(#46) Artifacts of Technology

The artifacts of technology are reshaping present cultural and societal norms

Nov 27, 2021

Welcome to The Yellow Summarin - collecting the most interesting ideas, topics, and tweets from the past week at the intersection of tech, media, and commerce.

In today's edition (27.11.2021):

How fashion companies are reinventing themselves as digital-first
How blockchain can reshape the music industry
AI’s impact on creativity and commerce

Read and listen:

Exploring Digital Fashion in the Metaverse: A Conversation with RTFKT Studios (ONE37pm)
For digital fashion and clothing, the NFT space is a natural evolution. Exclusivity and rarity are factors that contributed to success in the physical world for high-end fashion. Similarly, the NFT space is a fresh new avenue to explore for those fashion brands who understand and appreciate the zeitgeist. As we become more conscious of our digital identity, and once the technology facilitates it, there is no doubt that NFTs will be the springboard to creating a new boom. It will open an opportunity for us to tailor and determine our identity with what we collect and choose to wear. Read story

Dematerialisation: Why the Metaverse Is Fashion’s Next Goldmine (Business of Fashion)
Historically, fashion has a poor track record in anticipating and adapting to new platform shifts. But this time around, the big brands seem to be moving faster. Whether they can compete with the digitally native entrepreneurs defining the space remains to be seen. Read story

Is the music industry's future on the blockchain? (Platformer)
Earlier this year, Blau [...] sold various NFTs of his album Ultraviolet in an auction. To almost everyone’s surprise, the auction generated $11.7 million in sales. This offered an early hint of how the blockchain could uniquely change the music industry: by eliminating the record labels and selling ownership of his music directly to fans, Blau generated far more than any record label would have ever paid him. Read story

How AI will elevate the future of creativity (Facebook IQ)
For marketers, AI will increasingly be your new creative partner. When Dixons Carphone, a British electronics retailer, wanted to promote its Black Friday sale it turned to AI software. Saul Lopes, head of customer marketing, told the BBC that human copywriters produced dozens of clever lines, but they all mentioned Black Friday.7 In contrast, AI crafted a different line that they ended up using: "The time is now." While at first glance this may seem like a small thing, it demonstrated that AI can help the human mind push past groupthink, sparking an unexpected creative insight. Read story

Personalization is now key to the online shopping experience (Retail Brew)
Online personalization has often focused on shopping recommendations (and we mostly have Amazon to thank). But companies are now taking things a step further, owing to new tech like AI and better customer info. Read story

Hybrid shopping: Retail’s big story this holiday season (Vogue Business)
Customers are expected to predominantly “hybrid shop” this season, meaning they’ll be buying across multiple channels to make sure they can find the products they want. Customers have a lot of tools at their disposal, including the ability to shop on mobile and via social media and to preview items in nearby stores while browsing online, or vice-versa. Shopping journeys can now involve an average of nine different touchpoints, according to Rob Garf, Salesforce VP and GM of retail. Read story