Business

Where’s Other Bob? – How Bob Chapek Is Ruining Disney

Published

1 year ago

May 10, 2022

In February of 2020, Bob Iger stunned the business world by announcing that he was stepping down as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company after 15 successful years.

“I don’t want to run the company anymore.”

Fair enough, Bob.

During his tenure as CEO, Iger turned an already successful company and brand to even greater, more international heights. He broadened Disney’s library of content with the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. He made critical headway in East Asian markets. Under his guidance, the beloved company’s market capitalization grew from $48 billion to $257 billion.

It wasn’t just his savvy business mind that expanded Disney’s capital and influence. Bob Iger is widely regarded to have great interpersonal relationships. People across the board adore Iger. People did business with him because they liked him and his ideas.

It wasn’t just surprising and heartbreaking that Iger was stepping down after leading Disney to such success. It was who he chose to take over that was surprising: Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Bob Chapek.

It’s only been two years, but in that short time, it really seems that Bob Chapek is ruining Disney.

Chapek The Rising Star

Chapek began his career at Disney in 1993 as the marketing director for Buena Vista Home Entertainment at a time when VHS was still dominant but DVD was waiting in the wings. He is widely credited for bringing Disney’s home entertainment division into the digital age by leaning into the emergence of DVD and eventually Blu-ray.

Then-CEO Michael Eisner had high hopes for Chapek’s career:

“He was always an executive that you knew would be on the rise. He knew how to grow the business while adjusting to the changing marketplace, which was intense.”

And rise he did. In 2006, Chapek was promoted to president of Buena Vista Home Entertainment. Three years later, he was president of distribution for Walt Disney Studios. Two years after that, Chapek was appointed president of Disney Consumer Products.

Chapek was building success for Disney under Iger’s leadership. It wouldn’t be until 2015 that Chapek’s star rose even higher.

Disney’s Marvel-ous Galaxy Far, Far Away

After Michael Eisner was pushed out as CEO in 2005, Iger was warmly welcomed into the role. He started his tenure off very strong in 2006 when he led Disney’s acquisition of Pixar for $7.4 billion. This set an optimistic tone for Disney’s future after the post-Renaissance lull.

Roy E. Disney, in particular, was excited about Iger’s new role:

“Animation has always been the heart and soul of the Walt Disney Company, and it is wonderful to see Bob Iger and the company embrace that heritage by bringing the outstanding animation talent of the Pixar team back into the fold.

“This clearly solidifies The Walt Disney Company’s position as the domination leader in motion picture animation and we applaud and support Bob Iger’s vision.”

Iger’s vision was simple: bigger and better. In 2009, he led Disney’s acquisition of Marvel for $4 billion. In 2012, after a casual chat with George Lucas about retiring, Disney acquired Lucasfilm (and with it, the rights to the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises) for $4 billion.

Chapek ended up being a crucial talent for Iger’s vision. In 2015, he was named chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. In that role, he oversaw the launch of Pandora – The World of Avatar, directly managed the construction and opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and invested a staggering $24 billion into theme parks, attractions, hotels, and cruise ships.

That investment paid off in 2017 when Disney’s parks and resorts saw a 14% increase in operating income. This is when the media began to whisper and murmur about Chapek being a possible candidate for Disney CEO.

In 2018, as the company was preparing for the launch of Disney+, some divisions were reorganized and Chapek was given back the consumer products division in addition to his parks and resorts responsibilities.

Iger had faith in Chapek:

“Bob comes to this new role with an impressive record of success at both parks and resorts and consumer products and he is the perfect leader to run these combined teams.”

This open praise by Iger only fueled media speculation about Chapek’s candidacy for CEO.

Speaking of which…

Surprise! Chapek’s The New CEO

In 2020, Bob Chapek was announced as the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company, much to the surprise of many Disney employees who expected Tom Staggs to take over. The only caveat was that Iger, due to COVID, would handle many of Disney’s operational duties. This would ease Chapek into the role during a tumultuous time.

Iger stayed on in some capacity until the end of 2021. As he left, he warned executives not to let data influence Disney’s creative decisions.

Chapek knew the future of media consumption and made it a point to direct Disney in the right direction – producing direct-to-consumer content via Disney+:

“It’s about having a granular understanding of what the consumption patterns are, and then speaking to the consumers in a way that’s going to be relevant to the content that they want specifically for themselves.

“And, by doing so, we’ll drive engagement and consumption.”

Chapek settled into his new role with confidence. It wouldn’t be until legal problems presented themselves that Chapek’s lack of interpersonal talent and misguided priorities became a real problem for Disney.

The new CEO would unwittingly drive wedges between creative talent and executives in such a messy fashion that it would bring his status into question.

Chapek’s Embarrassing Legal Fumbles

Chapek’s talent as a “numbers guy” was no help for him as Disney navigated survival under COVID. While no one blames him for having to shut down parks and slowly reopen under CDC guidance, there were legal issues Chapek handled poorly, to put it mildly.

Black Widow Lawsuit

After a one-year absence, Scarlet Johansson reprised her role as Black Widow in her own solo film, on which she served as Executive Producer. The film proved to be a major success and vehicle for the superstar. However, due to COVID, many planned theatrical releases were canceled and moved to streaming platforms.

In July 2021, she filed a lawsuit against Disney. In the suit, she claimed that the simultaneous release of Black Widow on Disney+ breached a clause in her contract. Johansson was entitled to box-office profits, which the release on Disney+ denied her.

Disney responded… aggressively. The company went on a character attack, claiming that Johannson was indifferent to the “horrific and prolonged” effects of the pandemic. The back-and-forth between the two parties was very messy until they reached a settlement in September that year.

“Don’t Say Gay”

In 2022, Florida passed Florida House Bill 1557 (also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill). During the backlash, reports surfaced about Disney funding the very legislaters who wrote and sponsored the bill.

Normally, a company funding politicians wouldn’t come under much scrutiny. But the extremity of the bill was in direct contradiction with Disney’s proudly public pro-LGBTQ+ stance.

In a company memo, Chapek refused to criticize the controversial bill and intentionally played down the company’s backing of anti-LGBT legislators. His statements and lack of action drew quick backlash. And then came the backpedaling:

“I want to be crystal clear: I and the entire leadership team unequivocally stand in support of our LGBTQ+ employees, their families, and their communities. And, we are committed to creating a more inclusive company — and world.

“We all share the same goal of a more tolerant, respectful world. Where we may differ is in the tactics to get there. And because this struggle is much bigger than any one bill in any one state, I believe the best way for our company to bring about lasting change is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create, and the diverse community organizations we support.”

Disney announced that is was withdrawing all political donations and instead turning their financial support to LGBTQ+ causes. Florida Governor Ron Desantis retaliated in a way he almost certainly did not think through.

But that’s an entirely different story.

Will Chapek Squander Iger’s Success?

It’s a little early to say for sure. After all, it’s only been two years. Chapek is having a rocky start to his tenure, to say the least. But there’s always room for improvement.

The test of a good CEO is how they handle bad situations. Chapek had little control over COVID but had plenty of control how Disney handled the Black Widow lawsuit and the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The tensions he created between executives and creatives is incredibly damaging to a company that champions creativity above all else.

Chapek, as of today, still hasn’t quite found his footing. His latest embarrassing blunder involved comparing himself to Iron Man and confusing Disneyland’s motto for Disney World’s at his alma matter, Indiana University:

“IU was my ticket to a new life…I was kind of desperate. Desperate to demonstrate my worthiness and desperate not to waste a dime of my parents’ money on a school that was frankly testing my limits at the time.

“But that desperation turned to determination and my dream of defying expectations and the odds took over. And just like Iron Man draws his energy from that Arc Reactor, I get a thump from my drive to prove myself every single day.

“It’s a lifetime power supply that pushes me through doubts, difficulties and around those who underestimate kids from the region.”

In the speech, Chapek confused Disneyland’s motto “The Happiest Place on Earth,” for Disney World’s “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” OOPS. The motto mixup gaffe wouldn’t be that big of a deal, if Chapek hadn’t run Disney’s parks for five years.

Bob Chapek has become a bit of a joke of a CEO. Whether or not he can turn his reputation around is entirely up to him. As of now, morale at Disney post-Iger is low and does not like the direction Chapek has been driving the iconic company. The creative geniuses that drive Disney’s success must be wondering, “Where’s other Bob?”

Iger, despite rumors of tensions between the two Bobs, has expressed support for Chapek:

“He’s very different from me. That doesn’t mean he can’t do that job well. Give him time. It’s the only fair thing to do.”

Fair enough, Bob.

Business

6 Companies That Use Chatbots For Marketing and Customer Service

Published

3 hours ago

June 1, 2023

Amaya Maravilla

Chatbots have emerged as powerful tools that bridge the gap between humans and machines. These intelligent virtual assistants have transformed how we interact with technology, providing seamless and engaging conversational experiences across the web. We will explore popular chatbots that have made their mark on the web. These chatbots have unique capabilities and applications like customer service, e-commerce, healthcare, and productivity.

What are Chatbots?

Chatbots are computer programs that simulate human-like conversations through text or voice interactions. They use artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to understand and respond to user queries and requests.

Chatbots can be deployed across various platforms, including websites, messaging applications, and voice assistants. Today, chatbots are widely used as a tool for customer service, information retrieval, personal assistants, and more.

How Do Chatbots Work?

images of headphones, cellphone, smartwatch and the name SIri

At the center of chatbot technology lies NLP, the same technology that enables voice recognition systems used by virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana.

Chatbots process the user’s text prompt before responding based on algorithms that interpret and identify what the user said. Then, it infers what they mean or want and determines appropriate responses based on this information.

While chatbot technology differs from NLP technology, the former can only advance as quickly as the latter. With continued developments in NLP, chatbots remain independent of algorithms’ ability to detect the subtle nuances in written and spoken dialogue.

This is where most applications of NLP need help, not just chatbots. Any app that relies upon a machine’s ability to parse human speech will likely struggle with the complexities inherent in elements of speech, such as metaphors and similes. Despite these considerable limitations, chatbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated and responsive.

To further show chatbots’ benefits, six companies use advanced technology for marketing and customer support.

1. Endurance Robots

Russian technology company Endurance developed its companion chatbot. Some patients with dementia can’t engage in meaningful conversations anymore. But many people with the disease retain much of their conversational abilities as their illness progresses. However, the shame and frustration that many people with dementia experience often make routine, everyday talks with even close family members challenging.

The Endurance chatbot aims to determine differences in conversational models that may indicate immediate recollection problems. Even though this is quite an ambitious technical challenge for an NLP-based system.

Since the chatbot is a cloud-based solution, physicians and family members can review communication logs taken from the bot. The process helps identify potential degradation of memory function and communicative obstacles that could signify deterioration of the patient’s condition.

2. Casper

Enter the fantastic Insomnobot 3000, a conversational agent that aims to give insomniacs someone to talk to while the rest of the world rests easy. It was created by a digital agency called ACNE in partnership with the mattress company Casper.

Insomnobot 3000 is available through text messaging and is designed to keep users company during the late hours when they may be struggling with sleeplessness. The chatbot engages in casual conversations, provides distractions, shares stories, and offers a listening ear to help alleviate feelings of loneliness or anxiety accompanying insomnia.

While Insomnobot 3000 can provide some comfort and distraction, it is essential to note that the chatbot is not a replacement for professional medical advice or treatment. If you are experiencing chronic or severe sleep issues, it is still best to consult a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and guidance.

3. Marvel

Marvel’s cinematic universe is expanding even faster than the boundaries of the observable universe itself. Interestingly, Marvel turned to chatbots to further immerse fans in their favorite comic-book storylines in real life. Marvel’s chatbot that lets comic-book geeks talk to Star-Lord himself is also quite good.

4. UNICEF

International child advocacy nonprofit United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also uses chatbots to help people living in developing countries discuss the most urgent needs in their communities. The bot, called U-Report, focuses on large-scale data gathering via polls – this isn’t a bot for the talkative. U-Report regularly sends out prepared polls on various urgent social issues. The users, known as “U-Reporters,” can respond with their input. Then, UNICEF uses this feedback as the basis for potential policy recommendations.

5. MedWhat

If you have WebMD bookmarked for similar reasons, visiting our MedWhat site or app might be worth checking out. MedWhat applies data science techniques to healthcare data stored in 2D medical images, 3D medical images, electronic health records, and wearable devices.

This chatbot aims to make medical diagnoses faster, easier, and more transparent for patients and physicians – think of it as an intelligent version of WebMD that you can talk to. MedWhat runs under a sophisticated machine learning system that offers accurate responses to user questions based on behaviors that it “learns” by interacting with human beings. The bot also draws upon vast medical research and peer-reviewed scientific papers to expand its already considerable medical expertise.

6. Roof AI

Roof Ai is a chatbot that helps real-estate marketers to automate interacting with potential leads and lead assignments via social media. The bot identifies potential leads through Facebook, then responds almost instantaneously in a friendly and conversational tone that resembles a real person’s. Based on user input, Roof Ai prompts potential leads to provide more information before automatically assigning the lead to a sales agent.

The chatbot is still under development, though interested users can reserve access to Roof Ai via the company’s website.

Conclusion

Chatbots have emerged as powerful tools in communication and customer service. Their ability to simulate human-like conversations and provide instant assistance has revolutionized how businesses and individuals interact with technology. While chatbots excel in many areas, it’s important to acknowledge their limitations. They often lack the emotional intelligence and empathy of a human counterpart. However, the ongoing development can improve chatbot technology to bridge these gaps and provide even more personalized user experiences.

Business

10 Viral Ad Campaigns and What We Can Learn from Them

Published

1 day ago

May 30, 2023

Carmen Day

On the internet, anything can go viral. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t tried and tested recipes for success. Here, we break down some of the most viral ad campaigns in the last few years.

As you’ll learn, the top viral marketing campaigns use a mix of social media listening, trendspotting, creativity, and sincerity. From video landing page ideas to social media marketing, these campaigns integrated the best elements that took the internet by storm.

1. Apple: Shot on iPhone

One of the best ways to go viral online is to call for user-generated content. And Apple’s annual Shot on iPhone ad campaigns just gets that sweet spot right.

What we can learn from the campaign: No true ads person will just put out a call for content and call it a day. Give the audience something that they want to make content with, and you’re golden. With Apple, their Iphone’s features are enough to make a whole generation of individuals experiment with their creativity.

2. Gillette: #SayPubic Campaign

In 2022, Gillette Venus released The Pube Song to start a conversation and normalize pubic hair in women’s bodies. It’s one of the brand’s more viral ad campaigns because of its playful tone and strong self-love message.

What we can learn from the campaign: It can be a calculated marketing risk to talk about what’s taboo. But their song campaign manages to balance the weighty message with a lighthearted delivery that doesn’t take away from the issues it’s discussing.

3. Airbnb: Ukraine

Airbnb’s Ukraine campaign is also a moment that smashed everyone’s screens. In 2022, the company announced that global users could lend support to Ukrainians by renting out Airbnbs.

What we can learn from the campaign: Sometimes, the best marketing move is to just rise to the occasion, get in touch with your own humanity, and do something nice. In addition, viral ad campaigns like this allowed millions to extend tangible support to Ukrainians.

4. Netflix: Wednesday

Netflix is always goofing around with its marketing campaigns, but they didn’t come to play with their Wednesday promotions. Specifically, their release of ‘The Thing’ upon random New Yorkers really lighted up everyone’s week.

What we can learn from the campaign: It’s okay to be fun and think outside of the box! You don’t have to stick to the same strategies if you want to go viral. In fact, when you do things on a grand scale, the audience does the virality for you.

5. Dunkin: Ben Affleck

This recent Dunkin ad is short, but it’s comedy gold. It features the actor in a meta-scene where he talks about acting for a Meta ad. It’s short, snappy, and only 30 seconds, which may be why it quickly made rounds in social media.

What we can learn from the campaign: It’s all about references here. This Dunkin campaign wouldn’t be effective if it weren’t for the well-known fact that Ben Affleck loves his Dunkin Donuts. Instead of brands simply ignoring this fact, it’s the perfect opportunity for them to collaborate and show the audience that they’re listening.

6. Doritos: Jack’s New Angle

This star-studded ad uses the signature Dorito triangle as the star of the story. It combines the elements of music and food together, so the 2023 Doritos Super Bowl ad was truly on brand.

What we can learn from the campaign

The ad works for the sheer spontaneity of it. Jack Harlow, Missy Elliot, and Elton John in one video? Now that’s star power. The narrative is also compact, with a playful and unexpected twist delivered at the end.

7. Milo: Park Seo-joon

The Korean actor paired up with Milo Indonesia for a simple ad campaign. But there’s more. Milo also released a limited edition packaging that had netizens scrambling to get their hands on one.

What we can learn from the campaign: We know that the K-wave is rising high, but that will only get your interactions so far. However, what made this viral marketing strategy work was that it had the actor plastered on the packaging.

8. Rare Beauty: What are you made of?

Meanwhile, Rare Beauty’s ‘What are you made of’ campaign isn’t just about beauty and makeup. It’s about giving the community a safe space to speak about their lives. The curated content from Selena Gomez’ following is touching, but it also pays homage to Rare Beauty’s brand values.

What we can learn from the campaign: Well, you could argue that Rare Beauty content always goes viral. But this specific campaign didn’t just blow up for no reason. For one, they used people with their authentic beauty stories. In fact, the spotlight on the Latino community makes this even sweeter.

9. Dove: #DetoxYourFeed

This lengthy campaign by Dove guides parents on how to talk about complex body image issues for teenage girls. The company also released a short film to show how much social media can harm young girls.

What we can learn from the campaign: Dove’s hard-hitting campaign hits us where it hurts. After doing body positivity campaigns with inclusive models from different backgrounds, they’re now addressing the root of the problem: social media.

10. Mcdo: BTS

Mcdo partnered with global K-pop artists BTS to release limited-edition BTS Meals with their signature purple color.

What we can learn from the campaign: We don’t think this campaign warrants any more explanation. But just so you know, employing artists with a global audience will always pay off when the product collaboration is affordable and accessible.

Also, did we mention that fans were selling the used packaging in online forums? It was a crazy time. To date, we think this is one of Mcdo’s most viral campaigns.

And there you have it, some viral campaign examples to inspire your next marketing strategy. We just wanted to remind you in case this wasn’t clear yet, though. Viral ad campaigns work because the appeal isn’t surface-level.

Business

Top 8 Free AI Stock Trading Bots

Published

1 day ago

May 30, 2023

Margaret Zander

The term artificial intelligence is currently making waves as it has proven to make lives easier. From writing to game development, it has become a massive part of doing business, and many are now discovering its varied uses. Stock trading isn’t exempt as we find many free AI stock trading bots, and we found the ten best just for you. Here they are:

1. SpeedBot

An advanced AI stock trading bot SpeedBot empowers traders with cutting-edge features and algorithms. It boasts speed and accuracy in analyzing market data, identifying patterns, and executing trades rapidly. It features an intuitive user interface that makes it suitable for beginners.

Experienced traders will enjoy its customizable settings that let them adapt the bot to their unique trading preferences. SpeedBot is a comprehensive solution that provides you with automated strategies and real-time market insights.

2. Pluto

If you’re looking to have advanced trading capabilities, Pluto is an excellent AI stock trading bot. It offers highly powerful algorithms and machine learning techniques to help you analyze data to identify potential trading opportunities.

Its user-friendly interface makes it an excellent option for newbies and experienced traders alike. It also lets them customize their trading strategies and risk preferences. It also gives you real-time market insights and automated trade executions.

3. Zorro

Offering a wide range of features, Zorro helps you develop and deploy trading strategies based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Its key features include backtesting, optimization, and execution of trade algorithms. It has an extensive library of indicators and plugins that enable users to customize and fine-tune their strategies according to their specific needs.

Zorro is a robust and versatile platform that leverages the power of AI to optimize your stock trading performance.

4. Composer

A free stock trading bot, Composer offers a wide array of advanced features for traders. It has an easy-to-use interface that allows users to create and deploy automated trading strategies powered by AI and machine learning. It lets you backtest your strategy with the use of historical data.

Composer also helps you with analyzing real-time market insights and executing your trades more effectively. Its algorithms help you identify potential trading opportunities, manage risks, and optimize your investment decisions.

5. EA Builder

A popular online platform, EA Builder allows you to build your own custom Expert Advisors (EAs) for automated stock trading. While its main focus is on forex trading, you can also use it for stock trading. The software lets you create EAs even without any knowledge of programming.

With it, you can define trading rules, indicators, and conditions. EA Builders offers a free account, but you can avail yourself of all its best features when you pay a one-time fee of $97.

6. Options Road Backtester

A powerful tool, Options Road Backtester is designed for traders to backtest and analyze their trading strategies. Primarily for options trading, you can also use it for stock trading using options as part of your investment approach. It lets you input your trading strategy parameters and historical market data.

This allows for simulating and evaluating the performance of your options strategies. It also gives you valuable insights into risk management, profitability, and potential outcomes that help you make informed decisions.

7. Capitalise.ai

Primarily a trading bot platform, Capitalise.ai may not fit the traditional definition of a standalone bot, but it has automated trading capabilities. It also offers the ability to create and deploy custom trading strategies without any knowledge of coding. You can set up rules, triggers, and conditions within the platform to automate your trading activities.

Capitalise has automation features that allow for executing trades based on predetermined criteria that make it comparable to a trading bot when speaking of functionality.

8. Equbot

Another AI-driven investment platform, Equbot blends AI technology with human expertise to analyze and select investment opportunities. It leverages machine learning and natural language processing to analyze vast amounts of data and identify potential investment opportunities in the stock market.

Equbot focuses on providing intelligent insights and actionable recommendations for your investment decisions. It takes into account financial statements, market trends, news sentiment, and other relevant data points to help you make decisions.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Free AI Stock Trading Bot

Now that you’ve seen a list of free AI stock trading bots to choose from, how do you find the best one suited to your needs? While most of these bots offer similar features, some have tools that others don’t. Finding out which ones will suit you depends on your personal preferences and trading strategies and techniques. Below are a few considerations before getting one:

Features and Functionality – learn about the bot’s available tools and capabilities
Accuracy and Performance – assess its track record for reliable performance and predictions.
Ease of Use – check for the bot’s user-friendliness
Privacy and Security – make sure that it has proper safeguards in place and that your privacy and data are protected
Flexibility and Customization – know the extent to which the bot can be personalized to suit your trading preferences
Reviews and Reputation – check the feedback and reviews of other users
Terms and Conditions – review the bot’s terms and conditions and any potential limitations on its use

When you assess these factors, you can be sure to choose a free AI stock trading bot that will meet all your trading needs. It will also provide you with a seamless and user-friendly experience with reliable performance.

Final Thoughts

The availability of free AI stock trading bots gives traders an exciting opportunity to harness the power of AI in their investment endeavors. Exploring the list we made above gives you access to a wide range of functionalities. However, artificial intelligence isn’t as dependable as we want it to be.

To find the best AI stock trading bot, you’ll still need careful consideration. This is to ensure that your strategies, with the help of these bots, will result in more informed investment decisions in the ever-dynamic world of the stock market.