Must Reads 267

Good Morning Must Readers, this week’s newsletter includes the following important themes:

• Culture Engineering - how brands can manufacture cultural moments and pay to influence the general public

• Inheritance Battles - an incredible story behind the long-standing Disney battle

• Algorithmic Gaming - how creators and businesses leverage the YouTube algorithm and post super-long videos (like SEO, like political Twitter accounts etc)

• Apple Headsets - the MR Apple headset is getting closer, why Apple

• Changing Orca Behaviour - how a pod of orca’s are baffling scientists

>> Is Vision & Mission BS For Most Companies? 🙋‍♀️- In a somewhat spicy take, do companies really need vision statements and mission statements to drive the business forward or are they a waste of time and resources? …If it doesn't fit on 1x Post-it notes each you’re likely doing it wrong

>> Disney Succession Story 🪫 - The Succession finale rocked me and made me think about it for too long, it is however a nice segway to the Disney story that is happening and has been playing out for years behind the scenes. We will see many companies struggle to support what was recommended by the owners and what the board want with media businesses. DNA doesn’t always work in your favour, just ask Shiv and Kendall.

>> The Misunderstood World Of Long Videos On YouTube ⏲️ - YouTube is the free tool we all didn’t know we needed and it delivers in weird and wonderful ways from free Harvard college classes to free mixes to perfectly crafted kids’ tv (mixed in with a questionable algorithm that can people down the wrong rabbit holes). The other side that many people question is the 24-hour blank screen or countdown clocks etc. Some accounts are leveraging how their monetisation system works and then creating content to make significant money from this. We will see this continue and likely increase with more viewership happening on TV and with second or third screens while working.

>> TayTay Power 💃 - Touring is a huge business for artists who can afford it, most make most of their money from touring, and the knock-on effect (coupled with sharing across social media and news coverage) is the increased sales of outfits they wear or looks they have on stage. With boots and fringing becoming this year must wear post-concert. We have seen this over the years and we will continue to see this and with major stadium dates, we will see this spread further and wider than before. One word of warning for brands, don’t get into the $/£1000 t-shirt idea that Harry Styles & Gucci have, price to the market not to the brand…

>> Apple Headset Challenge 🧠 - Journalist Peter Kafka has a good take on why the new Apple headset will face challenges that the standard customer will not want a new VR or AR headset (mixed reality is the only way to bring VR to the masses). The issue for consumers will be the price point, the issue for Apple will be to beat Facebook’s VR attempts with their various headsets and to manage low expectations of purchases while learning enough to improve and pair within the Apple ecosystem (iPhones, iPads, macs etc)

>> Alo Unpicked 🧘‍♀️ - I don’t often single out brands but alo is one that I have seen its popularity explode and be worn everywhere (socially of course). I like to get in under the skin and reverse engineer the brand’s success but this article really does most of it for me. What's interesting is how alo have played the cultural angle and tech angle alongside the influencer (& high-end celeb) angle making it an aspirational brand for everyone. I suspect this playbook will last for another few years for specialising clothing brands.

Well Done Wendy’s 👇

>> Candice Burt The Ultra Queen 🏃‍♀️- This story is pretty impressive, a runner who completed 200 (yes 200) ultra marathons and then ended it with a casual standard marathon to cool down. We have seen the rise of extreme events and extreme athletes taking on these sorts of tests. We will likely see two things happen (1) this continues to happen and more people take these on - runners high is apparently addictive & (2) the opposite is more people will take up less exercise. Tech has enabled us to be super productive or super lazy, it’s all down to how we are motivated and routines.

How To Work With Me

>> How Important Learning To Relax Actually Is 🥶 - A good look at why you need to learn how to relax and make the time to relax and reflect.

» Here’s how to celebrate great niche content (thanks to friend of MR’s Chris for the submission)

>> Like Humans Killer Whales Have Vengeance In Mind 🚤 - Fascinating article on how orcas are changing their behaviour and a pod of killer whales has been attacking boats because one could have been injured in the past.

Thanks and have a great week,

Danny Denhard — Coach, Advisor, Consultant