–eBay’s holiday pop-up in London used “emotional tech” to power product connections, finding that on average, shoppers lost interest in holiday shopping after 32 minutes. Via Fashion and Mash.
–According to analysis from Google, Black Friday shoppers used mobile not just to shop but also to search for in-store deals. Retail foot traffic was up 65% over an average day.
–Facebook’s Instant Games feature is “baking games straight into the news feed and Messenger” in a move from WeChat’s playbook, the Wall Street Journal reports.
–Developers are fighting for market share in India’s highly competitive, $480 million gaming market, eMarketer reports.
–When did humans first become “consumers”? The Atlantic looks at the history of the concept.
–The MIT Mediated Matter group’s latest project, a complex series of 3D-printed death masks “designed to match the resolution of structures found in nature,” debuted at the opening exhibit of London’s new Design Museum. Via Dezeen.
–Spotify’s latest ads tap into its vast trove of user data for a “clever, engaging way to use data to humanize technology.” Via Adweek.
–”The biggest growth within the advertising business is experiential marketing—and Broadway is an experiential brand”: Why marketers are using Broadway casts as influencers. Via the Wall Street Journal.
–McKinsey‘s latest podcast has a guide to understanding elderly urban consumers, who could drive more than half of urban consumption growth over the next 15 years.
–Yoox Net-A-Porter is creating a major new platform for online luxury retail in the Middle East to gain traction in a “strategic market.” Via Business of Fashion.
–Is this the best Christmas ad of the season? Wes Anderson goes behind the lens for a four minute H&M flick, starring Adrien Brody. Via The Verge.
–Two years after buying millennial media powerhouse Elite Daily, the Daily Mail has written down $31 million of its investment. Recode investigates.
–Several Big Tobacco companies are launching brick-and-mortar locations, the Wall Street Journal reports, marking a shift from cigarette sales to vaporizer products.
