oh my DOT | Connecting the Dots #89

Embrace the chaos

Just two weeks into the new year and I already feel like more has happened than I can digest. The events are intense and the ability to outvoice the noise in the culture of events is one of the most valuable attributes of a successful campaign. Culture is driven by fleeting moments, and therefore I feel that for brands, these instant flashes of culture are often more important than long-crafted and safe executions. The question is how to predict and direct these moments.

Marketing and media

#1 The 2024 predictions by Scott Galloway are the most insightful thing you can get your hands on. The text offers comprehensive forecasts in various areas including economy, technology, media, and geopolitics for the year 2024.

#2 AD market is (thankfully) stabilizing. Digital advertising will dominate, but its growth will be slower.

#3 OpenAI has opened a “store” for custom GPTs with more than 3 million bots already created by users. A big deal in the AI ecosystem.

#4 Last time we had reports here, but this one wasn’t out yet. Pornhub insights reveal the true desires of people. Imagine a survey where people don’t lie.

#5 Music in 2023 by the numbers. Taylor Swift dominated the industry, country music is experiencing a boom, and hip-hop is surprisingly declining.

#6 It seems that Hollywood has a new gold rush. Comic book heroes are out, video game heroes are in. Super Mario in 2023 showed that it can be a very profitable model to capitalize on existing IP.

#7 I adore Reddit, so whenever a new feature appears, I have to share it here. This time it’s a graphical Reddit Map. What’s creating buzz, what interests people, and where the discussion is. Priceless.

Life

#1 This link is a must. ’52 Things I Learned in 2023.’ This person publishes blog every year on their birthday, and each year it’s a joy to read.

#2 Video games celebrate 50 years. The first gaming console, Odyssey, was a simple device with two rotary controllers and no sound function, relying on players to keep score themselves.

#3 The Internet is about to get weird again. An article by Anil Dash discusses the transformation of the internet, where power is shifting from big tech companies to more diverse, human online experiences, reminiscent of the more open and creative internet of the 2000s.

#4 All the mixtapes from DatPiff gathered together in one place. You’re welcome.

#5 From the largest to the smallest thing in the universe. The video illustrates the similarity of structures and interdependence at various levels, such as how blood vessels resemble city streets, or how very small proteins can affect the entire Earth.

#6 The year 2024 is the year of major elections, and we can only speculate about the role AI will play in them, as analyzed by The Guardian. In 2024, elections will be held in more than 40 countries, including powers like the USA and India. This could influence the global political dynamics and challenge the existing dominance of authoritarian regimes. And then, consider mixing all this with AI.

#7 Bloomberg created a very nice recap of the year in pictures. I recommend it.

With love
P.