#who advertised their plan on social media or tv 24 hours before the loss or damage occurred

[authenticaussie]

Started critiquing shows under the umbrella of "would this constitute a declined insurance claim" and it has been VERY fun so far.

[speciesofleastconcern]

What would happen if the southern United States declared their secession from the union and created a Confederacy 2.0 in 2021 and they declared that Donald Trump was their president?

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE THIRTY HOURS’ WAR (slightly updated)

9:27 AM: Governor Greg Abbott announces a surprise press conference to be held at noon. The Texas State Capitol is a whirlwind of activity, but no one will explain. Journalists stationed in the capitol buildings of several other Southern states notice a sudden fever of activity, but again, no word on what is taking place.

12:07 PM: Abbott enters the press room, faces the cameras, and delivers a speech televised around the world—a speech that makes the assembled journalists gasp.

“I have been in private communication with the governors of several other Southern states for the past few weeks, and we have an announcement of great consequence. I may announce that we are of one accord, united in our purpose, not without sorrow, and yet filled with pride and determination at the step we are undertaking this day. We are a free people, we Texans, and we wish only to live according to our traditional laws and the laws of a just and righteous God. For too long have we put up with abuse and threats from the Federal government in Washington, that hotbed of liberal elites and so-called “experts” who believe that they know better than we know what freedom truly consists of. It has gone on for too long, and we shall not continue any further. President Trump fought for our rights; the lies of the liberal media brought him down; but when one man lets the stainless banner fall, other hands must take it up, as we have done this day.

“The Lone Star State is the first star in the heavens of a new constellation of freedom and liberty—the first of the New Confederated States of America. We hereby announce the severing of all ties to the Washington government, and ask only to be allowed to depart in peace to seek our own liberty and prosperity.

“We are the first, but not alone. Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida have joined with me in forming a new nation, conceived in liberty with God as our vindicator, with each State acting in its sovereign and independent character. The governors of Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina are considering our proposal now, but a great groundswell of support is coming from the citizens of these states. We trust that they will soon join us.

“We hereby announce that all Federal property within the boundaries of our state, including all national parks and forests, Indian reservations, and military bases, is forfeit to our state government. Orders have gone out to the Texas State Guard and State Police to secure these properties, and they are backed by thousands of citizen militia forces who have mobilized have taken up arms to secure what is rightfully ours. For freedom and justice for ourselves and our descendants, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, we pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

12:17 PM: The President of the United States is whisked from a routine meeting with the Department of Agriculture to an emergency meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

12:31 PM: Emergency orders are issued to cancel all civilian flights to the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi. All inbound flights are ordered to divert immediately, leading to crowded and difficult scenes at airports such as Wichita, Albuquerque, Denver, St. Louis, and Cleveland.

1:47 PM: Chaos reigns on Interstates 10 and 40 and smaller highways, as thousands of Texas motorists flee for the New Mexico border, only to be stopped by armored New Mexico National Guard units, reinforced by heavily armed troops from Fort Bliss. Motorists fleeing eastward are stopped by the Louisiana National Guard, backed up with troops from Fort Polk. Motorists heading north towards Kansas or east through Arkansas also report blockades.

3:12 PM: There are reports of rioting in Austin and Houston, as columns of unregulated militia march or ride through urban neighborhoods where protests are expected. No one knows or will admit who shot first, but neighborhoods are soon ablaze, and fire trucks that attempt to reach the fires report being shot at. In other cities and towns, a watchful, tense quiet prevails as everyone awaits the next announcement. Footage of the riots and attacks is widely disseminated on social media.

4:29 PM: A column of militia in assorted vehicles approaches Fort Hood to demand its surrender. Seeing the main gates deserted, the lead vehicle drives onto the fort, and the driver, 47-year-old Braxton Beauregard, hoists the Lone Star Confederate flag over the guardhouse.

4:29:17 PM: The guardhouse, the flag, and the first ten vehicles of the convoy are simultaneously obliterated by Hellfire missiles. The remaining vehicles beat a hasty retreat to Killeen, although not before seven more vehicles are wiped out. That evening at the local Whataburger, one of the traumatized survivors is heard to mumble, “well, shit, this may be tougher than we thought.”

5:25 PM: The President emerges from his meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and gives a brief address to the nation. It’s short on details. He says only that he has been fully briefed on the situation and is deeply troubled, but is considering his legal options, and will provide a full reply to Governor Abbott’s announcement tomorrow morning. He pleads for calm and prays for peace and unity. The country remains on edge.

1:37 AM: Fort Hood’s gates open.

2:12 AM: A lone C-17 Globemaster III makes a pass over Austin, Texas, at 30,000 feet. Similar aircraft pass over Little Rock, Arkansas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Jackson, Mississippi. Their flight paths are later traced to Fort Benning.

6:48 AM: Journalists based in Austin report seeing a huge column of tanks and trucks moving into the city on Interstate 35, as helicopters fly cover.

7:24 AM: Tanks have surrounded the Texas State Capitol. The skies are torn by noise as F-15s and F-18Es fly combat air patrols over the city; they hold their fire for now. Heavily armored infantry patrols deploy onto the streets, although they, too, hold their fire and simply observe.

7:37 AM: A unit of unorganized militia patrolling the streets of Austin encounters soldiers from III Corps Special Troops Battalion on the corner of 14th and Guadalupe Street. One of the militiamen raises his AR-15 and fires at the troops, slightly wounding one soldier.

7:37:15 AM: Six militia members are killed or wounded in the ensuing firefight. Survivors are spotted fleeing towards the 7–11 convenience store on 15th Street, where it seems their commander has set up his base.

7:42:37 AM: The 7–11 convenience store on 15th Street is struck by multiple Hellfire missiles. Scenes like this play out all day throughout the capital city, with minor variations. By noon, few militia are willing to advertise their presence; discarded weapons and body armor can be found on the streets as erstwhile militiamen try to blend back into the general population.

8:31 AM: A group of Army Rangers exit the Texas Governor’s Mansion, escorting a handcuffed Governor Greg Abbott to a waiting flight of HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters that have materialized on the lawn.

9:17 AM: Several other Texas state officials are removed from the State Capitol or other government buildings by Rangers and escorted to waiting helicopters. Similar scenes are playing out in Oklahoma City and Little Rock and Jackson.

9:19 AM: An emergency press conference is held in Houston. The Hon. Sherry Radack, Chief Justice for the 1st District Court of Appeals in Houston, announces that under the line of succession as spelled out in the Texas state constitution, it appears that she is now the governor. Choking back tears, she announces the immediate cessation of hostilities, pleads for citizens to put down their weapons, orders the surrender of all State Guard forces, and expresses eagerness to remain a part of the United States.

11:10 AM: The governors of Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee deny any knowledge of Texas's plan, announce that their states will not be joining Texas, and pledge their states’ loyalty to the Federal government. At about the same time, the governor of Florida announces that his state’s inclusion in the list of seceding states was entirely the fault of unnamed “liberal agitators,” that he never agreed to leave the Union, and that despite all their differences of opinion he has pledged his state’s loyalty to the Federal government. Rumors that Navy SEALS were aiming at him from concealed firing positions as he was making this profession of loyalty were never substantiated.

12:37 PM: The President appears again on TV, thanking the loyal units of the US military, who have executed “a textbook counterinsurgency mission with minimal loss of life and destruction of property.” He assures the people that order will be restored and life will return to normal as soon as possible, and states that steps are already underway to restore the state governments. He promises to bring the rebels who actually took up arms to justice, while proposing that Congress immediately establish a bipartisan Truth and Reconciliation Commission to reintegrate the rebel states into the US as smoothly as possible. (He does not say this, but commentators note that with the sudden disappearance of Congressional delegations from the rebel states, he should have the votes to get what he wants.) He ends his speech by pleading once again for peace, adding that “I understand the despair and anger and paranoia that many Americans feel—but this is not the way to express those. Let us come together as one nation, one people, united by our devotion to the principles of democracy and liberty, from sea to shining sea. God bless America!” (Fun fanfic from quora)

[marketinghero]

Amazon invests in Deliveroo Amazon has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into food delivery service Deliveroo. According to reports, Amazon has provided a substantial proportion of the $575m (£450m) Deliveroo has raised in its latest round of funding, alongside several existing US investors. Deliveroo’s founder and chief executive, Will Shu, says he is looking forward to working with “such a customer-obsessed organisation” like Amazon, while Amazon says it was attracted to Deliveroo’s “innovative technology service”. “This is great news for the tech and restaurant sectors, and it will help to create jobs in all of the countries in which we operate,” Shu adds. Amazon canned its own UK delivery service, Amazon Restaurants UK, at the end of 2018 after two years, having been unable to successfully compete with the likes of Deliveroo and Uber Eats. UK-based Deliveroo operates in 100 cities across the UK as well as a number of countries all over the world including the US, Australia, Germany and Hong Kong. READ MORE: Amazon invests in Deliveroo Pret set to buy Eat in veggie push Pret a Manger is in talks to buy high street rival Eat as part of its plans to expand its vegetarian offering. According to the London Evening Standard, the coffee shop chain is keen to purchase either all or the majority of Eat’s 94 stores with the aim of turning them into vegetarian Pret outlets. Pret has neither confirmed or denied the move, saying: “We never comment on rumour or speculation.” The news comes as both businesses grapple with their own challenges. While the majority of Eat’s woes are rooted in finance, having posted a loss of £17.3m in 2018, Pret has suffered reputational damage following the death of a schoolgirl in 2016 after an allergic reaction to one of its baguettes. Eat’s current chief executive, Andrew Walker, previously spent 12 years at Pret – five as its UK boss – before leaving in 2012. READ MORE: Pret a Manger set to buy Eat in trend for veggie food BT reveals new logo BT has got a new logo. The telecoms giant, which has undergone a number of rebrands since being privatised in the 1980s, has been working on the new design for a number of years and on Wednesday filed a trademark application. The new logo is expected to be rolled out in August and will likely be used across BT’s entire portfolio, from sports channels to broadband services. “We’ve shared our new logo with our colleagues today and will consult them on the detail as we gradually roll it out towards the end of the summer,” a spokesperson said. “Our CEO has been very clear that the new mark symbolises real change. Making every BT employee a shareholder in the company is the first step towards transforming BT into a national champion that exceeds our customers’ expectations.” Earlier this week BT announced plans to give its 100,000 staff £500 of BT shares a year in an attempt to boost morale. READ MORE: BT unveils new logo after years of work – its name in a circle Airbnb hires former Apple retail boss Angela Ahrendts, the former retail boss of Apple and ex-CEO of Burberry, has joined the Airbnb board. Ahrendts, who left Apple earlier this year after five years, joins former American Express CEO Ken Chenault and former Pixar CFO Ann Mather to become Airbnb’s third independent, non-affiliated board member. “Angela has a reputation for pushing brands to dream big, and she told me that’s exactly what she hopes to bring to Airbnb’s board,” says Airbnb chief executive and co-founder Brian Chesky. “She has led global brands through transformation, completely redefined the retail experience, and has done it all while putting customers and communities first. I’m so excited for her to join our board and know her innovative thinking will make us a better company.” The announcement comes as Airbnb prepares for its IPO, which the company says could be as early as the end of the year. Ahrendts was one of Apple’s highest-paid executives, earning $26.5m (£23.1m) in 2018. READ MORE: Former Apple retail head Angela Ahrendts appointed to Airbnb’s board Lucozade launches ‘Spark Something’ campaign Lucozade has launched a new £10m campaign in an effort to broaden its appeal and position itself as the “ideal solution for those looking for positive energy”. Using a vinyl record, the campaign showcases how positive energy can be passed across generations and from person-to-person, inviting viewers to ‘Spark Something’. It will be brought to life across TV, outdoor, social, digital and in-store marketing. “The campaign will position the market-leading energy brand as one that sparks positive energy, broadening our appeal,” says Amie Farrell, senior brand manager for Lucozade Energy. “We know Lucozade Energy holds a unique position in the market. The campaign enhances the positive aspects of the Lucozade Energy brand and emphasises our belief that the best things in life come from positive actions and a positive outlook”. ‘Spark Something’ will run through to September and target the brand’s core audience of 18-24 year-old adults. It will also partner with Mobsta to launch a mobile display campaign in proximity to stores selling Lucozade Energy in a bid to boost memorability, drive them in store and ultimately drive sales. The ‘Spark Something’ mobile campaign will deliver 5.6m impressions. Thursday, 16 May Burberry turnaround ‘on track’ as brand rebuilds energy Burberry claims its plans to transform the company under new CEO Marco Gobbetti and creative director Riccardo Tisci are “on track” despite flat revenue growth. Preliminary results for the year to 30 March show revenue was flat at £2.72bn, although reported operating profit increase 7% year on year to £410m. The company says the launch of its “new creative vision”, including a new logo and Burberry monogram, has been successful, while it has seen strong double-digit percentage growth of Tisci’s first collections. It also says it is “building brand heat” and shifting consumer perceptions through improved social media reach, wider press coverage and organic endorsement from influencers. “We made excellent progress in the first year of our plan to transform Burberry, while at the same time delivering financial performance in line with expectations. Riccardo Tisci’s first collections arrived in stores at the end of February and the initial reaction from customers is very encouraging. The implementation of our plan is on track, we are energised by the early results and we confirm our outlook for FY 2020,” says Gobbetti. Commercial radio hits audience high as overall audience grows Commercial radio saw its audience hits a record high in the first quarter of 2019, with 36.1 million people tuning in, according to figures from RAJAR. That figure means 1.7 million more people are listening to commercial radio stations than BBC stations, the widest ever gap between the two. Overall, 66% of the population listen to commercial radio stations every week, while 89% listen to some form of radio. Total listening hours for commercial radio were also up, increasing 1.6% year on year. Radiocentre CEO Siobhan Kenny says: “We are constantly reminded of the challenges that radio faces in a digital age, whether it is from new forms of listening or shifts in advertising. But it’s clear from these figures that the investment from stations in talent, brands and great content is helping radio to continue to resonate with audiences in a big way.” Global was the biggest radio network, attracting 25.1 million listeners to its stations, which include Capital, Heart and LBC. Bauer Media attracted 17.7 million listeners and saw a “step up” in digital listeners – rising 14.3% to 13.7 million. Dee Ford, group managing director of radio at Bauer Media, says: “This is a great set of results for commercial radio, digital product innovation is underpinning commercial radio’s highest ever reach. The significant step up in Bauer’s lead in digital listening reflects our continued commitment to bringing listeners fresh, new, unique radio services complementing our powerful big brand portfolio – listeners love them, and so do our advertisers.” Waitrose invests £1m in organisations tackling plastic pollution Waitrose & Partners is investing a £1m grand fund in five organisations tackling plastic pollution, including marine scientists and charities. The grant winners include Blue Marine Foundation’s Safegear, which attaches beacons to buoys to stop fishermen losing their gear, Onion Collective and Biohm’s plastic biorecyling facility and the Women’s Environmental Network’s environmentally-friendly menstrual products. The Plymouth Marine Laboratory, which is tackling microplastic pollution using rafts of mussels, and the Youth Hostel Association’s project to install water bottle refilling stations in its hostels will also receive funds. The £1m fund has been raised from the sale of 5p carrier bags in Waitrose stores. Each winner will receive funding of between £150,000 and £300,000 Tor Harris, head of CSR, health and agriculture at Waitrose & Partners, says: “It’s important for us to tackle unnecessary plastic both in our shops but also in the wider world. All these inspirational projects have the ability to create real impact in tackling environmental issues and encouraging behaviour change so we can collectively achieve our goal of reducing plastic pollution.” Google brings more ads to mobile Google is offering brands more chances to reach consumers as it introduces a slew of news ads that will be served across its mobile services. The personalised Discover feed that appears in the Google app will get ads for the first time, while more ads will appear in Google Images search results, YouTube feeds and Gmail inbox tabs. The new ads are mostly two formats: ‘gallery’ ads that feature images users can swipe through, and ‘discovery’ ads, which appear where people are browsing more tailored content. Google claims such formats produce 25% more interactions than static ads. “In a world where we have less time and more options, it’s crucial for brands to anticipate what consumers need in order to stand out,” says Prabhakar Raghavan, senior vice-president of Google Ads & Commerce. “But just because the customer journey is complex doesn’t mean delivering useful experiences has to be. Whether you’re a scrappy entrepreneur or a large company, your marketing goals remains the same: reaching people at the right moments with the right offer.” Google is also revamping its Shopping service, allowing users to choose to purchase online, in a nearby store or directly on Google. It will also introduce a personalised Shopping homepage where users can filter features, read reviews and watch videos about a product. Thomas Cook reports £1.5bn loss as Brexit hits holiday bookings Thomas Cook has reported a £1.5bn loss for the first half of the year and warned of “further headwinds” in 2019 as ongoing uncertainty over the UK leaving the EU hit holiday bookings. The holiday company says there is “now little doubt” that Brexit has caused customers to delay their summer holiday plans this year. Last summer’s heatwave also reduced customer demand for winter sun holidays, contributing to a “weak trading environment”. Peter Fankhauser, Thomas Cook CEO, says: “The first six months of this year have been characterised by an uncertain consumer environment across all our markets. “Our current trading position reflects a slower pace of bookings, against a strong first half in 2018, and our decision to reduce capacity in order to mitigate risk in the tour operator and allow our airline to consolidate the strong growth it achieved last year.” Part of the loss (around £1.1bn) was due to the decision to writedown the value of its My Travel business. The company also says it has received “multiple bids” for its airline, which it put up for sale earlier this year. Wednesday, 15 May William Hill ad banned for linking gambling to sexual success A William Hill advert which appeared on Tinder has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for linking gambling to sexual success. The ad, which was sent as a message to Tinder users, read: “Stuck in the friend zone? You won’t be for much longer if you use this Cheltenham free bet offer.” The message was accompanied by a link to download the William Hill app. According to the CAP Code, marketing communications for gambling must be socially responsible and must not link gambling to seduction, sexual success or enhanced attractiveness. The ASA acknowledged William Hill had removed the ad but declared the slogan suggested those who gamble would be more likely to progress a friendship into a sexual relationship “and therefore linked gambling with sexual success”. William Hill initially defended the promotion saying it intended to associate the offer to the nature of the business it was advertising on (Tinder) but agrees it had the potential to be interpreted differently. The company added that it was not its intention to link gambling to sexual success. The gambling giant has since removed the ad and is conducting a full review of the existing content platform while Tinder said it originally reviewed the ad to make sure its content was not socially irresponsible, offensive or targeting minors. Vegan sausage roll helps accelerate Greggs sales Sales at British baking giant Greggs have skyrocketed likely thanks to the introduction of its vegan sausage roll. During the first 19 weeks of 2019 to 11 May, total sales jumped 15.1% year on year. Additionally, shares climbed more than 13%, marking a record high after the bakery chain reported an “exceptional” 11% rise in like-for-like sales. “Sales since then have continued to grow very strongly, helped by the roll-out of vegan-friendly sausage rolls to all shops following limited availability in the early part of the year when demand outstripped supply,” Greggs said in a trading update. Meanwhile, Roger Whiteside, chief executive of Greggs, says awareness of the brand has never been higher and the vegan sausage roll helped with publicity and encouraging people to “come and have a look at what we’re doing”. Greggs launched the vegan sausage roll in January to capitalise on the ‘Veganuary’ movement – where Brits pledge to cut out meat and dairy products for the month – but struggled to keep up with demand. Other categories that have seen growth are in breakfast items such as coffee and hot drinks, as well its ‘post-4pm pizza deal’, offering a pizza slice and a drink for just £2, according to the company. READ MORE: Greggs’ vegan sausage rolls fuel profit boom Amazon introduces pick-up points at Next Amazon has partnered with Next to launch a click and collect service for UK customers, meaning shoppers will be given the option to have their items delivered to a nearby Next store. The option will be made available for tens of millions of items on the Amazon website and kicked off yesterday (14 May).  It builds on Amazon’s existing parcel pick-up and locker options with the likes of Morrisons, the Co-op and Shell petrol stations. “We see it as a great way to create more convenience for our customers and create a win-win situation for the retailers who partner with us,” Amazon’s director of lockers and pick-up, Patrick Supanc, says. When a customer’s package arrives in store they will be sent a unique barcode to present when picking up the item. Amazon adds that feedback from earlier trials suggest the move can aid retailers’ customer footfall. READ MORE: Amazon partners UK’s Next for click and collect services  Tesco reveals latest food waste data More than two thirds (63%) of food waste at Tesco was redistributed to charities, community groups, colleagues and animal feed, the company says. According to the supermarket giant, the amount of food going to waste across its UK operations fell by 17% year on year to 44,297 tonnes. This was likely helped along by the fact the supermarket giant also halved (51%) the amount of food safe for human consumption going to energy recovery compared to last year. It is now 81% of the way toward its target that no food safe for human consumption goes to waste. Additionally, during the last 12 months Tesco sold around 10 million tonnes of food in the UK. A small fraction (77,184 tonnes, 0.78%) remained unsold. Of this figure, 32,887 tonnes was redistributed and stopped from going to waste. Now, Britain’s latest supermarket is urging other businesses to publish food waste data. Tesco’s CEO Dave Lewis acknowledges that reducing food waste is a global challenge: “One in nine people are going hungry whilst a third of the world’s food is wasted. This food waste has a huge environmental impact, creating unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. “We call on other businesses to also report their food waste data; this is the only way that we’ll know whether the UK and the world is on course to reach SDG Target 12.3.” Tesco has not sent any food to landfill since 2009. Keith Weed invests in influencer marketplace Keith Weed has unveiled his first project since stepping down as CMO of consumer goods giant Unilever. The marketing veteran is investing in influencer marketer place Tribe less than a year after he called for “urgent action” to restore trust in influencer marketing. Weed has given his financial backing to the platform which links brands to appropriate micro influencers who then distribute creative content on relevant platforms. In a tweet about Tribe, Weed says: “Quality, low cost, speedy content is now possible no matter how big or small you brand or brand budget is.” Tribe offers brands access to more than 53,000 influencers with followings of 3,000 or more and allows marketers, from the likes of P&G, Mars and Marvel, to see branded content executions from creators before they pay for the work so they can choose not to run it if they don’t like it. Last year Weed said the industry needed to clean up the influencer ecosystem by removing misleading engagement and making brands and influencers aware of dishonest practices. “We need to take urgent action now to rebuild trust before it’s gone forever,” he said. Tuesday, 14 May Warburtons enlists Robert De Niro for bagel launch The newest campaign from bakery brand Warburtons’ has a slightly darker edge than its all-singing, all-dancing predecessors starring The Muppets. This time round the brand faces Robert De Niro and his gang, who are looking to take over its newly launched bagel business, renaming the product GoodBagels in homage to gangster movie Goodfellas. The TV ad, which has been created by Engine and Freuds, and launches today on social before its TV debut on 17 May, shows De Niro and his family of goons confronting Jonathan Warburton in his Bolton office. De Niro and his men are seen taping up a security guard and taking over the business, before filling supermarket shelves with the renamed GoodBagels. Believing the Hollywood star is telling him the story line for a movie, Warburton asks how it ends, to which De Niro responds “not well”. This is the latest in a string of star-studded campaigns from the bakery brand, which in recent years has worked with Sylvester Stallone, Peter Kay and The Muppets. Jonathan Warburton, chairman of Warburtons, says: “As an iconic New Yorker, Robert De Niro knows his way around a bagel so it’s great to have his seal of approval. We’ve spent months perfecting the recipe and process to ensure we delight families up and down the country with the best thing since sliced bread.” Ikea urges consumers to rethink buying new products in first sustainability campaign Ikea has launched its first sustainability-led marketing campaign, which focuses on the Swedish philosophy of ‘lagom’, which means using not too much and not too little. The three main focus points of the campaign, devised by Proximity London, are grow your own, waste reduction and home efficiency, with Ikea looking to personalise the messaging to appeal to people will all levels of interest in sustainability. As part of the campaign, Ikea has launched the Lagom Collection, a content series shared via social and email, which promotes ideas and inspiration, both for new products and tips to give existing products a new lease of life. The retailer is keen to encourage people to think about what they already have before looking to buy something new. Ikea will be running a three-day event in-stores as well to educate and inspire sustainability in shoppers. Iain Neal, CRM leader, Ikea UK & Ireland says: “While most people recognise that climate change is happening, many don’t connect with it personally or emotionally and we wanted to address that head-on. Through initiatives we have run for years, such as our Live Lagom ambassador programme, we know that when engaged, people see how easy living more sustainably can be. “At Ikea, sustainability is a key part of our design process for all products. We have loads of products and solutions to help save energy and water, reduce waste, live more healthily and save money. They may seem like small things, but that’s the beauty of small actions – they all add up. By bringing this message to our marketing, we hope that we can engage even more people to think about the small changes they can do to make their life at home just a bit more sustainable.” Metro Bank responds to ‘false rumours’ which sparked panic Metro Bank has been forced to respond to “false rumours” on social media that it is running out of money, which resulted in hundreds of customers queuing in London outlets to withdraw their cash from accounts and safety deposit boxes. The rumours circulated on community WhatsApp groups in London over the weekend, and panic began to spread as photos of customers queuing were shared on Twitter. Metro Bank repeatedly responded to concerns on social media, with the message, “Metro bank remains a safe and secure haven for customers’ money”. But when this failed to calm customers’ nerves it followed it up with a statement, saying: “We’re aware there were increased queries in some stores about safe deposit boxes following false rumours about Metro Bank on social media and messaging apps. “There is no truth to these rumours and we want to reassure our customers that there is no reason to be concerned.” Despite these assurances, Metro Bank’s share price dropped by as much as 9% on Monday, before recovering slightly to trade at 5% down. READ MORE: Metro Bank says customers’ money safe after WhatsApp rumour sparks panic Apple could face law suit over app prices Apple could be sued by a group of consumers who argue they are being overcharged by the iPhone maker for apps as Apple takes a 30% commission on every sale, which they claim puts the tech giant in breach of anti-trust laws. The group of US consumers has been given the go-ahead by the Supreme Court to sue Apple over app prices for this reason. Apple says it is an agent for app developers and doesn’t own or sell the apps itself, but while app developers set their own prices, Apple does collect the payments. One of the judges who ruled against Apple is Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed by President Donald Trump. “Leaving consumers at the mercy of monopolistic retailers, simply because upstream suppliers could also sue the retailers, would directly contradict the long-standing goal of effective private enforcement in anti-trust cases,” he said. READ MORE: Apple faces customer lawsuit over app store  Uber’s shares fall further in second day of trading Uber’s shares fell another 11%, dropping further below the $45 price they began trading at on Friday when the ride-sharing app made its stock market debut. The firm, which is trading on the New York Stock Exchange has been impacted by the trade war between the US and China. Wall Street suffered its worst day in months as a result of the escalating trade war, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling more than 2% yesterday. Since its IPO on Friday, Uber has seen $20.2bn wiped off its market valuation, which now stands at $62.2bn. Its share price stood at $37.10 when markets closed yesterday. Apple (-6%), Boeing (-4.8%) and Caterpillar (-4.5%) also saw shares fall yesterday, marking the Dow’s worst start to May in 50 years. READ MORE: Uber shares drop further as markets slide Monday, 13 May Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Nestlé pledge to halve food waste by 2030 Nestlé, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose will pledge to help halve food waste by 2030, ministers have announced today (Monday 13 May). Retailers, hospitality and food companies are expected to agree a number of initiatives, including  big discounts on food sold after its “best before” dates and smaller size portions at reduced prices. Around 300 individuals and businesses have been invited to the Step Up To The Plate symposium in central London and are expected to adopt a package of commitments as part of the major drive to tackle food surplus. Businesses are expected to set their own targets to help contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of halving per capita global food waste by 2030.The government also wants attendees to adopt the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap to help companies measure and report on efforts to cut back waste. Tesco CEO Dave Lewis says a commitment from all UK food companies to publish their food waste data within the next 12 months should also be part of the deal. “We welcome the UK Government’s focus in this area and see an opportunity to press even further to continue to lead the world in our efforts to tackle food waste”, he says. Tesco will publish its latest food waste data in its annual report on Tuesday. Britain currently wastes 10.2m tonnes of food every year, with 1.8m coming from food manufacturers, 1m tonnes from the hospitality sector, 260,000 tonnes from retail and the rest from households, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. READ MORE: Smaller portions and discounts on out-of-date food to be offered in food waste revolution Sainsbury’s launches community-inspired campaign to celebrate 150th birthday Sainsbury’s has launched its 150th campaign with a TV advert celebrating its heritage and community values. The ad, created by Wieden+Kennedy London, follows the creation of a cake as a narrator tells the grocer’s history from its inception to the present day. Each tier represents community contributions from Sainsbury’s employees – from the opening of the very first store on Drury Lane in 1869, to more recent initiatives such as the retailer’s 20-year partnership with Comic Relief. “Community has been at the heart of our business since 1869 and we are delighted to bring to life the achievements and dedication of our colleagues in our 150th campaign,” says Laura Boothby, head of broadcast marketing at Sainsbury’s. “Sainsbury’s has always had a focus on contributing to the communities we serve and we’re proud that this is a legacy that still stands today.” Other key milestones and events from the supermarket’s history are also included in the ads, such as promising to keep jobs for World War I soldiers and fundraising for Christmas parties for disabled children sin the 1960s. The ad kicks off Sainsbury’s 150 Days of Community initiative, which sees its 180,000 employees volunteer in their community. One in 10 high street shops are empty One in 10 high street shops are empty, according to new figures, while the decline in high street footfall is beginning to slow. The latest BRC-Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor shows town centre vacancies climbed to 10.2% – an increase from 9.9% on the previous quarter and the highest level since April 2015. Collapsed retailers such as Toys R Us, Poundworld and Maplin were responsible for hundreds of shop closures last year as more retailers continue to struggle with high rents and online shopping. Despite the alarming figures, footfall decline is slowing at 0.5% compared to the same period last year, when it declined by 3.3%. High street footfall fell by 1%, while shopping centre footfall fell by 2.1%. Bucking the wider trend, footfall on retail parks increased by 2.2% in April. However, retail experts say it is disappointing that the Easter boost has not led to a rise in footfall for the month. READ MORE: UK high streets ‘in downward spiral’ with one in 10 shops empty British Gas warns of ‘challenging’ conditions British Gas owner, Centrica, has warned that trading conditions have been “challenging” due to the cap placed on tariffs, warmer weather than usual and the falling price of UK natural gas. The company says those factors are expected to impact its financial performance in the first-half of the year and will affect the full-year performance. However, it won’t have the full picture until interim results are released on 30 July. It cites the government’s new energy price cap as a major reason for a dent in its figures, including a one-off £70m impact in the first quarter. However, the company says a cost programme would still help it reach adjusted operating cash flow targets of £1.8bn to £2bn in the full year of 2019. READ MORE: Energy price cap hits British Gas owner Centrica in ‘challenging’ start to the year Dairylea dares consumers to “reconnect to their inner child” Dairylea is encouraging people to “reconnect to their inner child” in a new campaign that sees it rename special packs. ‘We Dareylea You!’, created by agency ELVIS, has renamed the cheese snacks ‘Dareylea’, with over eight million packs rebranded to encourage families to get outside and get out of their comfort zone. Patrick Bochet, marketing director of meals at parent company Mondelēz, says: “This bold campaign encourages people to reconnect to their inner child in a fun and original way which feels perfectly in keeping with the Dairylea brand. We can’t wait to see how people respond to our dares.” The campaign will run across out-of-home, social and radio, as well as in-store. The post Amazon, Deliveroo, Pret: Everything that matters this morning appeared first on Marketing Week.

[podcastcoach]

How Does Your Podcast Compete Against Giant Show?

Table of Contents

01:29 How Do You Compete Against Large Networks?

06:44 25 People Vs 1

09:42 Two Things That Kill Podcasts

11:52 Buying an Audience

15:32 Life Without the School of Podcasting

17:01 So How Do You Compete?

19:24 Jet Ski vs Cruise Ship

21:53 Downloads are only ONE way of measuring Success

24:28 Free Webinar 2/26

25:01 Golden Mic Announcement

34:23 Where I Will Be

34:45 Question of the Month

I hear this question a lot:

How am I supposed to compete?  It'll be something like I've been podcasting for three years. There are these other podcasters who I'm pretty sure are buying their audience. They're spouting their numbers, and they're gigantic. How am I supposed to compete with somebody like that?

I totally understand that question. Here are some things to consider:

You Can't Compete

Because its a good visual. How would a seventeen-year-old boxer compete against the champion who has held the title for six years? You don't put that kid in the ring. He's going to get killed. The experience, the stamina, he just isn't ready. He is completely out of his league.

But I've Been Podcasting For Three Years

But Dave, I've been podcasting for three years. You say that in some cases, you know people who are really starting to make a difference with their podcast at three years mark. To this I say"Uh-huh," but here are some things that we need to think about. We never know what's going on behind the scenes with a podcast. You might have a job (or two) and a spouse and some kids. The other podcast may not have any of those. Can you imagine how much free time you would have to promote if you didn't have any other activities and could focus on your podcast 100% of the time?

So if you look at podcasters from the outside, there's a person with a podcast here, and another podcaster over there and you think they are the same and they are not. We have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. They might have a background in selling and your background is in teaching.

Radiolab thanked 25 people at the end of their show. I am an army of one. Can I compete? In 2015ish I was up for a Podcast Movement Podcast Award and one of the shows in my category was Reply All.  I was competing against them. I've also had my Logical Weight Loss podcast compete against Jillian Michaels. Can we compete? Yes. The minute you turn on the microphone you are competing. Some of the things these teams of 25 use you don't need (original music?). While great production is like icing on a cupcake, if its all icing (and no cupcake) that doesn't work (see serial season two).

The Two Things That Kill a Podcast

BABIES

Babies are so selfish. It's all about them. All they scream is feed me, wipe my butt, I want a nap. That can really get on your nerves (kidding).

COMPARTING YOUR PODCAST TO OTHERS

When you say "how do I compete" at the hear you are comparing your show to others, and that can seriously do nasty things to your content. If you ever feel yourself comparing yourself - STOP.

STOP COMPARING YOUR SHOW TO OTHERS.

You need three things to create good content:

Your attitude

Your health

The support of those around you

(see this episode for a deep dive into this subject).

There is no competition

I am a co-host on the Podcasters Roundtable with Daniel J. Lewis and Ray Ortega. Technically both of these people are my "competition" but they are not. Why? Because you can listen to me on Monday,  Daniel on Tuesday, and Ray on Wednesday. As long as you deliver value, you're safe and don't have to worry.

You Can't Buy An Audience

You can buy an opportunity for people to hear your show, but you can't pay them to listen. Your podcast needs to provide value so they will come back because they want more.

Holly Barey is beautiful. In 2004 they put her in a Catwoman suit, spent a million dollars to my $82 million (a loss of 18 million). On Rotten Tomatoes the movie has a ranking of 9 out of 100 with 197 people voting.

In 2009 Disney worked on a movie called John Carter based on a popular book. According to Wikipedia is the most expensive movie ever created. It was a super popular book. It's kind of a sci-fi fantasy thing. It had a young, hot actor from Friday Night Lights, which was a very popular TV show here in the States.  Yeah, they lost $200 million on that movie

You cannot buy an audience.

And upon the release,  it received a mixed critical reception. In other words, it wasn't any good. There are great visuals. It had a great soundtrack. It had great action sequences. But the biggest criticism was toward the characterization and this thing called the plot that movies have, and you kind of need a good plot, you need a story.

It's the content. It's delivering value. And apparently, this movie did not deliver value because it lost them $200 million.

And I remember seeing all the ads for this movie, that all the promotion.

Before You Start Spending Money to Grow Your Podcast

I see a lot of people who say, "I'm not getting enough downloads and they turned to Facebook ads or advertising an overcast or Spotify or Castro (all podcast listening apps). They are trying to get the word out about their show. You can buy eyeballs/earholes but you can't buy an audience because an audience is someone who comes back for more.

Do What Your Big Networks Can't

Answer every email (in my travels big shows don't do this)

Get your audience on the phone. In the book Superfans (and in the Colin Morgan Interview on Podcast Juinkes) Pat Flynn and Colin Morgan talk about reaching out to random members of their audience via the phone (you can get a free Google Voice number, or Podcast Voicemail to mask your real phone number). How do you provide great content? You know who your audience is. How do you know what they want? You talk to them.

You are a Jetski, they are a cruise ship. You can change your content in record time. They can't. You are much more flexible. They are not. You need to identify your weaknesses and your strengths. You also need to identify your "competition's" strengths and weaknesses and don't try to cover the same area whey they will unquestionably squash you.

Go to where they are. In some cases, if a show is so big they can't go out in public. You can, and while you're there you can get feedback on how to make your show better.

Be sure to poll your audience. This can be as simple as "what do you like about the show, what do you wish I would do differently?" If you want to ask, "How did you learn about the podcast" so you can do more of that.

There is More Than One Way To Measure Success

Keep in mind there are more ways to measure success than downloads. These includes:

Is your show successful (are you achieving your "why?"

Comments on your website

Email responses

Social marketing interactions

Business metrics (new customers)

The Right Podcast Equipment Webinar

On February 26th there is a free online webinar at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/webinar where we will go over podcast equipment and the best option for you. If buying the right equipment has been a hurdle for you this will help you get over the hurdle. See www.schoolofpodcasting.com/webinar

Life Without the School of Podcasting

Today I helped someone who randomly contacted me on Facebook. They hadn't purchased enough storage space for their show. They were exporting their files in the wrong format. They didn't know how to export in the proper format. They were using the wrong format for artwork. Podcasting can be fun and fulfilling when you don't have to band your head against a wall to release a simple episode. At the School of Podcasting,   we show you in videos how to export your show in the proper format. We show you how to order the right plan for your podcast so your media host matches your strategy. We help you podcast frustrating free. Join today at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start

The New Academy of Podcasting

Let's start off with the positive. Wondery, a company with 82 employees and revenues (according to growjo.com) of around 15 million per year organized a new "Academy of Podcasters" and will launch a Golden Mic awards in 2021. Per their website, "The Academy is professionally run by an Executive Director and an Account Manager.  These roles are overseen by a volunteer Board of Governors who set the strategic vision and goals of the organization. 17 Founding Members will establish the organization and guide its initial creation with a goal of 1) moving The Golden Mics into a key recognition position and 2) encouraging growth and networking of the Academy and the industry. Members are individuals in the podcast industry who are part of one of the Academy’s Peer Groups; each Peer Group will vote on its respective categories for The Golden Mics." 

So it's great that big companies with big budgets are going to be promoting podcasting. This is a good thing.

Someone Needs to Learn How to Google

The companies listed above need to learn how to do some Google searches. When you come in with a "We've arrived" mentality, you can easily offend those who have already been here working in the trenches. I mean who do you think you are the pilgrims?

The larger media companies keep saying things that seem to just ignore history. For example, an article that came out THIS WEEK stated that " Born in the halls of public radio, podcasting has emerged as one of the fastest-growing businesses in media over the past few years." Podcasting was NOT born in the halls of public radio. It was born in a hotel room where Dave Winer and Adam Curry met. In the past, I've just let them roll off m back, but I remember someone from one of these companies who stated there weren't any women podcasters in the early years (completely erasing people like Mignon Fogerty and Murr Raferty. Who can forget Steve Jobs referring to podcasting as "Amateur Hour."

So when I approached Hernan Lopez the founder and CEO of Wondery that there HAS BEEN a  “completely peer-based, not for profit, fully representative" awards show and I had won such an award he apologized.

I'm Not Saying Get Off My Lawn

Lopez was at an educational conference stating a lack of education. I'm not saying get off my lawn. I'm saying Marc Maron didn't invent podcasting (nor did Serial) and if you want me to greet you with open arms, it would be much easier if you would stop kicking me in the balls.

To the best of my knowledge, the Adamy of podcasters which controls the Hall of Fame is still in existence. It hasn't had a ceremony since 2018 due to a lack of sponsorship. This is sad. While some may feel this is just a bunch of friends slapping each other on the back, if you do some research that it's not just old white guys but women and people of color (granted the majority of the recipients is middle-aged white guys because when podcasting first started THOSE WERE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE PODCASTING.

So I look forward to seeing the spotlight the new academy will point at podcasting, and just ask them to quite saying things that make use feel invisible or worse, erase the past.

Speaking of the past, here is a link to the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame

New Podcasters Academy

Question of the Month

How did you get past the "Nobody will listen to me?" see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Start Your Podcast Today

Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start and start your podcast worry-free with our 30-day money-back guarantee 

  Check out this episode!

[biofunmy]

Jonathan Van Ness of ‘Queer Eye’ Comes Out

Jonathan Van Ness was having a late breakfast at the Empire Diner, around the corner from his one-bedroom apartment in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.

Seated in a window booth, he was serving what he calls his “16th-century Jesus” look: Hollywood-starlet tresses, a mustache à la a Super Mario villain and fingernails painted with cartoon depictions from the 1996 film “The First Wives Club.”

But Mr. Van Ness was not feeling his normal gorgeous self, the boisterous “Yass queen” merman that fans of “Queer Eye” adore. He was hung over.

And no, it wasn’t from partying too much. It was a “vulnerability hangover,” to use a term coined by Brené Brown, a TED Talk-famous researcher, to describe feelings of dread after being forthcoming.

“I’ve had nightmares every night for the past three months because I’m scared to be this vulnerable with people,” Mr. Van Ness said.

For much of the summer, Mr. Van Ness, 32, has been mentally preparing himself for the release of his piercing memoir, “Over the Top,” on Sept. 24, in which a different image of Mr. Van Ness unspools with remarkable transparency.

Subtitled a “Raw Journey to Self-Love,” the book doesn’t so much explode as offer psychological insight into the hirsute gay fairy godmother in heels or, as he puts it, “the effervescent, gregarious majestic center-part-blow-dry cotton-candy figure-skating queen” that he portrays on “Queer Eye.”

“It’s hard for me to be as open as I want to be when there are certain things I haven’t shared publicly,” he said. He cracked his knuckles as he fidgeted from nerves. “These are issues that need to be talked about.”

He ordered another cup of coffee, his fifth of the day, and began tearing up as he spoke about a particularly painful memory, one of many that he divulges in his book. When he was much younger, he was abused by an older boy from church, during what was supposed to be a make-believe play session.

“For a lot of people who are survivors of sexual assault at a young age, we have a lot of compounded trauma,” he said.

Suddenly, a 20-something woman with a ponytail appeared at the table. “I’m so sorry, I can’t take a picture right now,” he said, discreetly wiping his eyes.

“Oh, that’s fine. I just want to say that I love the show,” she said.

“Thank you. Namaste. Have a nice day,” he said, clasping his hands in prayer.

Mr. Van Ness exhaled and gently took a sip of coffee. “If you’re having a terrible moment or in the middle of a conversation about something serious, people don’t care,” he said. “They want their bubbly J.V.N. and to get that major selfie.”

Sex, Drugs and Hair

In a sense, the memoir was a way for Mr. Van Ness to tell his story without interruption. There are certainly moments that may make some readers pause.

Mr. Van Ness grew up in Quincy, Ill., a small port city along the Mississippi River, where he was a self-described “little baby queen” unafraid to embrace his femininity. It helped to have a mostly supportive family, including a mother he considers a lifelong best friend.

The Van Ness family owns Quincy Media, a media company that operates 16 televisions stations in Illinois, Wisconsin and elsewhere, as well as two local newspapers. His mother, Mary Winters, is the company’s vice president; his father, Jon Van Ness, worked in sales. (They divorced when he was 5, and his mother remarried four years later.)

At Quincy Senior High School (which he visits in the latest season of “Queer Eye”), he leapt over social norms to become the school’s first male cheerleader. Never mind the beer bottles thrown at him during games.

He wasn’t exactly popular, and students spread rumors about his friendship with a closeted boy from his swim class. Mr. Van Ness felt humiliated. “I was too fat, too femme, too loud and too unlovable,” he said.

His lack of self-esteem ran deep. As therapy would later reveal, the abuse he experienced as a young child planted the seed for other self-destructive behaviors. In his early teens, he spent hours in AOL chat rooms (this was the 1990s) and met up with older men for sex. One man, he recounts in the book, “turned whiter than Ann Coulter’s fan base” after learning he was underage.

He found other ways to fill the void, including binge eating junk food like doughnuts when his stepfather died (he gained 70 pounds in three months).

Eager to leave Quincy, he earned extra credit to skip senior year and attended the University of Arizona in Tucson. But during his first semester, he blew a monthly allowance of $200 from his mother on cocaine, which he started doing on weekends.

Instead of asking his mother for more money (he was too ashamed and reckless at the time), he advertised sex for money on Gay.com, a chat and personals site.

He flunked out of college his first year — he was 19 — and sulked home with his ponytail between his legs.

Unsure what to do with his life, he decided to take the skills honed from styling the hair of his Barbie dolls to the next level and enrolled in an 11-month beautician program at the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis, where his first clients included many Somali refugees.

After getting his certificate, he moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. (to be near his dying grandmother) and then to Los Angeles, where he supported himself as an assistant at a Sally Hershberger salon.

But his addiction to sex and drugs got worse. When he was in his early 20s, a couple he met on Grindr introduced him to smoking methamphetamine. He went to rehab twice and relapsed both times.

One day, when he was 25, he fainted in a salon while highlighting a client’s hair. The next day he went to Planned Parenthood to diagnose his flulike symptoms. He tested positive for H.I.V.

“That day was just as devastating as you would think it would be,” he writes.

His Own Makeover

He cleaned up his act; he still drinks and smokes marijuana but says he hasn’t done hard drugs in years. And, using money from a family trust, he started anew in Los Angeles.

Appropriately enough, his foray into entertainment began at the hair salon. During an appointment with his friend Erin Gibson, a comedian who worked for Funny or Die, the two came up with a parody series called “Gay of Thrones,” in which Mr. Van Ness and a guest comedian offer campy, gay-themed recaps of “Game of Thrones.”

The show premiered in 2013 and became a hit. (It has been nominated for three Creative Arts Emmys for short-form variety series). Soon, Mr. Van Ness was offered roles as a red-carpet commentator and as a host of other web series.

Then, in 2016, his manager called with news that would truly flip his hair: Netflix was holding auditions for a reboot of “Queer Eye.” It took many weeks, but Mr. Van Ness eventually won the producers over.

In the show’s four seasons, the “Queer Eye” cast has gone from fringe gay personalities to mainstream celebrities, with Mr. Van Ness as one of the series’s breakout stars.

In a recent episode set in Kansas City, Mo., he confronts the shame associated with traction alopecia, a form of hair loss that predominantly affects black women. It’s a topic rarely discussed on television, and even rarer by someone who is white.

On Twitter, Tressie McMillan Cottom, an author and professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University, wrote: “Jonathan treating this sister with traction alopecia with love is more care than I can recall a regular black woman getting on TV ever.” (When he was shown that tweet, he burst into tears.)

Mr. Van Ness hopes to bring attention to what he calls “gorgeous beauty moments” like that with his memoir, especially misperceptions about being H.I.V. positive. He is healthy and now describes himself as an out-and-proud “member of the beautiful H.I.V.-positive community.”

“When ‘Queer Eye’ came out, it was really difficult because I was like, ‘Do I want to talk about my status?,” he said. “And then I was like, ‘The Trump administration has done everything they can do to have the stigmatization of the L.G.B.T. community thrive around me.’” He paused before adding, “I do feel the need to talk about this.”

Just as he was about to take a bite of his eggs at the diner, Mr. Van Ness was interrupted once again. This time it was a boyish young man who poked his head in the window to profess his admiration.

After another “namaste,” which appears to be his shorthand for “kindly leave,” Mr. Van Ness resumed his thoughts. “These are all difficult subjects to talk about on a makeover show about hair and makeup,” he said. “That doesn’t mean ‘Queer Eye’ is less valid, but I want people to realize you’re never too broken to be fixed.”

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