Crypto, Ye, Web3, AR, China, Hip Hop. Click Now For Your Weekly Cultural Intel Brief!

Happy Tuesday! Hope your week is off to a good start. As always, here is a quick look at a few things I'm tracking at the intersection of power, deals, trends in emerging tech, and media/entertainment through a pop culture/hip hop lens. This is fuel for your insights and strategy to better reach GenZ and Millennials. Here we go!

1) So... I hit a crypto/Web3 event last night that was cool. Cocktails and conversation. While chatting, a prominent attorney in the space told me that FTX customers will start to get their money back plus interest starting in October at a very handsome rate. He noted that these investors will probably re-invest right back into the crypto space rather than, say, energy, real estate, etc. If he's right, a moment of strong resurgence in the crypto space could be imminent and the trickle to NFTs and more will be felt. Interesting to ponder, no? At the same time, a company called Hip Hop Coins just happened to pop onto my radar. It's kinda cool, but what I really like is the info section about how this world works. Indeed, until there is less jargon, more simplicity; this arena will continue to remain very inside baseball. But leave it to hip hop to begin to cut through the noise. I think we'll see more innovation before the end of the year. And I'll be tracking movements and new comers that might pop up over the weeks given this FTX payout theory. Keep this on your radar. In the meantime, check out Hip Hop Coins right here.

*** Quick Note: if you are someone who wants to learn more about this powerful space of youth culture and how you can use it to better connect with Gen Z and Millennials and/or become part of the cultural narrative, connect with celebrated recording artists/notables in the space, and/or creates brand?strategy,?DM me to discuss further.

My team and I provide strategy and consulting for demystifying relevant emerging tech, defining the cultural opportunity, and defining a roadmap for the new era. We also provide content development, live event production, concept marketing ideas, proofreading/copywriting!

Learn about my Innovation Strategy & Creative Studio right here .

Not ready for a full strategy but definitely looking for insights to better plan for 2024 and beyond? Book?me to speak. From Keynotes to corporate leadership workshops, I provide competitive advantage through powerful insights, cultural intelligence, and emerging tech forecasts. Don't forget to check out my weekly podcast. ***Season 5, Episode 10 is live and looks at my top 10 moments at the intersection of emerging tech x hip hop for the year thus far. Don't miss my season finale. Season 6 kicks off on October 17, 2024. *** I mix it up between an interview with an industry figure and analysis of the latest deals and news to help you make sense of the opportunities. Think of it as an extension of your weekly brief here. Click now to get the scoop. Apple or Spotify. Please rate and follow!

2) Now, THIS is interesting. You have got to see the trend shift in consumer spending the numbers behind Ye's (formerly Kanye West's) concert in...China. But not just anywhere in China. He performed in a city called Haikou. A FIRST. It's remarkable in part because the show brought in an estimated $53 million in tourism revenue, but even more than that, the spend marked a major trend shift in the country. The power of hip hop just rocked an economy again.

Along the way, he helped accomplish an elusive task: get Chinese consumers to spend money. According to local government data, the concert on Sept. 15 sold over 42,000 tickets, generating more than 50 million yuan, or about $7.2 million, in revenue. More than 93% of the audience were from other parts of Mainland China, and 848 came from overseas.

Interesting, right? Now, all someone has to do here is connect the dots with the variety of AR elements, shopping, and more that is already ubiquitous in China; and it's an even bigger winner next time. So what have we learned? You can never count out Ye, and you can never underestimate the power of the culture. How are you planning to tap into it authentically for 2025? In the meantime, get all the deets and data on this show right here.

Well, that's it for this issue! See ya next Tuesday. Oh! Advertising Week kicks off next week so be sure and check out my hits and misses from the conference.

Have a great rest of the week!