What we are thinking about.
Notes from running 8 publications and building tools for them. Restaurant SEO, local marketing, the boring parts that move the needle.
Microsoft’s AI Hysteria Claims Another Veteran: Yusuf Mehdi Bails After 35 Years
Microsoft’s AI transformation is leaving longtime execs like Yusuf Mehdi in the dust. If you’re not ready to rewrite your playbook, you’re next.
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OpenAI Wants to Sell You Ads—And They're Hiring a Hype Chief to Do It
OpenAI is no longer pretending to be above the ad game. They're hiring a marketing exec to make sure their LLMs sell you everything—including more ads.
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Colbert’s Late Show Exit Destroys Ratings—But Don’t Pretend TV Isn’t Circling the Drain
Colbert’s Late Show finale just hauled in 6.7 million viewers, but don’t let CBS fool you—TV’s not making a comeback. This is a nostalgia high, not a trend.
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Nike’s World Cup Marketing Blitz: Hype Over Substance or a Glimpse of the Future?
Nike just torched the old playbook with a 12-week World Cup influencer blitz. If you’re still betting on a single big ad, you’re already obsolete.
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Friday's Focus: Building Bridges Under a Thoughtful Moon
The Moon is in Aquarius today, nudging America's ideals and communications. Focus on the power of connections and shared dreams.
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Google's May 2026 AI Rewrite: Search Results Just Became a Massive Black Box
On May 14, 2026, Google enabled AI Overviews for 88% of English queries. Expect to lose 30-60% of your organic clicks—overnight.
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Nike’s World Cup Circus: Marketing Gimmicks Dressed as 'Collabs' and the Cult of Surprise
Nike’s 'surprise' World Cup cast isn’t a marketing revolution. It’s another round of influencer-driven noise, dressed up as innovation and risk-taking.
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World Cup 2026: $50M Sponsor Tax and CPMs That Would Make Wall Street Blush
World Cup 2026 ad buys aren’t investments — they’re ransom notes. If you’re swallowing $50M CPM packages, you’re not bold; you’re bait.
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CMOs in Chicago Admit What’s Actually Broken—But Are Still Too Chicken to Fix It
Chicago’s CMO confab turned into a therapy circle for execs too scared to fix what they know is broken. Don’t call it strategy—call it stalling.
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Penske Media Circles the Last Vox Leftovers—And the Industry’s Rotted Logic
Penske Media is eyeing the last of Vox Media’s unsold brands, in a deal that’s less about strategy and more about cleaning up after a decade of VC delusion.
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Publicis’ Carla Serrano Calls Out the AI Boys’ Club: Women Get Squeezed Out as Execs Chase the Next Shiny Algorithm
Carla Serrano of Publicis is calling out the agency world: as AI hype takes over, women are being pushed out of leadership. The fix? Make real diversity cost money.
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NYC Restaurant Compliance Gear (DOH Inspection-Ready)
In NYC's competitive dining scene, compliance with health regulations is non-negotiable. Inspections from the Department of Health can make or break a restaurant’s reputation, and being prepared is essential for success. This list compiles
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AI Isn’t Your Brain—Stop Letting It Do the Thinking for You
If you’re letting AI do your thinking, you’re not just lazy—you’re forgettable. AI is a sounding board, not a substitute for actual brains.
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Monday's Ambitions: Leaping with the Moon in Aries
Today's Aries Moon pushes strong beginnings against a backdrop of American transformation. Mars in Cancer stirs emotions where we share and grow.
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Why Google and Agencies Want You to Love AI Cannibalization in 2026
By June 2026, over 55% of indexed content is AI-generated and at least 30% of SERPs are pure cannibal soup. Don't believe the hype machines.
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Vox Media’s Yard Sale: Popsugar, She Media, and the Revolving Door of Execs
Vox Media’s portfolio fire sale is the last gasp of the failed digital media roll-up model. Execs are fleeing, and Penske smells blood.
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LiveRamp Just Lost Its 'Switzerland' Status—And Agencies Know It Means War
Publicis’ LiveRamp buyout just detonated the illusion of data neutrality. Agencies aren’t sticking around to see their secrets piped to a rival.
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Google’s Native Checkout: Nowhere Left to Hide from the Ad Machine
Google just turned every YouTube video and Search result into a storefront. If you’re not plugged into their native checkout, you’re already obsolete.
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