Credit: Eugene Kan

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Virtual influencers and big tech growth

The new hit app Zepeto and how the virtual avatar platform can lead to the continued rise of virtual influencers and digital exclusives in consumer goods and The non-stop growth of big tech and the ongoing relationship individuals must navigate with technology.

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The future book and the comeback of physical books

How the future book is already here even though its form may be different from what we expected and The comeback of physical books, in part thanks to social media.

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Creating projects inspired by heritage and airlines for millennials

A Nike football shirt created in collaboration with The NATIVE and use that subject as a launching point for discussing projects done well that are inspired by heritage and Why Air France’s airline Joon, which targets millennials, isn’t working and what could possibly make airlines more appealing when you control for price and schedule.

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Fashion profiling in Cambridge Analytica data and Amazon HQ2 gentrification

How Cambridge Analytica data found that fashion profiling reliably showed political leanings and what that means for fashion brands and Amazon HQ2 being built in Queens, New York and Crystal City, Virginia and what that means for those neighborhoods in the context of gentrification.

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Craigslist decreases waste generation and Rookie Mag closes

The impact of Craigslist on decreasing waste production and the possibilities for encouraging a wider culture of reusing and sharing items and How to stay true to personal interests while remaining responsible to others.

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Forbes 30 Under 30 and NASA inspired products

Under what circumstances envy can be good and bad. Charis points out the constant stream of NASA-inspired apparel and considers whether more can be done for women in STEM.

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Special episode recap of the Unexpected Connections conference

What went well, what could be improved on, and what lessons they’ve learned and The conference brought together people from disparate walks of life to speak in conversation with each other on stage. Speakers included John Maeda, Julia Huang, John C Jay, Jason Mayden, Jun Cha, Jennifer Ferro, Lindsay Jang, David Choe, James Bailey, Charis Poon, Eugene Kan, Jeff Staple, Karen Okonkwo, Madeleine Brand, Helen Zia, and Kenya Hara.

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The business of background music and nano-influencer marketing

The business of background music and the art of curating audio qualities that’s appropriate for brands and spaces and The shifts in the influencer economy towards nanoinfluencers and considers how this changes the prospects of influencers at various levels plus the actual overall effectiveness of these tactics.

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Feeling no pleasure in music and the anatomy of a TikTok hit

Musical anhedonia, the condition where people feel no pleasure in music, and whether that has implications on the world of audio and The anatomy of a TikTok hit and what kind of music goes viral on that platform.

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Streaming services and tokenism

Disney+ and Apple TV+, two new streaming services, launching with series that cost an unprecedented amount of money per episode to make and Tokenism: what it is, how to deal with it, and whether there are silver linings to it.