of television has gone to 4K resolution Apple is finally following.  Great.  Next.

Not a bad event this year, but, these keynotes are really feeling unnecessary to me.

Here are the articles:
Wired.com has a page with links to a few articles, one for each new product line.
https://www.wired.com/2017/09/apple-iphone-2017-liveblog/

Want to save some money on the new iPhones?
http://fortune.com/2017/09/14/apple-iphone-x-black-friday-deals/

Did Face ID fail on stage?  No, the rehearsal failed, according to Apple
https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-face-id-didnt-fail-during-iphone-x-demo/