TV, Now on FB! How much time do you spend on Facebook during a day? Well, starting in mid-August you might as well stay logged in permanently, because the company’s foraying into online television in an attempt to command even more of its users’ time and advertiser dough. Amazon and Netflix are also keeping a close watch, because the platform has hired former TV and media execs and has multiple high-end original series in the works. It’ll be interesting to see how this affects targeting and placement opportunities. While we’re on the topic, Facebook also shared how they’re continuing to up their tech ante, with sophisticated enhancements for Live 360 and plans to release a smart touchscreen speaker in early 2018. Can’t slow that roll. LINK
Phelps in Deep Water Over CGI Shark Race: Sorry, we can’t resist the occasional pun. You may have heard the Internet abuzz re: Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps’ “race” against a shark as part of the highly anticipated Shark Week’s events. What you may nothave known, is that there’s actually a portion of the population that believes in a shark’s ability to comprehend race regulations and swim undistractedly in a straight line next to what looks like a pretty great dinner. Well, once people learned how the sausage—er, CGI shark—was made, controversy ensued. Phelps’ response? “IDGAF.” LINK
Instagram’s Influence Extends to Interior Design: We’ve been admiring restaurant chain by CHLOE.’s aesthetic for a minute, down to their beautifully branded menus and packaging, but did you know that those details were carefully considered with Instagrammers in mind? Now, businesses are taking this mentality a step further and working with entrepreneurs who specialize in designing Instagrammable spaces. That’s one way to get more buzz, UGC and foot traffic. Also, if you’re in NY, swing by Pietro Nolita for your daily recommended dosage of Pepto—I mean “Millennial”—pink. 💅 LINK
Emojis Made it to a Bigger Screen: The Emoji Movie was released yesterday and is not receiving great reviews. Whether or not you’ve got plans to see the flick, it’s hard to deny the social and cultural impact of emojis and what they enable in communication. Emojis have become a means for us to express emotion and personality, and research studies even assert that emoji users are more effective communicators—just make sure to keep using your words, too. 🆒? LINK
Oh Happy Day Announces “Color Factory” Pop-Up Exhibition: Facing unrelenting competition in the blogging world, influencers are finding new ways to connect with their communities beyond the digital realm. The artist and designer behind the popular blog, Oh Happy Day, recently announced the launch of “Color Factory”, a two-story immersive exhibition in San Francisco that’s opening next month. Visitors can explore this massive collaborative work at their leisure, losing themselves in 10,000 colored ribbons, multiple photo stations or a giant yellow ball pit that’s giving us Museum of Ice Cream vibes. We don’t know totally what to expect, but one thing’s for certain: There will be ‘grams. LINK
GREG SWAN 