Content, Curated. - Issue #6

It’s August, and we’re essentially 60% through the year (🚨⚠️🚨). The Google Trends graph for ‘christmas’ is waking up from it’s slumber, and if you’re hoping to put out a big campaign this year, you should think about booking in some festive ideation sessions in the near future.There’s a lot to get through in this issue, so we’re diving straight into the good stuff.

Made something you’re proud of? I’d love to see it! Send it over to markprtr@gmail.com 💌

Must-see Content 👀

Learning Synths 🎹

This is one of the best examples of educational content I’ve seen. If you’re unaware of Ableton, they make music sequencer and digital audio workstation software, and their ‘Learning Synths’ explains the basics of synthesizers in a clear, concise and interactive way.

I encourage you to give it a try even if you’re not interested in the subject. It’s beautifully presented and really well thought out, and has racked up nearly 500 separate linking root domains in less than a month.

Neil & Buzz 👨‍🚀

This is a really cool look at the Apollo 11 Moonwalk, using the original transmission log to create a text-like conversation between Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. It’s a unique take on a subject that was heavily covered, due to the anniversary, and there’s also a thorough and insightful design essay detailing the entire process.

Cheapest Pint on the Tube 🍻

This is not the first time a tube map piece has been featured in this newsletter, and the well-executed ones always seem to get widespread pickup. This one looks at the cost of a pint at each station, however apparently TfL don’t like it when you use their actual map, so be careful when looking to do a piece like this for a client.

Discovered via Pat Langridge🕵️

Mapped: Fossil Fuel Production by Country ⛽

This map by 911Metallurgist resizes countries based on their contribution to total fossil fuel production. I recommend clicking through to see the animated piece, including oil, gas and coal versions.

Around the World in Perfect Weather ☀️

Is it possible to travel the world for a year, and bask in perfect weather for the entire time? Apparently so. The design of this piece is really nice, and it’s clear the research behind it was intensive.

European Cars Americanised 🚗

A fun idea that re-imagines how Europe’s most popular cars may look if they were given an American makeover. These design led pieces are fun and work well, and I like how this one is also supported by data behind car sales etc.

Understanding Dementia 🔍

This quiz attempts to mimic the experience of dementia. It’s an interesting idea and certainly helps to raise awareness, and the support from an expert on the subject adds legitimacy.

Brexit Means Breakfast 🥓

Another corker from professional joker Mark Rofe (as in loaf). This handy chrome extension replaces all mentions of Brex!t (tricking the extension there, hah!) with ‘Breakfast’, offering an amusing distraction from a somewhat depressing subject.

Millennial Dating & Drinking Trends 🍺

Alcohol.org have taken a look at the pre-date drinking habits of millennials, offering an insightful look into how much millennials are drinking to settle those nerves, what they’re drinking and more.

Bird’s-eye View of Famous Logos 🐦

Most people would be able to instantly recognise the brands behind these logos, but this is a really unique quiz on the view of famous logos from above. Really like this idea!

Discovered via Laura Brady🕵️

PR Stunts

The below campaigns may not have been intentional PR stunts, however they did attract substantial attention from the media.

Burger King’s 50/50 Menu 🍔

Burger King Sweden have a introduced a 50/50 menu, to celebrate the release of their new plant-based burgers. If you order from the menu, you’ll receive either a regular, meat filled whopper, or one of their new plant-based alternatives, with no clues on the packaging.

Ep-Coc 🍆

In the last issue we featured Camsoda due to their vape device that connects to a sex toy, and they’re back again. This time they’re offering virtual blowjobs (don’t worry this link is safe), through their new Ep-Coc marketplace that features a catalogue of blowjobs that pairs with a male sex toy. Users can also ‘upload’ a blowjob for others to download, using their app.

Simply lick & slide on your phone’s screen to record your movements

Again, I have no idea how real any of this is, but they keep bagging nice coverage around the web, which is not easy for a p*rn site.

Must-read Articles ☕

Below are some articles that are absolutely worthy of a read during your coffee break:

Must-follow Marketer 👑

Who: Vince Nero, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Siege Media

Why: Vince has been very supportive of the newsletter, which I appreciate! He works at Siege Media, who have a blog that is brimming with awesome content, and Vince himself shares lots of interesting articles on content, SEO and more. Drop him a follow!

To Conclude

As always, thanks to those people who sent over ideas, and if I did forget to give you credit, please feel free to call me out on Twitter.

If you’re not yet subscribed, you should probably go ahead and do so, and I’d love to hear any thoughts you have in general on Twitter, or via email: mark.porter@screamingfrog.co.uk.

Cheers,

Mark.

Content, Curated. – Issue #6