#5 Everyone is a copywriter. Right?
Week 2 May 2022
Hello and welcome to edition #5. This is my last week before I go on a 10 day holiday, the first real proper break since Christmas 2021. I’m not sure if I will write a Substack next week, but I will try to. I cannot wait to rest, I have worked hard since December on finding, well, flow as well as some other anxiety management techniques and it’s worked superbly but wow, do I need a break.
This week I’ve mostly been thinking about copy, decision making and the next phase of the internet, just the small things then. I have also become engrossed in a book at the middle of my personal Venn diagram - see my bonus at the bottom of the Substack for that recommendation, such a tease, I know.
Now, on to the #content.
LINK 👉 🔗 1. How Duolingo built a successful $250 million brand by being kind of a jerk
I love TikTok, I think it’s a remarkable platform. It takes real trust, freedom, confidence and genuinely entertaining content for a brand to succeed, which make it tough for many. There is much talk of “authenticity” as the key USP to succeed, which I think is partly true but overstated IMO, actually, it’s pure entertainment that people want, that could be authentic, or it could be really well-done thinking/comedy conceit. You don’t scroll on TikTok, you watch it, for ages, with the sound on. That’s the difference
Duolingo are the darlings right now, rightly so. I think the headline of the link is a bit of stretch - they had been doing it off TikTok or at least testing for a while, but they are worth watching, learning and importantly, seeing what they do next.
LINK👉 🔗 2. Is Snap the most underrated social network? Maybe.
Snap has been around a long time. They held a summit this week and the news and mentions focus on their new drone - which looks wicked tbf - but actually I thought about how impressive they have been in shipping great products, all with a genuine social lens. They are interestingly anti ‘metaverse’ according to Spiegel. If I have to call something out, I’d suggest they need a more rounded and clear creator/influencer product on platform for creators and brands, but I think that’s coming.
LINK 👉 🔗 3. 20 years of the internet and lessons from Mastodon.
There are two important stories in this post by my favourite Substack, Garbage Day. The first story is about the culture of the last 20 years of the internet, told via the unsavoury online comic.
The second is about Mastodon, a social network I’d never heard of until the start of this week. But has been mentioned three times in various newsletters I sub to in 7 days. Here’s a quote on what Mastadon is:
It’s essentially the decentralized protocol that Jack Dorsey has been dreaming of turning Twitter into. Except, it’s been around for years. If you’re having trouble envisioning how Mastodon works, imagine a Twitter for all of your friends. And imagine you start dating someone who has a Twitter for all of their friends. Because Mastodon is what’s called a “federated” social network, in this scenario, you and the person you are dating would be able to link your friend group Twitters together, effectively blending them. If you broke up, you could defederate them.
2.5 quick web3 things.
Li Jin is my favourite person investing, talking and writing about web3, her piece on the ownership economy is great. Lots of scams out there, but there is *something* interesting in the ethos.
2. Some awkward facts about Yuga Labs from those within the community. Good analysis from mainstream here and more depth must read on NFTs and this mess here.
Thread below worth your time 🧵👇
And 👇🏼
2.5. And this, on the bizarre decisions on ApeCoin which benefit no one from what I can objectively see, other than…well, you’ll see. 👇🏼
Odds and ends, basic links. Little commentary, just pure linkage, in wine terms, low intervention links.
Why Elon doesn’t get Twitter. At least this is the only link on him this week.
It’s okay to be quiet in meetings. 100% - I need to get better at this.
A fantastic deck and commentary from W&K on the case for chaos.
This 👇🏼 made me laugh and the comments are amazing.
Adieu.
I cannot wait for my rest next week. I’ve been really bad at taking time off, not only because I’ve been busy, but because I suck at switching off and find I need proper time, not 2-3 days. Every time I *do* take time off, properly, I feel lighter, clearer in thought and more motivated, there’s a learning in there somewhere…so obvious isn’t it? TAKE YOUR HOLIDAYS.
Bonus.
As mentioned. I’ve gone deep in a book I’ve had for a while, thinking in bets, by Annie Duke. As someone fascinated by decision-making models and strategy with an old life playing (very below average) bricks and mortar and online poker this book is very much in the middle of my personal Venn diagram. I even did my masters dissertation on poker, but that’s another story. If you’re interested in decision making, with imperfect info and how to rethink decisions from pure outcomes (which may not always be because of your decisions) to a more consistent decision-making process, culture and planning, this may be something to listen or read.
All the spelling and grammatical mistakes in this Substack are on purpose to test you, actually. Well done. You got them all. No, I don’t need to know about then, you can keep that kudos.