Friends of Dave #31: Beat Shazam
WARNING: Vegas has 2 to 1 odds that I can beat you at this game
Sorry for the quick intro this week friends. Long week and I am up way past my bedtime.
Like many of you, I am a loyal and regular viewer of "Shark Tank." Despite my opinion that the show may have followed in the footsteps of another favorite ABC show and jumped the shark once it started adding celebrity sharks, I still love watching the entrepreneurs making their pitches.
What I also love about Shark Tank is that, at least in my house, it is appointment viewing for our entire family. I can turn it on, and any one or all of my kids will choose to sit an watch with me, ask questions, and now can make their own judgements on whether a product is deal worthy.
We have a new favorite on our house that you need to check out: "Beat Shazam". It's a bit of more modernized version of the classic "Name That Tune" where teams of contestants compete to name a song within a predefined genre or along a particular subject as quickly as possible. I play this game in the car all of the time with the kids, so the new show became a natural hit in our house amongst everyone. The appointment viewing aspect for the entire family is the bonus -- there really is something to be said about regularly connecting with your kids around a shared interest. It is energizing and enriching.
From a business aspect, the concept of the show is brilliant. It is entirely based off of the popular Shazam music identification app that has been around for almost 10 years. Think about the marketing opportunity created by positioning the app at the center of the show as the most developed technology for song identification. It also has an interactive aspect of playing along at home that engages viewers.
I don't know how long Beat Shazam will last, but not only are there tremendous learnings for marketers of just about any product (particularly apps), I think we can expect to see more of this blending of multimedia experiences in the future. Should be very interesting.
Finally, I continue to get suggestions (not just from my wife) on articles to include in the newsletter. LOVE IT. Please keep them coming! I decided to add a "Subscriber Pick of the Week" section as a result -- now you not only get the stories I select with love for you, you will also get some love from the Friends of Dave community. The Friends of Dave newsletter: it's a heartbeat, it's a love beat.
That song will be in your head the rest of the day guaranteed. You're welcome. Enjoy the weekend everyone.
XOXO
Dave
Subscriber Pick of The Week
No, this is NOT another article about cotton swabs. This submission from a loyal reader of FoD discusses the "Q-tip Effect." Intersting point of view as to why some people get addicted to technology and the moral responsibility companies have to help them.
Think on This...
Could machines have become self-aware without our knowing it? — aeon.co
Could your smart home become self-aware without our knowing it? Fascinating, but a bit wonky, post discussing a better way to define and test for consciousness in machines.
Should Colleges Abolish Algebra? — www.npr.org
Thinking outside the box, the chancellor of the California Community Colleges system wants to kick loose the requirement of algebra for non-STEM majors.
For Your Day Job...
Employees Who Stay In Companies Longer Than Two Years Get Paid 50% Less — www.forbes.com
Job candidates who move from job to job seem be risky hires. However, may be it's time we look at them as industrious and ambitious.
Discovering the Hidden World of Alternative Data — www.weareworldquant.com
Another one for the "Every Business is a Data Business " file. This never gets old for me folks. While a little elementary, still an interesting read.
When an Industry Needs to Start Planning for the Next 50 Years, Not the Next Five — hbr.org
Legacy financial institutions could see their profits cut in half if they fail to evolve digitally and focus on Customer Experience. This is where the opportunity for FinTech lies -- using innovation and updated thinking to be a conduit for change.
Your Weekly Dose of Randomness...
Companies start implanting microchips into workers' bodies — www.latimes.com
Great. Passing gas in the elevator may now cost you your next raise.
Two days in an underwater cave running out of oxygen — www.bbc.co.uk
Still confirming if this is going to be made into a movie starring Nicolas Cage....
And The Last Word....
Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were
It’s not a pipeline problem. It’s about loneliness, competition and deeply rooted barriers.
A very important read, particularly if you have never worked at a company with a woman at CEO. I've some thoughts on this I hope to include in an upcoming newsletter intro. In the meantime, read it.