Vindictive Valentines

Beyond Social Media Show, Episode 295

BL and David discuss “Cry Me A Cockroach” vindictive Valentines via San Antonio Zoo; social media savvy Astronaut Christina returns to earth; Seventh Generation’s brilliant State of the Union ad; Spotify’s podcast expansion; flirting with Tinder bots; how Netflix gets to the Oscars; Twitter squashes student’s parody, then apologizes; Planters Baby Nut banned; best and worst Super Bowl LIV ads; the Iowa Caucus debacle; hacking Google Maps; world’s worst job ad and world’s funniest resume; Clearview AI slapped with cease-and-decists; Celebrity Cruises’ clueless commercial; 2020 election disinformation wars; Edelman Trust Barometer…and much, much more.

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Audio version of Episode 295 of the Beyond Social Media Show

Best Digital Cases

#AstronautChristina Returns to Earth

Christina Koch @AstronautChristina landed safely on earth after completing 328 days in space – the longest single spaceflight by a woman.

Flirting At Scale

How to automate your love life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzV6mXIOVl4

7th Generation Wins State of the Union

Seven Generation bought 60-second ads on ABC, CBS and NBC between the State of the Union address and the Democratic response, laying out the brand’s outlook on climate change – which wasn’t mentioned in the speech.

https://youtu.be/KYs2fevWdRY

Cry Me A Cockroach

The San Antonio zoo is hosting its first-ever “Cry me a Cockroach” event where you can take revenge on your ex.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8IKcdVIRg8/

Hacking Google Maps

99 second hand smartphones were transported in a handcart by performance artist SImon Weckert to generate virtual traffic jam in Google Maps.

Burger King Breakup Boxes

Burger King — along with the new Harley Quinn movie, Birds of Prey — has an upcoming Valentine’s Day promotion: Basically, if you show a photo of your ex at select Burger King locations, you get a free Whopper.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8OtF8OFgj0/

Good News For Podcasts

Spotify has purchased The Ringer, the podcast network started by Bill Simmons

Netflix’ Oscars Push

Netflix leased and reopened New York’s Paris Theater in a push to highlight Netflix Originals and qualify for Oscar nominations.

The Super Co-Op Bowl

Baby Nut was born from tears of corporate sibling Kool-Aid as Procter & Gamble’s Mr. Clean looked on at funeral.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPrLiNseyCc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVqtGHcQeos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnhzGUcENWo

Worst Digital Cases

Twitter Caves to College

In an unprecedented move, Twitter took away a college student’s access to his parody account mocking his school and handed it over to the university’s administrators.

Stop Clearview AI

Clearview AI, a controversial face recognition start-up, whose customers include hundreds of U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, has been served cease-and-desist letters by Google and its subsidiary YouTube.

Planters Ham Handed Baby Nut Tweets Banned

Twitter suspended three meme accounts launched by Planters to promote their re-incarnated Mr. Peanut mascot, dubbed Baby Nut.

Celebrity Cruise’s Acid Trip

White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane as the theme music for a cruise line?!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28NcvcfqoBg

World’s Worst Job?

Shadow, the company whose app was blamed for screwing up the Iowa Caucus posted a job ad the next morning for a salesperson.

Shadow ad for salesperson, the day after Iowa Caucus screwup.

Worst Super Bowl Ads

According to USA Today’s Ad Meter, which lets the public rank Super Bowl ads online, using a scale of 1 to 10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N76DzOYxNyo

World’s Worst Resume

This guy had a very bad year.

https://twitter.com/TylerDinucci/status/1224793942190780416

Shiny New Stuff

Google Search Console

Learn the A-B-Cs of Google Search Console with this training series.

Politics

Information Weaponized

How new technologies and techniques pioneered by dictators will shape the 2020 election.

The Daily Numbers

Edelman’s annual global trust barometer released

  • Fewer than 1 in 3 people in developed markets believe they and their families will be better off in five years’ time
  • 56% believe that capitalism as it exists today does more harm than good in the world
  • Fewer than 1 in 5 people believe that the system is working for them
  • Edelman’s 2020 Global Trust Barometer Report [PDF]
Chart: Global trust in people

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