Right About Now with Ryan Alford - The Week of June 02, 2023 Marketing and Business News: Sorry, Alexa Can No Longer Talk Like Samuel L. Jackson

Starting point is 00:00:00 I said hallelujah to the 16th now Elvisa You're getting down on your knees Said it's time for you to get down Cause I don't know what you need now You're listening to The Radcast A top 25 worldwide business podcast If it's radical, we cover it Here's your host, Ryan Alford.

Starting point is 00:00:28 Hey guys, what's up? Welcome to the latest edition of the Radcast. It's Friday, June 2nd, 2023, our weekly marketing business news and entertainment of the week. Hello, hello. Happy National Donut Day. Yes. Donut Day. Yes. Donut. Yeah. This is my friend's anniversary and I never forget it because it falls on National Donut Day. I know. A Krispy Kreme or Dunkin' Donuts? Oh, man.

Starting point is 00:00:54 Strawberry, pink, frosted, above everything. Don't really care where it's from. Okay. But like, gun to my head, probably Krispy Kreme. Yeah. Dunkin' Donuts is good. I like Dunkin' Donuts. Yeah. But that Krispy Kreme original is hard to beat. Heat it up. Oh, yeah.

Starting point is 00:01:07 Hot and ready. Hot now. But I do love a good sour cream donut. Yes. Yeah. Sour cream from Dunkin' is pretty good. Sounds gross, but oh, so good. No, they're actually delicious.

Starting point is 00:01:15 With coffee? It tastes nothing like sour cream. No. And look, if it did, I wouldn't be mad. I'll eat sour cream with a spoon. That settles it. I'm having donuts for lunch. Perfect.

Starting point is 00:01:24 Done and done happy donuts to everyone out there if you're listening on friday june 2nd which today it is for us but otherwise have a donut anyway celebrate if you can have one though not possible i think one's okay i think i average three every time at least yeah i don't have them often yes you had a good week i did you have a good Memorial day. I did. We had fun. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:01:48 At the lake. It was raining and 55 degrees. It was very gray. In South Carolina. I had to break some records. I don't know. Like usually like sweltering by now. It was definitely.

Starting point is 00:01:57 I would have gone for sweltering. I were cold. I was like, I'm just going to sweatshirt most of the day, like Friday night and Saturday. I had my jacket with me the whole time. Monday, Monday came through a little bit though. it was sunny we uh i hope everyone had to get a memorial day and it was an eventful it was just lake stuff yeah that didn't feel it did since

Starting point is 00:02:15 monday but it's i don't know if you didn't get the whole weekend of sun and fun off like the summer yeah i don't think i've kicked off the summer yet no i guess i gotta retry this weekend that's what fourth of of July is for. Just to keep holding out. No, it's called June 2nd weekend. There you go. That's what it's for. Kick it off with National Donut Day. Yes.

Starting point is 00:02:31 Once we got cooking. I have a burning question for you. Are you an Alexa or a Hey Google person? Or neither? Hey Siri. Okay, yeah. We have Alexa in the kitchen. Yes.

Starting point is 00:02:42 So we have... Did you ever buy the voices for her? No, absolutely not. Probably a good thing because as of now, Amazon is discontinuing its celebrity voices. Did they actually sound like the celebrities? Oh, yeah. I think it was celebrity recorded.

Starting point is 00:02:55 It wasn't like AI. And the reason why they're doing away with it is because they're doing some budget cutbacks and you've got royalties that are involved with all of that. But if you did pay for them, you can use the three that it mainly affects are Samuel L. Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal and Melissa McCarthy.

Starting point is 00:03:09 You always think of together because I didn't even know existed. I just wouldn't pay for it. Like it's a fun offer, but I'm not going to pay extra for it. But if I could go, Hey Alexa, turn into Samuel L. Jackson,

Starting point is 00:03:22 but you have until September 30th to continue. You can't keep buying it, but if you already have it, you can keep using it until the 30 L. Jackson. But you have until September 30th to continue. You can't keep buying it, but if you already have it, you can keep using it until the 30th. Yeah. I don't know. I think I'm going to pass on that one.

Starting point is 00:03:33 We need to edit somebody's voice in this moment, like Melissa McCarthy, who's in the new Little Mermaid movie. Yes. Which I plan on seeing at some point. I absolutely won't.

Starting point is 00:03:41 I have no girls in the family other than my wife, but no little girls I have to please with Little Mermaid. I'm excited that I don't have to do that. We've got some romance novels in the notes today. Smoothie King has used ChatGPT to write a 215-page, 250-page romance novel. And in this novel, it's all coded with different coupons and offers that Smoothie King customers can partake in.

Starting point is 00:04:07 Yeah. A summer fling to the extreme. Details of budding in relationship. Oh, that's what it's about. With Walter Malone. Do you know who that is? That's a play on watermelon. Oh.

Starting point is 00:04:20 That's the lead character's name. Right over there. In the insert over the head. You wouldn't be getting these clues. I don't know Walter, but I know Ben. Ben Dover. I don't think about Smoothie King customers being avid readers. That just doesn't feel like a pairing.

Starting point is 00:04:38 But clearly, they've done some research behind this. I think it's really fun and weird. Yeah. I want to know, is it just lots of puns or is it like truly like romance? I'll look it up and do like, am I falling in love with smoothies or am I falling in love with these people? I will record the audio book just for you. Just for you. It's a fun usage of the newest tech. So get your buzzwords out there. Hey, we did a book with open AI. I also, I don't think about using chat GPT for content this long.

Starting point is 00:05:05 Cause I only use it for short form. I think that the most I've used it for is drafting an email or a blog post. But the thought of AI generated like 250 words of a romance novel. Yeah. I wonder if it reads like some of those stuff starting to read to me. Oh, I'm pretty sure it doesn't have much heart. I would imagine. Yes.

Starting point is 00:05:23 I would imagine. Yes. But it does have Walter Malone. Walter Malone. The ever-aging heartthrob. I know. Are you a smoothie king person? Do you like smoothies? I like smoothies, yeah.

Starting point is 00:05:34 Yeah. I don't patron the king often, but- You make them at home? Patronize the king often, but yeah, I'm more of a home smoothie. Yeah. I am too. I don't know. Something about $8 for a smoothie is like over my- I like Southern Fresh Juicery. If it's a milkshake, it's a of a home smoothie. Yeah, I am too. I don't know. Something about $8 for a smoothie.

Starting point is 00:05:45 I like Southern Fresh Juicery. If it's a milkshake, it's a dessert. For sure. It's probably like the endorphins, like the sugar endorphins. Okay, I'm in. I used to have the really expensive protein powder. Yeah, no.

Starting point is 00:05:57 I'll chew my food now. I make the protein stuff at home. I don't know. It's $9 for a smoothie. It's starting to get a little steep. I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Yeah. But if they have a romance model, maybe. Maybe that's the selling for a smoothie. It's starting to get a little steep. I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Yeah. But if they have a romance model, maybe.

Starting point is 00:06:07 Maybe that's the selling point. Yes. That's the target audience. We got some Radcast news. We do. Listen to this week's episode with Sun Yi, the owner and founder of Night Owls Media and digital agency in New York. Great storytelling. He told a great story.

Starting point is 00:06:24 Dry humor. Really interesting. And if you want to grow on social media, go listen to the episode. He had a lot of actionable tips. That was this week, this past Tuesday. Next week, we've got another best of edition. Some of the best of motivational business stories.

Starting point is 00:06:39 Some of the best ones the last couple of years. Michael Bayer, Bobby Maximus, William King Hollis, and Cody Burns. Very unique, Michael Baer, Bobby Maximus, William King Hollis, and Cody Burns. Very unique, diverse set there, but all what I would classify as motivational storytelling in the business field. Some of them have overcome tremendous adversity, including Cody Burns, who was burned on like over 70% of his body. It's come back and become a motivational speaker, really powerful story. And Bobby Maximus will get you motivated in health and exercise. A lot of great tips there.

Starting point is 00:07:09 But some of our best of motivational stories. So check that out. One of the best of the Radcast. You know, when you have 350 episodes, you get to aggregate some of these things. So you get a shortcut to the best of. You don't have to go listen to 45 minutes. You get it wrapped up, all the best parts in one. So if you're looking for some motivation in developing your business or overcoming adversity,

Starting point is 00:07:32 check it out next Tuesday where you're listening to this now. Or you can watch the videos on Instagram or YouTube. I have good news and bad news for you. Because I know that you love a good dad joke. But it's not just the season of dad jokes, even though Father's Day is coming up. I have good news and bad news for you. Because I know that you love a good dad joke. But it's not just the season of dad jokes, even though Father's Day is coming up. We have an amazing offer for our listeners from our absolute favorite meat sponsor of the Radcast, Good Ranchers. American meat delivered.

Starting point is 00:08:01 You can head to goodranchers.com and use code RADCAST for $30 off your first box. We've already kicked off summer, at least we're trying to here in South Carolina. Hopefully some of y'all have had better luck than we have. But if you are looking for something to buy for your father, I know my dad is impossible to shop for. And my brother and I actually have given him like cuts of Wagyu beef before. And now I'm just going to have it delivered. Don't have to go to the butcher.

Starting point is 00:08:20 There it is. I can use my Radcast code. And I know he's going to be happy. Exactly. Get $30 off with code Radcast. And we're all happy. He's happy. I can use my Radcast code. And get $30. And I know he's going to be happy. Exactly. Get $30 off with code Radcast. And we're all happy. He's happy. I'm a dad.

Starting point is 00:08:29 I've got four boys. So if anyone wants to buy me a Father's Day gift, this is a good one. Just go to Good Ranchers. Goodranchers.com. Plug in our code. Send me more. I have lots of room in my freezer. So what dad wouldn't want?

Starting point is 00:08:41 More meat on the grill. Truly. Yes. Especially knowing how good this is and how high the quality is. Yes. Steakhouse quality delivered right to your door, including Wagyu burgers. I think I might have some burgers this weekend. Oh, they're so good.

Starting point is 00:08:53 So that's actually digging out. My seven-year-old son, Nash, he's spoiled to a degree like all of them, but he has a little scoop of ice cream. That's like his dessert each night. And so I was digging out last night. Chocolate. Excellent. excellent only chocolate that's his only go-to right now and what was in the way of getting that chocolate ice cream was those burgers so i was staring at them going it made me hungry in the moment soon it was like nine o'clock at night i'm like i guess i can't have a burger right now. I've made bacon pretty late.

Starting point is 00:09:25 I'm not going to lie. It's never a bad time for bacon. Never a bad time for bacon. But yes, 100% American raised meat. Every bite is great. Let me tell you, this is takeout quality right to your house. The official steak delivery company of Ryan Offord and the Radcast. Get $30 off with code Radcast.

Starting point is 00:09:45 Like Christina mentioned, you'll thank us for us later. And it is a great gift for Father's Day coming up. Make every father happy. I'm telling you, I'm speaking for the truth here. As a father, if this showed up on Father's Day, we'd be in. Very happy. Very good. Father's Day is June 18th, so go ahead and just place that order.

Starting point is 00:10:03 Have it delivered on time. Exactly. Now's the time to do it because you're going to get busy. You probably take a week or 10 days, so you're right around that window. All of a sudden. Delivered right to their door. Yep, there you go. Give dad something you know he'll get because that's the hardest thing. Don't get him a tie. No. No ties. Not anymore. No wallets. No bad gift cards. No belts. That have no meaning. Sorry.

Starting point is 00:10:26 Just telling it like it is. It's what we do here on the Radcast. Keep it real. Get them some Good Ranchers meat delivered right to the door. Our good sponsor, GoodRanchers.com. We've got some Twitter news per usual. It just cannot seem to stay out of the news. They are launching a new community note for images.

Starting point is 00:10:42 This is on the heels of all of these AI-generated images, but they've launched community notes for images in posts to put more on crowdsourcing moderation. The company aims to flag content like manipulated pictures or AI-generated images, such as the Balenciaga Pope that went viral a few weeks ago. Did you see that? I missed it too. I saw when they had little kids in the pictures.

Starting point is 00:11:02 I didn't really care for it. Sure. That was not AI, however. But Twitter is working on expanding this feature to videos and tweets with multiple media through the matching algorithm. Though the matching algorithm may miss some instances. So it's just kind of trying to keep everything safe. No, you're going to have to have a lot of this. For images, for videos, for audio.

Starting point is 00:11:20 Audio, yeah. That's a big one. So the filters are going to have to keep up with all the bad players. So it makes sense. Hats off to Elon. Getting something right here and there. Yeah, at least looking out for people. Trying to.

Starting point is 00:11:34 LinkedIn is emphasizing the power of networking in a big global push. They have a massive campaign. It's global, and it's called Find Your In, which places an emphasis on the platform's networking capabilities. I don't use LinkedIn nearly as much as I should have, but I found this super interesting. The effort includes a whimsical short film supported by TV, social media, online, and video. As part of their effort, the flashy campaign comes after LinkedIn announced a corporate restructuring affecting 716 jobs through the company. And its most recent earnings report announced an 8% year-over-year boost in revenue.

Starting point is 00:12:04 I think LinkedIn's underutilized by a lot of people, myself included sometimes. It starts to show signs of the Facebook effect a little bit of some of the posting, like getting away from business, which I'm okay with on certain levels. I do like to see people's personality, but I do think it's untapped. It has a lot of room for growth, and I think you're going to see an expansion of the platform and, and not just where people go, where I'm looking for a job or I have a job, which is probably a 70% of it now. Like I'm looking for a job. I go to LinkedIn. I am posting a job. I post it there. I think that communities are starting to expand there. You've got people doing newsletters.

Starting point is 00:12:45 You have a lot of other things. And I am starting to see LinkedIn. I have seen a couple of their TV spots here recently. So I think you're going to see an expansion of it beyond just the jobs. But I think, I just hope we can keep it in the realm of business on some level and it doesn't just completely fade into Facebook. And I get so tired on LinkedIn of all of like spam emails I get and spam messages. It's the one, I mean, I get them more on LinkedIn than any other.

Starting point is 00:13:16 I get a ton of the same thing. It's so annoying. It's like, how many lead generation companies can there possibly be? They all hit me up on LinkedIn. And they just base it off of one keyword that might be hiding somewhere on your profile drives me nuts and unlike like even facebook or instagram and when we start on tiktok's dming is terrible but nonetheless i don't immediately on these other platforms go someone's trying to sell me something

Starting point is 00:13:43 necessarily but on LinkedIn, like everything, I'm like, okay, what are you selling? And that's why I don't use it as much for that anymore. I try to just keep it organic. I just,

Starting point is 00:13:55 cause I feel I'm like, you know what? I can't practice what I hate against. I just don't inundate people with, Hey, I'm not really that kind of sales guy anyway, but like, I think you gotta kind of get out of all the spammy stuff and find ways to create true connection to community and i think

Starting point is 00:14:13 they've got a ways to go there but i think there's a lot of opportunities because i do think it is the platform and it makes sense because it's a professional platform where i feel like the people are real. Yeah. Yeah. On social media, at least for me, getting so many DMs, different things. I'm like, how many people are actually not even real? Just a robot being told to do something or whatever. It's like paid overseas.

Starting point is 00:14:35 I do think it does have a credibility that leads itself to greater. I can see that. I don't know. I know that everybody has their profile photos and stuff. But think about how many on all those social platforms. And all these AI photos. itself to greater. I can see that. I don't know. I know that everybody has their profile photos and stuff, but think about how many on all those social platforms. And all these AI photos. It's like all this stuff.

Starting point is 00:14:53 I still feel like there's a level of credibility of Instagram that could be leveraged to do more things that break it. To streamline that. Yeah. Real versus fake. Yeah. I also think that LinkedIn lends itself to more long form content. I am more prone to, I would prefer more content. Like I would rather click see more on LinkedIn. Whereas if I see that

Starting point is 00:15:11 on Facebook or Instagram, I'm going to scroll right past it. Agreed. So just my thoughts, but I don't use it much. So what do I know? Burgeoning platform it is that LinkedIn. On to our marketing news. Frito-Lay makes the largest ever investment in women's sports for the FIFA World Cup. The marketing program marks the snack company's largest ever investment. And the World Cup themed packaging will be released for Lay's Doritos and Cheetos. You know why that is? It's because guys are the ones munching on those snacks. Like, I know women eat them too.

Starting point is 00:15:42 But man, guys, I think are just known for that. I was eating some Doritos last night. Like, I know women eat them too, but man, guys, I think are just known for that. I was eating some burritos like last night. Like, the kids have them snack foods around like, get that away from me. It's like,

Starting point is 00:15:51 but yeah. I won't do Cheetos. I can't with the Cheeto fingers. I'm so, even thinking about it, I get a hit. I know everybody snacks, but I think guys are worse

Starting point is 00:15:58 at snacking. I don't know. Oh, absolutely. For sure. Guys are just snackers. That's probably why they haven't invested. I'm sure they've invested, but not as heavily.

Starting point is 00:16:08 Maybe that's starting to change. Yeah. That's the problem. They market to us too much. And so they start marketing to you. You're going to start snacking. Yeah, they're marketing diets to women and food to men. That's how that works.

Starting point is 00:16:19 This is fun since we're both Apple Music lovers. Apple Music Classical is now available on Android. Apple's slowly taking over the world. Apple Music Classical is now available on Google Play Store for Android users with an Apple Music or Apple One subscription. The app was first announced earlier this year in March and was acquired by Apple in 2021 from streaming. Over 5 million tracks are available to search through using keyword combinations like composer, artist, instrument, work title. title yeah i'm not personally like a giant classical music person but i do i was surprised because i have my galaxy fold and it has apple music on it like they're just regular apple music so i was actually surprised it actually had that i didn't know they did as they rolled

Starting point is 00:17:03 every platform out but but are you, I know you're into the stage and all that stuff. Are you a classical music person? I know if I hear certain pieces, I can recognize it. And I like, I don't know if it's a certain class. And I like,

Starting point is 00:17:17 I played some of it. That's Beethoven's fifth. Yeah. It's not my go-to like running music or anything, but I enjoy it. I appreciate it. I like going to the symphony because I'm 80 years old. Yeah, I can get behind it.

Starting point is 00:17:28 I loved, I loved studying it in school. Loved it. Yeah. I took piano for five years when I was growing up. So I remember like chopsticks and all the really difficult songs. Maybe that's on there. Heart and soul. The duet of heart and soul.

Starting point is 00:17:44 Oh, yes. Oh, I can still play some heart and soul. The duet of heart and soul. Oh, yes. Oh, I can still play some heart and soul. Who can't? Heck yeah. Jazz that up. You don't have to be a piano player to actually play heart and soul. Yeah. I took piano for seven years and now I just Google chords.

Starting point is 00:17:54 All you Android lovers, get on the Android users, all 10 of you. Kidding. There's way more than that. At least 12. Right. Your app will use a classical download. Yeah. There you go. You heard it classical download. Yeah, there you go. You heard it from the Radcast.

Starting point is 00:18:07 There you go. Radcast only. Kroger, which is a grocery store that we do not have here in South Carolina, but they are bringing digital smart screens to over 500 locations. The grocer is expanding its partnership with Cooler Screens, which makes digital smart screens after a three-year pilot. The in-store technology aims to not only improve the shopper experience, but also bolster Kroger's retail media offerings.

Starting point is 00:18:29 Yeah, in other words, they want to sell you ads so that you're in line. So here's how this works. You're in line. You're looking at that smart screen. And it's like, you didn't know you forgot those Doritos, but they're on the screen. Oh, I need those. They're on sale.

Starting point is 00:18:41 The new flavors on sale. $2 off. Instant coupons right there that'd be that that's a good little do we have like smart screens at grocery stores around us not many no they're a lot i just googled them i was like i know i've seen these but you're starting to see them more in cvs and walgreens little kiosks and stuff yeah you start to see it more in the grocery store i don't think of Kroger as a cutting edge grocery store.

Starting point is 00:19:07 Ah, no. There's a Kroger like in Myrtle Beach. Oh, okay. Okay, there is one in South Carolina. I thought they started in Georgia. Yeah. But I don't know

Starting point is 00:19:14 where they started. I just know that's the last time I went to a Kroger was in Myrtle Beach. And you know what happens in Myrtle Beach. A whole lot of nonsense. Yeah, what happens

Starting point is 00:19:21 in Myrtle Beach State is Myrtle Beach. The original Vegas of South Carolina. The Grand Strand. Gotta love it. lot of nonsense yeah what happens in middle beach state in middle beach the original vegas of south carolina the grand strand gotta love it but the digital stuff it makes sense especially for real time delivery of offers and stuff same thing with like menu boards and all that stuff they can update digitally which uh-huh which makes sense i just ultimately they're just trying to sell you more stuff yeah and they're gonna sell ads on those things to the food groups that are already in the store.

Starting point is 00:19:47 And or, I don't know, trash bags. Do you have any apps for your grocery stores? I have the Harris Teeter app and I never use it. But apparently they run specials and my boyfriend gets coupons through it all the time. I use the McDonald's app the most because I take the boys there

Starting point is 00:20:02 on Friday, hot cake Friday. And it is quite good about pre-ordering ahead, but no grocery store apps. And I go to the grocery store a lot. So either it's not worthy of doing anything or they don't market to me enough to download it. I just don't feel like I can bring myself to have my groceries picked up for me. I'm able-bodied. I can take care of that.

Starting point is 00:20:23 The problem of like some of the geo ads that there were going to be like real-time stuff when you're near stuff, like it kind of came out and it was more annoying than helpful. Uh-huh. I agree with that. I think,

Starting point is 00:20:34 but who doesn't like a good coupon? Right. Like you talk about a good story would be if they could somehow match up, you're using all your privacy anyway, you're in the grocery store line and they know you've already gotten something your privacy anyway. You're in the grocery store line and they know you've already gotten something potentially. They know you're in the store

Starting point is 00:20:49 because it's like geo and like your app on the phone. Yeah. And then some kind of targeting on that screen that matches it to an offer and to encourage. There's an interplay of those technologies that I think has always been the promise, but I don't know that it's come along.

Starting point is 00:21:05 Not been executed well. Because again, if I'm going to buy something and I instantly get a coupon, like a little surprise and delight, it's great. Like if you have my data. Oh, I always save money. And you know that we buy, I don't know, snacks. Doritos. Like in Doritos and the Lays. We buy the multi-pack chip things.

Starting point is 00:21:23 Surely that's embedded in our data. The same things that we buy every time, like the little yogurt stuff that goes in the lunch boxes for the kids. Matching these discounts with the products that probably should already be on our grocery list. And that's where it's, okay, courtesy. My wife, I mean, she obviously does more of the ordering. Sometimes she's sending me lists to pick up but does more of it than me sure you would think that it would increase she doesn't use the app and she uses a lot of that yeah so she has the nugget donuts apps for her coffee and the kid

Starting point is 00:21:58 stuff she's not she's getting her coffee every morning so she has the app for stuff that's helpful yeah but as much as she grocery shops to not be using the app, seems like either they're not far along or they don't market it or I don't know. If Trader Joe's had an app, I would be all over that. They probably do. I don't think they do. If they do and I don't know. Yeah, who knows?

Starting point is 00:22:17 That's a future problem. Well, it'll be a follow-up for next week. There you go. Stay tuned. I'll do some research. We will love any feedback. Are we missing out on grocery apps and we don't know? Yes. How can we improve our grocery apps and we don't know? Yes.

Starting point is 00:22:25 How can we improve our grocery experience? The Crumble app is probably my most used. Oh, God. So good. Man, are we hungry or what? I know, right? I got to stop. If nothing else on this Radcast, if you learn nothing, you've been made hungry potentially.

Starting point is 00:22:37 Yes. Between the good register's meat and the donuts. Donuts. And. Groceries. Crumble cookies. Man. Go listen to that episode if you haven't.

Starting point is 00:22:45 That'll make you hungry. Or Hemsley. Anyway, we really appreciate everyone. It's summertime, folks. Kids are out. School's out for the summer. Lots of suns and buns. You know where to find us.

Starting point is 00:22:57 The Radcast.com. Search for all of today's concerts. Search for donuts. And screens. You'll find. Screens. Get behind it. Yes. Find all the latest content. I'm Ryan find it. Screens. Get behind it. Yes.

Starting point is 00:23:06 Find all the latest content. I'm Ryan Alford on all the social media platforms. For Sawyer, for Christina, we'll see you next time on the Radcast. To listen or watch full episodes, visit us on the web at theradcast.com or follow us on social media at our Instagram account, the.rad.cast or at Ryan Alford. Stay radical.

Right About Now with Ryan Alford - The Week of June 02, 2023 Marketing and Business News: Sorry, Alexa Can No Longer Talk Like Samuel L. Jackson

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.