Category Archives: Money

Rolling With The Punches

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We’re really looking forward to this weekend’s Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight (which is already breaking Pay-Per-View records). We also love the great creative and entertaining marketing buzz that’s surrounded the event for the past few weeks.  Our favorite? Paquiao for Foot Locker. Recalling their successful ad from last year, this spot features Manny Pacquiao getting some pretty confusing news.

Enjoy the commercial and get ready for the big event this weekend!

What Sparks Our Fire: Foot Locker’s clever way to build on a prior campaign’s success

Upfront with the Newfronts

digital-content-newfronts Every year marketers and brands flock to Televisions’ Upfronts, to hear the new network line ups and get a preview of the coming years television strategy.  A month before the Upfronts kick off, TV networks are already sharing the spotlight–and potential media dollars–with this month’s NewFronts. Thanks to a long list of buzzworthy announcements, celebrity appearances, and corporate interest this year’s NewFronts signify the continued growth in importance of digital media and advertising. Started in 2008 by Digitas as a way to “bring together content creators, distributors, talent and brands to harness creative media opportunities made possible in the age of digital marketing,” the NewFronts conference has managed to become one of the most important conferences in the digital content realm. Brands like Hulu, AOL, Yahoo, and Google’s YouTube give presentations on their upcoming year’s content in order to attract advertising dollars. In 2008, these presentations were intended to convince marketers and agencies to shift more of their budgets into digital advertising, but as more marketers have already been convinced, the conference no longer helps marketers decide if they’ll invest their advertising dollars digitally, but tells them where. With almost 13% growth in the past year alone, digital advertising now comprises almost 30% of U.S. ad spend. 2015 Hulu Upfront Presentation This year’s NewFronts have already brought news that Hulu will pick up all 9 seasons of Seinfeld, a huge announcement that will surely draw in many advertising dollars. As the conference grows in size and importance– alongside the digital advertising sector as a whole– we will come to expect more and more of these big announcements every year.

What Sparks Our Fire: Knowing that we’ll be spending a good chunk of the month of June binge watching Seinfeld

The only Credit Card you will ever need

plastc-social-bgWe run just about Apple everything in the Canopy office and we aren’t shy about coveting just about all-things-Mac, but after all the excitement and now extended delays around Apple Pay we’re reluctant to admit, that it might be time to search for alternatives. Apple Pay is encouraging people to leave their credit cards in their wallet and pay for goods in stores using an iPhone, we found Plastc, a sort of electronic credit card that can do about just the same.

But how much technology can you fit into a 0.8-millimeter-thick credit card?

Well, a lot. Not only can Plastc store credit cards, it can also show loyalty and gift cards. How does it work? It is simple. It works with an app that enables you to quickly swap out cards, add new ones, and track your spending. Plastc itself stores up 20 cards but the app can hold an unlimited number. On Plastc, you can switch up card details through the e-ink touchscreen panel. And it is quite secured with PIN, photo ID, proximity alerts, and ‘Return Me’ mode and If stolen or lost, you can remotely wipe your data.  The card is rechargeable and last 30 days once fully charged but it locks in your default credit card if uncharged so you can still use it until you charge up again. So, if you are looking for a simple and elegant way to store your many credit & debit cards, loyalty and gift cards, access cards and more in a single, minimalist card, and say goodbye to your bulky wallet, Plastc could be the way to go. The card would be available in summer 2015. You can get more info on their website.

What Sparks our Fire: a credit card that gets a lot smarter.

Are you ready for the future of payments with Plastc? What are your thoughts on digital wallets

You’re One App Away From A Comfortable Retirement

acorns appTo build wealth, and become financially independent, you need to start investing early and there is an app for that. Acorns enables you to start saving early, invest often, and feel secure about your financial future without having to think about it.

So, how does it work? Simply connect a credit card, or debit card and a checking account, and enter some characteristics about yourself. Acorns will automatically recommend a stock portfolio based on information like your age, time horizon, investment goals and the amount of risk you’re comfortable taking. Then each purchase you make with the registered card is rounded up to the nearest dollar, and the difference is invested in low-cost ETFs. For instance, if you spend $10.49 on lunch, that remaining 51 cents is invested. And if you’re worried about the safety of your personal information, don’t be, because Acorns has been awarded TRUSTe’s Privacy Seal for the collection and use of personal information. According to its maker, “what makes Acorns different from any service out there is that it offers a personalized investment portfolio with no account minimums, no commissions, and fractional investing all at your fingertips”.

What Sparks Our Fire: An app that intuitively makes it easy to save and invest.

What do you think of Acorns? Would you use it?