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“We’ve got a bunch of great C chords! There’s gonna be some E minors and some G’s! And some cymbal hits!”

That’s not a great way to sell an album. Information rarely sells art.

Information rarely sells most things.

Features and specs help make the final decision, when the consideration set has been narrowed down.

Emotional messaging is where the process starts.

People aren’t searching for a specific horsepower on their lawnmower. They’re searching for shorter grass with less effort.

They’re searching for a well maintained stage for memories.

_via Gabe the Bass Player

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Meta is growing its smart glasses lineup 🕶️

Another name brand partnership, this time geared towards a different consumer. Clearly there is revenue here.

Like the existing Meta Ray-Ban glasses, the Oakley model features a front-facing camera, along with open-ear speakers and microphones that are built into the frame. After they are paired with a phone, the glasses can be used to listen to music or podcasts, conduct phone calls, or chat with Meta AI. By utilizing the onboard camera and microphones, Meta AI can also answer questions about what someone is seeing and even translate languages.

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Silicon Valley has agreed, smart/XR glasses are the future.

The Goliaths are taking the iterative approach. Start with the minimum viable device and move towards optics. They want to own the platform.

Xreal is taking the opposite approach. Start with the optics and work back to platform status.

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amid the race to automate, a critical truth is emerging: the brands making the most significant impact aren’t the fastest. They’re the most intentional. When everything is automated, meaning becomes the differentiator.

via MarTech

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May was a rough month unless you could partake in the Memorial Day sale bonanza, based on my experience.

Consumer spending data backs this up, according to EMARKETER:

US retail sales fell more than expected in May from April, the latest sign that tariff fears and economic volatility are affecting consumer spending.

There are signs of resilience, but plenty of red flags 🚩

Consumer confidence remains well below what it was at the end of 2024, as concerns about the economy, employment, and finances remain elevated due to ongoing volatility and lack of clarity on tariffs.

Even high-income consumers are beginning to rethink their spending, with many choosing to trade down or pull back on discretionary categories like dining out and luxury goods