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ARKit AR-Enabled Dance Practice (Video)

A simple, smart application of AR to learn how to do something we personally have had no hope of learning through any other mechanism thus far.

This particular effort uses Apple's ARKit, and so far at least, it looks promising. Though they could go ahead and just add an option for two left feet for us.

Read more here.

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Sausage Party: The Dancing Hotdog Snapchat Filter (Video)

We didn't see the dancing hotdog on Snapchat until this last weekend, and we've been having fun with it ever since (see this YouTuber's video above to see what it looks like). Simple and subversive at the same time.

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Share a (Personalized) Coca-Cola Video and a Smile

Talk about a Coke and a smile.

Longtime readers know we're huge fans of Coca-Cola marketing (though we're NOT happy to hear Coke Zero is getting replaced by Coke Zero Sugar ... but we digress).

Check out this new website, where you can enter a friend's first name and send a personalized video to them. Coke created 1,000 custom videos for the effort, from Ashley to Abdullatif and beyond. There's even a song if they haven't added a name you're looking for yet.

We know "Open Happiness" is long gone, but this would have fit perfectly.

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Robot Colonel Sanders Isn't The Only New KFC Freakiness (Video)


From the WTF Dept: There's a National Fried Chicken Day.

From the WTF Dept: There's a al Fried Chicken Day.

Oh, and this Funny or Die video captures what happens when a robot Harland ("Human Assisted Animatronic Linguistic Networked Device") Sanders takes orders at the drive-thru to celebrate.

Still, as strange as it may seem, this isn't even KFC's oddest promotion.

Yesterday it was reported KFC has a new Colonel Sanders smartphone (insert your own "finger clicking good" joke here).

And let's not forget the Colonel Sanders superhero comics from DC.

As if we could ever unsee them.

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Is 'Amazon Go' the Future of Whole Foods? (Video)

Mobile_amazon_go_rick_mathieson_genwow_generationwow As goes Whole Foods, so goes the future of grocery stores?

A lot has been made of Amazon's recent announcement that it will acquire Whole Foods for a whopping $13.7 billion (insert your own "Whole Paycheck" joke here).

Many  have speculated the brand will continue to operate as it has, with enhanced pre-ordering and home delivery. But Amazon may have something far bigger in mind.

As Business Insider recently pointed out, Amazon released a video back in December on a concept it calls 'Amazon Go'.

Here, shoppers use an Amazon Go app to pre-order items in a virtual cart. When they get to the store, they simply walk in, scan the app at a turnstile, pick up the items they want, and walk out the door, without ever digging for cash, writing a check, swiping a card—or ever standing in line.

Using what Amazon calls "Just Walk Out" technology, Amazon Go leverages "deep learning algorithms, computer vision and sensor fusion" to keep track of what you pick up in-store. It'll even know if you put something back, or picked up additional items, and update your order. Everything's automatically charged to your account when you walk out the door.

It's a fascinating and compelling vision. It's also one shared by many others, of course.

It's been well over a decade since I started chatting with Seth Godin, Tom Nicholson and others about the concept—and how elements of it have already been applied for brands such as Prada and Tesco—as showcased in my books, The On-Demand Brand and Branding Unbound.

What I think is especially elegant about Amazon's concept is that it at least appears to remove the need for things like RFID tags to be applied at the item level, and for readers to be set up throughout the store—something that has so far proven costly and impractical. At least from this video, the technology appears to be completely invisible to the customer. The first Go location opened for Amazon employees in Seattle earlier this year.

It'll be a blast to see how the concept develops, and what role if any Whole Foods ultimately plays in its evolution.

However things play out there, it's hard to imagine some version of this concept is not just the future of Whole Foods or even just the grocery category.

It's the future of retailing itself.

Click to learn more about Amazon Go.

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KLM Audio-Enabled, Location-Aware Luggage Tags Give Travelers Tips About Town (Video)

KLM Airlines is thinking beyond the flight to help visitors to Amsterdam make their way around town.

Its new audio-enabled, location-aware "Care Tag" offers audio tips on things to see and do, based on where you are at any time. What's interesting is it consists of a speaker and an offline GPS module, so there's no telephony or Internet connection required. The voices even come from KLM crew members.

"At KLM we always go the extra mile to give you the best personal service during your flight," the airline says on a special site set up to promote the tags. "And now we are also looking after you during your stay. With the Care Tag, it feels like our crew is always with you to help you around."

Indeed, it's a perfect example of a travel brand using digital, data-based technology to extend the brand experience in a unique and compelling way.

Learn more here.

 

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'The Humanium Metal Initiative' Wins Innovation Grand Prix (Video)

Not exactly turning turning swords into plowshares, but perhaps it's even better.

The Humanium Initiative recycles metal from illegal weapons busts and forfeiting programs and then makes it available for commercial production by brands. As FastCompany reports, the idea is to make your products "a symbolic result of a less violent world."

Small wonder it won the Innovation Lions Grand Prix at this year's Cannes Lions Festival.

Kudos to all involved.

Learn more, here.

 

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Win Free Beer with Amstel's 'Snatch' AR Game (Video)

It's like Pokémon Go - with beer.

Dutch beer brand Amstel has teamed up with mobile AR treasure hunt app Snatch to give away 10,000 free pints to people who "snatch" and hold onto their prizes for up to six hours.

Oh, and in addition to the free beer, there are 20 bikes at stake—and three trips to Amsterdam.

They had us at "AR" and "beer," but those will work, too. 

Learn more, here.

 

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'Fearless Girl' Refuses to Put Up with Bull, Wins Big at Cannes (Video)


We're still loving "Fearless Girl"—the diminutive statue created by State Street Investors as part of a special fund for women leaders in honor of International Women's Day. It's great to see she won so many accolades at Cannes this year. Congrats to everyone behind #Fearlessgirl.

 

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'We're the Superhumans' Wins Film Grand Prix (Video)

This short film for last year's Paralympics is phenomenal (wait 'til you see the long jump at the end). Amazing stuff from all - onscreen and off - and one kick-ass Film Grand Prix winner.

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