Hey fam, I know it’s been a while, and as often happens, life just got really damn busy.
FIRST WORLD CUP
With less than two months until the World Cup starts, host cities and hotels are starting to panic about when the travel boom will materialize. Between America’s standing in the world, rising gas prices, fears of ICE, exorbitant ticket prices, and FIFA’s tone deaf and transactional leader, I'm surprised it’s not doing worse. But once it starts, I expect full stadiums, full bars, packed watching parties, and merch everywhere. (I do think the hotels will be okay, but below original projections).
Why am I so optimistic? It’s the game. For years we’ve been talking about the rise of futbol in America. But this time really is different for a myriad of reasons. Soccer is part of the streaming arms race in sports and live events, so it’s being promoted everywhere - La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and the Premier League are all on the major streamers. Nearly half of Premier League teams have some level of American ownership spurring soccer tourism. We’re a country made up of immigrants, many of whom bring a love of the game. The success of Christian Pusilic and the fears of CTE have pushed more talented kids into playing the sport. Despite FIFA’s leadership I’m excited for the game to grow even more in America, soccer is definitely on an upswing.
MICRO-TRIPS & STAYCATIONS MAKE A COMEBACK
Between the implosion of Spirit Airlines and Trump’s war in Iran pushing gas prices to the highest levels in years, a lot of people are being forced to rethink their summer plans. With international travel down, even in a World Cup year, domestic vacation spots will likely see more staycations and microvacations than usual. That creates a real opportunity for local branded experiences from sampling at beaches, pools, and state parks to sponsoring local music festivals usually can be done relatively cheaply. Outdoor movies, and farmers' markets are great places to capture man on the street content for your brand.
Marketers and brands should never neglect their own hometowns and backyards, especially this summer. On a side note - the Pinckney-Miller clan is following the trend with a jam-packed summer in Chicago, followed by a NYC roadtrip in August. Stay tuned for What’s Piqued Pinckney the NY edition.
NBA PLAYOFFS
Despite my adopted hometown of Chicago, I was born and raised in Queens, NY, which means , I’m a die-hard Knicks fan. So yes, I’ve been loving these Eastern Conference playoffs. It feels like a throwback with the Knicks, Sixers, Lakers, Rockets, Celtics, and Pistons in the first round.
But as much as I love the games, I am frustrated how the NBA has handled its streaming deals. This post-season, you’ll need ESPN, Peacock, and Amazon Prime—which adds up fast. Even if you have YouTubeTV or Sling, you’d still need an Amazon Prime account. Boo. What’s even worse was the first round scheduling, with overlapping games bleeding into the second round. As streaming services rely more heavily on live sports, expect this sort of fragmentation to be more common. It turns out streaming has become just as onerous as cable.
AI ≠ LAYOFFS
A recent Gartner quote stopped me in my tracks:
“Workforce reductions may create budget room, but they do not create return.”
Exactly.
For those who have been working in AI for a while, the glee with which CEOs talked about layoffs was not only sociopathic, it was strategically wrong. AI is a tool best used in partnership WITH people, not as a replacement. At The Big Idea Catalyst, we built AI for All, an interactive half-day workshop designed to help organizations create sustainable AI future by putting people at the center of every AI pilot and proposal. Your team will learn how to:
To learn more about the workshop or schedule a conversation with me, click here. Stop laying people off and start investing in your team.
Listen to the Spotify playlist inspired by this blog post!
Schedule a meeting with The Big Idea Catalyst!
Subscribe to What's Piqued Pinckney?