Hans Gruber's Profile

Fantastic post and as a fan of GLOW I am happy that the relationship element won out.

I believe Netflix should institute several quantitative benchmarks while still operating within the relationship-driven bounds of Hollywood. The Company should establish baseline requirements for renewal that provide it with an easy out even in the face of in-demand showrunning talent while having a “zone of flexibility” that allows it to renew some shows but not others that have similar performance metrics.

On another note, I would be interested to get the author’s perspective on how Netflix’s performance metrics should compare to those of traditional television networks. One of my favorite shows growing up, Chuck, was repeatedly saved from cancellation by fan intervention (often at Subway restaurants [a major show sponsor]). However, the value that these passionate fans delivered to NBC in the form of a Subway sponsorship paled in comparison to the ad revenue from a show with better viewership. With little background, I would imagine that a small but passionate fan base delivers much higher value to Netflix than it does to a major network. I wonder how superfans of a specific Netflix show know how to campaign for their program’s renewal.

Tremendous article! I think you make an important point about sub-branding. Hershey has plenty of credibility but may be facing an uphill battle on quality as it seeks to convince pastry chefs that its 3D printed goods are worth the expenditure. B2B is a logical market for Hershey with the US restaurant industry growing 4.3% to nearly $800B in 2017 and the number of new restaurants growing at a slightly faster rate. One key question is whether Hershey’s would need to build out a separate distribution network in order to make this business feasible. As the author mentioned, chocolate introduces a significant fragility challenge, so the costs associated with developing this product line could dissuade Hershey from moving further into the B2B channel.

I am obsessed with KoF and thought this blog post illustrated the desperation that some sneakerheads have about certain colorways (https://www.kicksonfire.com/kofbestof2016-top-10-adidas-nmd-colorways/10/).

Adidas should always be able to sell out a new, 5000-pair release. Regardless of a sneaker’s functionality, which appears to be superb in this case, Adidas has more than enough consumers with a fashion focus to drive strong sales from limited edition releases. To understand the appeal of mass customization, I believe the Company would need to more clearly articulate the difference additive manufacturing can provide to its current MiAdidas capabilities which provide some customization albeit in a cumbersome fashion. How will this change my in store shopping experience? How will this change my online shopping experience? How will this impact the value of my Cookies and Cream Ultra Boosts?

Really awesome/intimidating article considering the only member of my household currently earning an income has similar concerns about the impact of machine learning on the role of medical practitioners.

I would be interested to examine whether the FDA would actually have authority to regulate an algorithm. Given this is a newer space, would a diagnostic algorithm function in a similar fashion to medical reference apps (e.g. Epocrates)? If so, should the FDA start to shape new policy on the way it monitors “reliable sources.”

I love this article and think leaning further into the innovation process would benefit L’Oreal. Your point about internal and external parties in competition is spot-on and consistent with what I have observed in other consumer businesses. In setting up an incubator, L’Oreal has joined P&G (Preneur), Unilever (Foundry), and Colgate Palmolive, but I believe the key differentiating element is the buy-in and participation of internal parties. I hope that L’Oreal will continue to foster employee participation in its innovation even as it pursues more external influence.

Thank you for highlighting the work Buzzfeed has done to encourage more user-generated stories. I would be interested to know if their volume of user-generated articles fits more into their “credible” vs. “social” content generation. I would like to see Buzzfeed actually initiate specific news challenges to help guide their content generation community. Although greater instruction might dissuade some users from producing Buzzfeed’s more viral content, I believe it would enhance the quality and resonance of their stories over the long-term.