Each week, we share the top five articles that caught our attention. Here are your must-reads, published here and abroad, for the week of April 10th 2017.
Tesla’s best product is not a car
Yes, Tesla‘s market value recently surpassed Ford, but it wasn’t the popularity of its cars or its innovative solar-fed batteries that drove this surge—what did is its vision of a utopian future. James Montier, a value investor and a member of the asset allocation team at the investment management firm GMO, refers to this as “story stocks”. Rare, but hardly new, this term is applied to companies that have seduced their investors with a strong “brand story”, rather than financial performance.
→ Read it on The New York Times Pocket
Where are the Facebook alternatives?
In a 1961 speech to broadcast executives, Newton Minow, then President of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, recognized the immense power of TV, but identified its biggest problem as a lack of competition. The same can be said of Facebook. Brian Bergstein, an editor for both MIT Technology Review and Neo.Life magazines, has applied Minow’s ideas to the social network and concluded that such large-scale communications cannot be productive if controlled by a sole company.
→ Read it on MIT Technology Review Pocket
How podcasting is saving media
The media business is in deep trouble. Newspapers and magazines are dealing with fierce competition online, in addition to managing the threats posed by fake news, social media, ad blockers and other trends that undermine their credibility and make it difficult to generate ad revenues. Confronted with this sobering reality, how can media survive and thrive online? According to writer and Inc. magazine contributor, Geoffrey James, the solution may be podcasting.
→ Read it on Inc. Pocket
What memes tells us about the web
When we think about the enormous popularity of memes featuring Drake, Hillary Clinton, Obama and Biden, as well as more “underground” versions with Pepe the Frog and Evil Kermit, it’s natural to want to identify the specific trends that led to their development. To what extent do they reveal our online habits? Inspired by Google Trends, the ME.ME website has published a report on the evolution of memes in 2016-2017. For realz.
→ Read it on Numerama (In French) Pocket
The adult baked goods industry
The risqué goods on the shelves of “adult” bakeries go far beyond genital-shaped treats. As human beings continue to develop new habits and lifestyles, the variety of funny-kinky baked goods expands. In fact, the industry is constantly evolving! Looking for personalized cupcakes to celebrate a divorce? Brownies topped with candy boobs to mark your breast augmentation surgery? Let your imagination be your guide!
→ Read it on NPR Pocket
Who wins when the Habs are in the playoffs?
#Sponsored
The Canadiens have made the playoffs, to the infinite delight of hockey fans and retailers alike. The team can expect significant additional revenues, and the same is true of bars, brewers and the media… As we enter the “real season” of hockey, does the health of Montreal’s economy truly rest on the shoulders of Carey Price? Our VP Strategy, Stéphane Mailhiot, shares his thoughts on the matter.
→ Read it on our blog
In your earbuds: The Bernie Sanders Show
It was only a question of time before Bernie Sanders, a passionate Democratic Party candidate during the last U.S. presidential election, launched his own podcast. In each episode, this longest-serving independent Senator invites colleagues, activist friends, journalists, artists and other visionaries to talk about #resistance, political revolution and the future of the United States.
→ Listen to it on iTunes
This week’s favourite thing
Available in 12 colours, Solo® Cup is best known for its red version. A timeless classic, the Solo is easily recognizable at picnics, celebrations and BBQs, and has even inspired crafters and musicians. How did the practical and reliable red Solo® Cup achieve such lofty celebrity status?
Image by Tesla
