OK, and? The intro.
We started this publication because we would read about what was happening in in tech, culture and brand — but it was rare people dug in to why it mattered.
We started OK- and? to write about stuff we thought was interesting, but most importantly — to deal with the ‘so what’. This is us sharing our take and exploring how we can respond to these insights by applying them to our work and lives.
01 Everyone’s going wild for NFT’s — but is it a craze?
At the core of NFT’s is the behaviour/desire to ownership and trade valuable assets (think football cards, expensive art, vintage cars etc). The biggest difference though, is that NFT’s live in the digital world. The tech is exciting — the core offering is nothing particularly new.
Gartner’s Hype cycle provides a presentation of the maturity of emerging technologies through five phases. NFT’s are solidly in the “peak of inflated expectations” at the moment.
Ok, and? In our opinion, the brands that will win, will be the ones that allow users to not only own digital assets, but give them the tools to do something with them in the metaverse. This space represents the true democratisation of the capability to create and supply value and demand to a market, which has previously required capital and physical resources. In the metaverse, anyone can create the next big thing, and in these new market dynamics brands have to identify their role, releasing control and nurturing creators.
02 You can visit a virtual Gucci garden in the Roblox metaverse
Alongside the opening of the House’s Gucci Garden Archetypes — Gucci have launched a multimedia virtual experience. The virtual version of the garden includes several themed rooms that each pay homage to a different era of Michele’s six year reign over the House.
Ok, and? In a year where live events became almost non-existent, many brands innovated and took the attitude of, ‘just because you can’t physically go to an event — doesn’t mean you can’t go at all’ (think Travis Scott and Fortnite). This need for virtual entertainment opened up a world of creative possibilities and opportunities for brands — we’ve seen this especially through gaming.
Creating experiences in platforms like Roblox and Fortnite also offers brands a way of tapping in to new audiences. There are an estimated 3.4 billion gamers worldwide, 27 per cent of whom are between 21 and 30.
The key to doing it well is: excellence in storytelling, allowing the audience creative ways to take part and doing something fresh and exciting.
Read here
03 Microsoft Patented Ai To Imitate Your Dead Family
Remember when we all freaked out because Kanye got a hologram of Kim’s Dad for her birthday?
Well it turns out Microsoft has been granted a patent that would allow the company to make a chatbot using the personal data of deceased people. The patent describes creating a bot based on the “images, voice data, social media posts and electronic messages”. Microsoft has even introduced 2D or 3D models of specific people being generated via images and video data.
OK, and? This made us ask ourselves, what is it that makes up a person? And is our online footprint a genuine representation of who we are? For us, in an area that is so emotionally potent, one of the key considerations here is access and model. Will Microsoft or other private companies define how loved ones get to engage with the avatars of those they love…given the ongoing issues between mental health and how technology is currently used, these types of ‘concepts’ should be given far more consideration and public ownership. Patents may not be the best move for brands to communicate their intentions.
Read more here.
04 Facebook says sharing isn’t always caring
Facebook is testing a pop-up that reminds users to ensure they read content before sharing it. The pilot is going to start with 6% of Android users. The announcement is similar to a feature Twitter announced in June 2020, that would encourage users to read an article before retweeting it.
Ok, and? At a time where there are so many incredibly poignant things happening in the world and an unfortunate increase in fake news, brands and companies are increasingly being held accountable to manage the impact of their business on people, communities and the world. Algorithms either simply commoditise everything or accelerate extremism, particularly in a world of micro-consumption and clickbait. So the key question we have is will brands and content creators follow suit and if they do what might this look like? We have seen the carbon-footprint comms plastered across ad-creative, but how quickly will these progressive statements create real progressive models?
Read more here.
05 Snapchat boosts AR try on tools
Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen a growth in virtual try-on. It’s allowed fashion brands to model their products offline. From trying a new lipstick shade, to seeing how furniture looks in your living room — AR is providing exciting new ways for consumers to discover products and try before you buy. Snap have partnered with brands like Prada and Farfetch to showcase their new AR capabilities that elevate the ability to try on virtually. The new ‘3D body mesh’ is built to replicate how clothes or accessories would fit in real life. It’s no secret Snap is pushing into the ecommerce space.
Ok, and? This is exciting for a whole host of reasons. Firstly, these developments provide brands with an opportunity to create clothes that can’t exist physically, for example: digital fabrics, animations or 3D elements (think Buffalo’s flame trainers). Secondly, this is key in terms of sustainable product development — brands can glean real-time customer insights (for example gauging interest around style, sizing before even physically making a product). And lastly, when you’re online shopping, you never know how something is going to fit you.The drape of the fabric, how it sits on your body. We’ve seen brands playing in the AR ‘virtual-try on’ space, but none of the tech has been good enough to really solve the problem. Snap’s new features though, make us really excited for the future.
Read more here.
06 Scientists say we perceive time differently in virtual reality
A team of researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, found that time moves quickly whilst wearing a VR headset, compared to playing the same game on a two-dimensional screen. The researchers suggest that the effect could be the result of the fact that you are less aware of your physical body inside VR.
Ok, and? This is interesting because as we begin to build more experiences in virtual spaces and people spend more time in the metaverse, our perceptions of reality and value are going to shift. Today, and historically, we predominantly equate time and material as our key metrics of value, but as digital becomes more pervasive in our lives, experience and culture meaning increasingly matter. Something we often forget is that our present human form is not our final destination, and in fact we are progressively evolving ourselves through our creations whether consciously or not. So a fascinating thing to contemplate is, how will this affect our biology and psychology as we evolve in conjunction with these new technologies and what brands and companies create? Does this make us more thoughtful with what we create? We will see.
Read more here
07 Pinterest introduces Idea Pins, a video-first feature aimed at creators
We’ve seen a huge increase in platforms like TikTok and Instagram providing tools for their Creators — and Pinterest is stepping into this space too. Pinterest is expanding further into the creator community with the launch of a video-first feature called “Idea Pins,” aimed at creators who want to tell their stories using video, music, creative editing tools and more.
Ok, and? This is a smart movie from Pinterest. Their core offering is around creativity and inspiration and so a video feature feels like the obvious next step. Pinterest have clearly seen what’s successful in the social space as video content and influencer marketing grows in popularity, and are leveraging their existing audience to provide them with creatives with tools to do more (and of course you can buy anything that shows up on screen).
Read here
08 Abercrombie and Fitch partner with TikTok stars Dixie and Charli D’Amelio to create new D2C brand Social Tourist
The two sisters are set to launch Social Tourist, a new brand under the Abercrombie & Fitch portfolio that will be sold exclusively at Hollister.
OK, and? We’re seeing a shift in power as influencers on social platforms are having more sway than ever in terms of determining brand value, with consumers. Abercrombie and Fitch, a brand that has received a lot of backlash for their attitude of “you can only work in our stores if you’re pretty”, are finding a smart new way to survive/re-invent themselves within this new brand/consumer dynamic. Brands need to embrace the power of influencers, consumers and find their place within culture.
Read here
09 Reddit unveils Reddit Talk
Reddit has announced its audio product called Reddit Talk. The talks live within communities and currently, only a community’s moderators will be able to start a talk. The product hasn’t deviated much from Clubhouse’s overall design where speakers sit at the top of the screen in a stage area of sorts, and listeners appear below.
OK, and? Digital audio is growing considerably. It’s reached a record high of 28.3m adults a week (+14% YoY) in the UK. This means more than half of UK adults listen to digital audio each week. After seeing the hype and pick-up around Clubhouse, Reddit have clearly decided to create a similar model, except they’re already in the lead as they have an existing social graph, and an incredibly loyal user base.
Read more here.
