What’s In This Issue?
Is The Banana Doomed?
Amid the disturbing news of the burning Amazon forest, you may have missed the ongoing one about a deadly virus that may soon wipe out global supply of the world's most popular banana variety: the Cavendish. It turns out this has happened before. Nearly 60 years ago a virus affected the most popular banana at that time, a variety known as the Gros Michel (aka the "Big Mike"). Banana producers in the late 1950s funded the development of an alternative that was resistant to the virus (the ubiquitous Cavendish) which most banana connoisseurs rate as far less tasty. Now scientists are once again looking for a new way to save the banana and the variety they choose next might be what we all end up eating for the next 60 years.
Instagram's New "Close Friends" Feature Could Be The Future Of Social
Instagram is quietly testing a new feature that would allow you to share posts with "close friends only." In a world where our friends, acquaintances and online connections have effectively blurred, it's the sort of correction I expect to see more of in social as we struggle to reduce the noise in our feeds to have it come from people we actually care about ... or at least those we might recognize if we were to pass by them on the street in real life.
Porsche Unveils New Racecar During Video Game On Twitch
To build the excitement around the launch of their first electric sports racecar, the 99x Electric, Porsche created a partnership with Twitch to engage players from around the world to work together to complete a challenge and unlock the car inside the video game. The entire progression had people engaged for nearly four hours, culminated in a reveal of the car by the two Porsche works drivers, Neel Jani and André Lotterer.
Toys 'R Us Is Coming Back This Holiday Season ... As An Experiential Retailer
You might know Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy, but now they are coming back for the holiday season with two new stores - one in New Jersey and one in Texas. The brand is teaming up with b8ta, the software-powered experiential retailer, to create a new kind of experience that involves "creating an interactive, immersive experience for both children and adults." There is no denying the brand still has nostalgic equity among parents - and if the experiences are great, this might be just what the brand needs to turn itself around.
Who's Winning The New Chicken Sandwich Wars?
Last week on the way home from a road trip I agreed to pleas from both of my boys to stop at a Popeye's for their chicken sandwich. There was a half hour wait in the drive thru. A tweet from Chick-fil-a apparently set off a frenzy of people wanting to do a taste test to compare the sandwiches. The debate raging in marketing circles about whether Chick-fil-a actually did Popeye's a favor or whether both brands may benefit from the attention. Either way, I have to say I'm not entirely sure what the fuss was all about. Wendy's Spicy Chicken sandwich is easily better tasting than the chicken sandwiches at either Chick-fil-a or Popeye's.
