Warren Buffett’s Big Consumer Bets Bite Back

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Description: Warren Buffett has warned investors to stay in their circle of competence when it comes to bets. But now, more than 30 years after Buffett started plowing money into Coca-Cola Co., the rules of the consumer-product game have changed. Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Feb 22, 2019 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-22/buffett-s-consumer-bets-bite-as-kraft-coca-cola-face-pressure?srnd=premium Questions for discussion: Why did… Read more »

Everybody Makes Podcasts. Can Anyone Make Them Profitable?

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Description: The industry generates a lot of enthusiasm and little revenue, but that could be changing. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Feb 22, 2019 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-02-22/everybody-makes-podcasts-can-spotify-make-them-profitable?srnd=premium Questions for discussion: Summarize the highlights in this report that would be of interest to developers. What are the barriers to profitability for developers?

How Forbes Is Digitally Transforming Itself

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Description: Revamping a century-old business magazine is like changing car tires at 100 mph, according to Salah Zalatimo, chief digital officer at Forbes. Like a Nascar pit crew, the team responsible for transforming a company like Forbes has to work quickly and precisely. Source: eMarketer.com Date: Feb 21, 2019 Link: https://www.emarketer.com/content/how-forbes-is-digitally-transforming-itself?ecid=NL1001 Questions for discussion: What… Read more »

Why college is so expensive in America

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Description: Why college is so expensive in America Why college is so expensive in America from CNBC. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Feb 01, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/02/02/why-college-expensive-higher-education-student-loan-debt.html Questions for discussion: Summarize what the report says about the state of the “college education industry” today. What draws people to college? Should students pay for college… Read more »

Anheuser-Busch tries to make amends with corn farmers after Super Bowl ad

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Description: New York (CNN)Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, is looking to make amends with the National Corn Growers Association after the beer giant aired commercials with the slogan “brewed with no corn syrup” during Sunday’s Super Bowl. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 04, 2019 Link: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/04/business/anheuser-busch-corn-super-bowl/index.html Questions for discussion: Why was… Read more »

A tale of two toymakers: Mattel soars, Hasbro sinks, but there’s more to the story

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Description: On Friday shares of Mattel continued to soar after a strong earnings beat on Thursday, while shares of rival Hasbro sank, the result of a poor earnings showing before the bell. But there is more going on than these stock moves show. Source: CNBC.com Date: Feb 08, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/08/a-tale-of-two-toy-makers-mattel-soars-hasbro-sinks.html Questions for discussion: Why did Mattel stock price… Read more »

Apple needs a new retail strategy

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Description: New York (CNN Business)The Apple Store is at a crossroads. Its CEO is stepping down, and the iPhone, its most important product, is in a major slump. That’s bad news for Apple in the near-term — but a major opportunity for the Apple Store to take on an even bigger role for the company. Source:… Read more »

Podcast | How Much Trust Do Consumers Give Brands?

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Description: In the latest episode of “Behind the Numbers,” we’re talking about consumer trust in brands and digging into data from a survey by data platform Jebbit. We’re joined in the studio by Jebbit co-founder Jonathan Lacoste to discuss which brands have succeeded in winning customer trust, which have failed, and why. Source: eMarketer.com –… Read more »

Early Facebook designer: “Sometimes you don’t know something’s wrong until it’s too late”

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Description: Facebook acquired Maria Giudice’s design firm in 2013. Today, she’s an independent consultant and an advocate for “designing for unintended consequences.” Source: FastCompany.com Date: Feb 08, 2019 Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/90303374/early-facebook-designer-sometimes-you-dont-know-somethings-wrong-until-its-too-late?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fast%20Company%20Daily&position=5&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=02082019 Questions for discussion: What has changed online to make design so important to firms like Facebook? Why do you think Facebook acquired the firm, rather… Read more »

Video Game Stocks Get Clobbered, and Fortnite Is to Blame

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Description: Shares of video game makers slid on Wednesday after Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive Software delivered disappointing results. Those two stocks, as well as shares of rival Activision Blizzard, were down more than 10 percent. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Feb 07, 2019 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/06/business/dealbook/electronic-arts-take-two-fortnite-earnings.html Questions for discussion: What does this report say about the sources… Read more »