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In a perfect world, my job wouldnt exist. I’m a consumer privacy advocate, which means I spend my days fighting for something that should be automatic: your right to control and protect your own personal information. Unfortunately, we dropped the ball. In the era of social media and hyper-targeted ads, we didnt build the right privacy infrastructure to protect ourselves. Instead, we let tech companies sell us the story that knowledge is power and data is the price. Yes, knowledge is power. But dataa dry, emotionless word for who and what we are as humansshould be our super power. It should be ours to control and use to improve our lives, not just something companies profit from while leaving us vulnerable to harm. Now, AI is making this dynamic worse. As we enter the AI Age, our datawho and what we arehas become more valuable, and more vulnerable, than ever. Weve got OpenAIs CEO dreaming of a day when every conversation youve ever had in your life, every book youve ever read, every email youve ever read, everything youve ever looked at is in there, plus connected to all your data from other sources. And your life just keeps appending to the context. Weve got tech companies building wearable devices to track our emotions claiming that the only way AI can be effective is if it can know how were feeling in real time. Were rapidly entering a future where wearing smart glasses on our faces capable of recording and having AI process everything around us will be normal. Weve got AI chatbots passing themselves off as real therapists to get people to share their deepest, darkest thoughts and feelings. Some of those people have died by suicide after long conversations, fed by deeply personal data, that spiraled out of control. In the AI Age, personal data isnt just a record of who we are. Its our actions, transactions, locations, conversations, preferences, inferences, and vulnerabilities. Its our identities, our intimate selves, our hopes, dreams, fears, and flaws. And in a future full of AI friends, AI therapists, and AI agents, this data wont just reflect who we are: it will help shape who we become. Leaving all that in the hands of companies with questionable ethics, or governments with shifting priorities, is a dangerous bet. We need better options. A deliberately oversimplified history of privacy Before we look ahead, it can be helpful to remember how we got here. In Biblical times, privacy was a nope. God was all-seeing, and surveillance was divine. Take Hebrews 4:13 for example: And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. The Middle Ages didnt offer much privacy either. People often lived on top of each other and were literally all up in each others most intimate business. The Renaissance rolled around and privacy burst onto the scene, thanks in large part to the printing press. Give people access to more books, and, it turns out, they tend to go off by themselves, silently read, and nurture internal private thoughts. The Age of Enlightenment saw the concept of personal privacy start trending. Private thoughts, notions of personal property rights, even the idea that your mail shouldn’t be read by strangers started becoming normal. The Industrial Age brought more than factories, trains, and booming cities. Personal privacy rights started getting written into law. The US Bill of Rights gave people the right to be protected from unreasonable search. British Common Law gave us protections against harms like defamation (privacy for your reputation) and trespass (private property). In 1890, the right to privacy was born. In an essay of the same name, lawyers Samuel D. Warren and Louis Brandeis argued that people have the right to be let alone. It wasnt just peoples property that should be protected from intrusion, they wrote, but also their thoughts and emotions. Privacy as a civil liberty starts to take shape. Then the Technology Age comes along, and things get complicated. Telephones mean wiretapping. Cameras mean surveillance. World Wars I and II saw the rise of government intelligence agencies. The Cold War brought with it many spy vs spy vs spy games. Governments learned to love snooping. George Orwell wrote 1984. Privacy gets kicked in the teeth. In response, people decided they needed laws to better protect them from government surveillance. Germany adopted the worlds first data protection law in 1970. The US passed the Privacy Act of 1974 The Internet Age clicks on and things go downhill for privacy real fast. Social media, targeted advertising, cookies tracking us all around the web, phones pinging our locations everywhere we go, the rise of big data: privacy begins to enter a death spiral. The definition of privacy swings from the right to be let alone to something called contextual integrity. This is the idea that our personal information will be collected, but will only be shared with those we choose, and only when we want it shared, based on context and consent. But his definition of privacy fails miserably because it turns out that our personal information is quite valuable. Over time, it became the norm for companies to bury consent in terrible privacy policies and behind Click to Agree links. There are some legal data rights, if you live somewhere lucky enough to have them. Laws like Europes GDPR or Californias CCPA give you the right to know whats collected about you, to delete it, or opt out of having it sold. But even with those protections, todays most stringent privacy rules and systems are struggling to kep up with the social media age, let alone whats coming next. Now were entering the AI Age and the Grim Reaper is standing right there, glaring at privacy, ready to usher it to the eternal hereafter. AI could doom privacy or it could save it These days, its not just what were watching or buying that is being surveilled. Its every single aspect of our existence: our facial expressions, the thoughts in our language. The potential abuse of this technology for privacy is staggering. And were helping. Performing real time facial recognition on the missed connection on the train so you know where they live? Check. Granting access to our email, our calendar, our credit card info, our hopes and dreams to an AI agent to help order groceries, book flights, or make our lives a little easier? Check. Pouring our hearts out to our AI therapist or girlfriend because were feeling lonely or too shy to share these thoughts with a real person? Check. (The top self-reported use case for AI in 2025 is therapy and companionship.) What does privacy mean in an era of AI therapists and companions and agents that work in ways no one quite understands? We dont know how these AI models work, yet were being told to give them all our very intimate, personal information so they can work better for us? The idea of privacy in the AI Age feels like its come full circle, like were returning to those Biblical times dominated by some kind of all-seeing, all-knowing entity. But even if some people are becoming convinced it is, AI isnt God. AI is a mix of code and algorithms and human decisions, often with the goal of building power and making profits. But theres some good news. AI could help save privacy too. Its time for the next printing press To reclaim privacy in the AI Age, wed be wise to borrow a page from the past. Six hundred years ago, the printing press cracked the world open. It turned knowledge from something hoarded into something accessible. People could now carry ideas into the forest, read them in private, and come back changed. That one invention would later help spark the Enlightenment, a revolution in how people thought about power, truth, and freedom. People could read in private. Think in private. And eventually, demand the right to live in private. The printing press helped transform thinking and innovation, because it gave birth to the very idea of individual privacy. Today, we need a new printing press: a system that gives us control over the story of our livesour dataand, perhaps, sparks our next advances. Let me introduce you to a scrappy, overlooked right called data portability. At its core, this dry-sounding term means something radical: that you can easily and securely move your data where you want, when you want, and actually use it to serve you, not just companies. But theres a big gap between that vision and our reality. Too often, data portability tools are buried and convoluted, or completely nonexistent. Ever tried downloading your data and ended up with a giant, unreadable zip file youre not sure what to do with? Thats not empowerment; thats a digital paperweight. Data portability is the underdog of privacy rights. Barely known, rarely prioritized. But if developed and backed with intention, it could reshape the future. Imagine a world where your data isnt trapped in distant data centers. Instead, its close to homein a secure data wallet or pod, under your control. Now imagine pairing that with a loyal personal AI assistant, a private, local tool that lives with you, learns from you (with your permission), and acts on your behalf. Your AI. Not theirs. Heres a simple example: period tracking. It doesnt get much more intimate than that. And in places with abortion bans or restricted healthcare, it doesnt get much more dangerous, either. Right now, millions share that info with apps owned by companies that can sell it or hand it over to law enforcement under subpoena. But imagine if that data lived only in your data pod, controlled only by your AI, to predict symptoms, suggest care, flag concerns, or automatically order chocolate and Advil. With data portability, you can take your data, transfer it to your AI, and use it to benefit you. Thats the difference between being surveilled and being served. And thats just the beginning. Local, controlled AI plus portable, personal data could potentially help us address huge problems like healthcare, climate change, job loss, financial precarity, and unlock services we havent even dreamed of yet. Will it be easy? Nope. The technical and regulatory infrastructure to do this doesnt existyet. Some people, including the founder of the World Wide Web, are working on solutions that could lead there. The incentives to do this the right way arent obvious to everyoneyet. The companies that could help build this infrastructure dont want to prioritize thisyet. But neither did the wealthy and powerful want the printing press. Were at a turning point. If we dont push for systems that give people control over their data, well sleepwalk into a future far more dystopian than divine. But if we doif we build the next printing press for the AI Agewe just might write ourselves into a better story. Control your data, and you control your destiny. Yes, that sounds grand. But once so did the idea of ordinary people owning books. And look what came next. Jen Caltrider is Director of Research and Engagement at the Data Transfer Initiative and formerly led Mozillas Privacy NotIncluded initiative.
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E-Commerce
New locker rooms. Rows of seats removed. Every last Real Madrid sign hidden from sight. These are just some of the measures the National Football League took to transform one of the world’s most iconic soccer stadiums for a matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders. On November 16, the two teams will compete on the field of Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu, though the pitch won’t look anything like its usual self. To get the field ready, the NFL spent $2.32 million on a series of temporary renovations. The most fundamental change was to the playing surface itself. Since soccer pitches are shorter than American football fields, the playing field had to be extended from 115 yards to the official NFL length of 120 yards. To make this happen, entire rows of seats in the stadiums North and South Stands were physically removed. [Photos: Victor Carretero/Real Madrid/Getty Images, courtesy of the author] The fact that this could be done at all is a testament to the clever modular work by L35 Architects; von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) Architects; and Ribas & Ribas Architects, who designed the stadium. Also important is the stadium’s patented, retractable pitch, which is divided into six sections and can be moved horizontally and vertically using electric motors and hydraulic systems. The sections are stored in an underground chamber called the Hypogeum, where the grass is attended to. The Bernabéu’s unique retractable pitch system makes it arguably the most versatile large-scale entertainment venue in the world; it can transform to host soccer, football, tennis, basketball, concerts, conventions, or almost any other event you can imagine. The logistical needs of NFL teams also forced significant, albeit temporary, structural changes. The locker rooms were expanded to handle the 53-man rosters and their extensive support staff (more than double Real Madrid’s 25-man soccer squad). Because the traditional central tunnel used by soccer players was unsuitable for so many people to go through in a timely, organized manner, new access points to the locker rooms were created in the corners of the bench areas. The league also installed a new, separate press room to meet its specific media protocols. [Photo: courtesy of the author] Unlike soccer, where teams occupy designated benches, NFL teams are positioned along the length of the field. The narrower NFL field width meant the front rows of the side stands did not need to be altered, but the home and visitors team boxes had to be removed to make space for the halftime-show stage. [Photo: courtesy of the author] The NFL even tried to fix the stadium’s noise problems, which became known worldwide thanks to Taylor Swift (and, months later, caused Real Madrid to cancel all future music concerts until a solution to the acoustic pollution is found). That in itself is remarkable. And necessary: While Real Madrid games cause extraordinary noise for 90 minutes, the NFL game will cause a lot more because of its halftime show. The NFL installed noise-absorption panels throughout the stadium, probably hoping to avoid the PR backlash that would have ensued (and still might) without them. View this post on Instagram Wow As someone who lives close to the Bernabéu, I’ve been watching the transformation closely. I went to the stadium to see all the changes just before writing this article, and the most shocking thingat least for a Real Madrid fan like mewas to see every trace of my club erased. All club shields and branding are either covered up or removed entirely. Signs for the NFL, the Commanders, and the Dolphins are everywhere, just as they are throughout Madrid, thanks to the regional government, which spent about $3.5 million to promote the event. During the game, the stadiums 1,120-foot, 350-degree screenwhich is the spectacular ever-present visual frame for every Real Madrid home matchwill display the flags of Spain, the United States, and the NFL, plus all the sponsors and game information. Even the clubs public-facing commercial spaces have been repurposed; the Bernabéu museum, which displays all the trophies and historic memorabilia of FIFA’s Club of the Century since its 1902 foundation, ceded space for a temporary NFL museum. The official team store also gave up a large portion of its retail area for a merchandise shop selling gear from all 32 NFL franchises. Everyone in Spain is betting on this being worth the money and the effort. Certainly, it will be for fans and curious people: About 84,000 will fill the stadium after the initial sale window saw 700,000 different devices attempting to purchase tickets. The regional government estimates that the game will bring in approximately $81.2 million in revenue. [Photo: Eduardo Parra/Europa Press/Getty Images] It is yet to be seen whether it will be worth it for football itself. While the NFL is the highest-grossing sport in the U.S., it pales i comparison to the globally popular game of soccer. According to Deloittes 2024 fiscal year report, in Europe alone the soccer market generated revenue of $45.1 billion compared to the NFLs $23 billion. Still, all of Madrid has seemingly been swept up by the current spectacle. Just yesterday, my son and I were amazed to see a giant double-decker bus for NFL fans decorated with Miami Dolphins colors. All around the city there are flags and bus stop ads announcing the game. According to NFL executive Jon Barker, bringing football to a wider audience is generational work. “I dont think at this point that we have any idea 100 years from now what football is going to look like on a global scale,” he told The Washington Post. The league views this game as a pivotal moment for its expansion into the Spanish-speaking market. A flashy show, for sure. A mini Super Bowl of sorts. But the NFL has an uphill battle if it wants to make a dent in the markets where real footballthe one you play with your feet, not with your handsis the undisputed king.
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E-Commerce
Outdoors brand Yeti dropped its new holiday commercial, and it has a lot of what youd expect from a seasonal spot. Bad Idea outlines all the reasons you probably shouldnt get a Yeti for someone you care about: Dont get them a Yeti, says the voice-over, as a ribboned cooler flies out the back of a pickup truck. Unless you like dogs that are always wet, eyebrows that are still growing back, and sand in places sand should never be. By the end of the commercial, its clear that the brand is aiming at people who are obsessed. It could be surfing, fishing, camping, golf, whateverits about those chasing the dream wherever it leads them. But for all its charming predictability, this is more than just another ad for Yeti; its a major shift in the way the company approaches marketing and advertising. Thanks to a partnership with Wieden+Kennedy, this commercial is the first piece of advertising Yeti has made with an outside agency, and it signals a new era for a brand that has been staunchly self-made. For the past 19 years, Yeti has largely created all its own marketing and advertising, including ambitious projects like its ongoing series of short documentaries under the Yeti Presents banner. Thats why my ears perked up when Yeti CEO Matt Reintjes announced the W+K partnership on his companys November 7 earnings call. This came amid outlining how revenue was up 2% year over year but profits were down slightly by 2%, which the company credited to higher tariff costs. International revenue was up 14%. Mixing strong in-house creative cultures with big-name agencies is rare, especially today, as more brands build out robust in-house teams to replace or reinforce their long-standing relationships with agencies. When the two do mix, one typically emerges as the alpha. When I spoke to Reintjes recently, he told me that teaming up with the same agency as Nike, Ford, DoorDash, and McDonalds is a reflection of Yetis ambition and expansion into mainstream sports, backyards, and yoga studios around the world. We’re incredibly proud of the team that we have at Yeti and the way this brand has come to life with their vision and creativity, he says. We saw an opportunity to take the power of the in-house creative and content we have at Yeti and pair it with an incredible partner in Wieden+Kennedy and their global scale and global brand storytelling experience capabilities. Its also an opportunity to redefine how a world-class creative marketer can coexist and thrive with a world-class creative shop. The Great In-house Debate Over the past 15 years or so, there has been an omnipresent tension in advertising between the role of in-house creative departments and ad agencies. Many in-house agencies were created to save a brand money by not having to outsource all of its creative work. It was also about control, the theory being that an in-house team would know the brand better, and it would be able to produce work faster to keep up with the pace of culture as social media exploded. The reality is that brands were also fed up with unnecessary fees and bloated holding company bureaucracy. So they started to build out their own teams. The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) publishes an in-house report every five years. Its 2023 report said that 82% of its members had an in-house agency, up from 78% in 2018. Some estimates now put that figure closer to 90%, though the trade groups next report wont be published until 2028. Each brand has its own model. Almost all brand work from Airbnb, Squarespace, and Liquid Death comes from their in-house teams. Patagonia, another heavyweight in outdoorsy film content, produces all of its marketing in-house, too. In the past three years, Kraft Heinzs in-house agency, the Kitchen, has expanded its work from 4 of the companys brands to 19, and grown its team from 35 to more than 135 across two offices. PepsiCo has three different in-house agenciesSips & Bites for bigger projects, D3 for PepsiCo Foods in the U.S., and Creators League, which is focused on beverages. All told, its a major investment for these companies. Ad agencies began to feel threatened. Every project or creative win by an in-house agency could conceivably have been theirs. Trade group In-House Agency Council reported last year that external agencies did 70% of the workload in 2021, but by 2023 that dropped to just 30%. Some execs estimated that 30% to 40% of revenue had bled from the traditional creative agency model through in-housing. Yet Krafts most high-profile (and awarded) work still comes primarily from partner agencies like Rethink. When Pepsis in-house agency made the infamous Kendall Jenner ad in 2017, many ad agencies not-so-quietly celebrated the blowback. What makes Yeti and W+K unique is their chance to reset this narrative and show what two incredibly strong creative entitiesin-house and externalcan achieve together. Irrational Commitment Last year, Yeti released a short film called All That Is Sacred. Directed by Scott Ballew, the 34-minute film is a portrait of Jimmy Buffett and his group of friends in Key West, Florida, back in the late 1960s and 70s. It shows the balance between the work and leisure life of writers and musicians, including Thomas McGuane, Jim Harrison, Guy de la Valdéne, and Richard Brautigan, and their shared obsession with fishing. No ad agency on earth wouldve made this. Or let e rephrase: No client would likely buy this idea from an agency. Not because ad agencies lack the creative talent. Ad agencies can, and do, make great, unexpected creative work. Even if we just stick to films, look no further than The Seat on Netflix (Modern Arts for WhatsApp), award-winning short doc The Final Copy of Ilon Specht (McCann for LOréal Paris), or waaay back to Pereira ODells role in Werner Herzogs 2016 feature doc Lo and Behold for Netscout. But All That Is Sacred is ambitious even by Yeti standards. Most of Yetis best work has a direct tie to the brand, typically telling a personal story or chronicling an adventure of one of its many ambassadors. This is none of that. The tie to the brand is less direct, and more about vibes. That can be tough for an agency to push from the outside. To use a Yeti-appropriate metaphor here, as a piece of brand content goes, its not just out in the wildernessits fully off-grid, to a point that would make most marketers feel naked and afraid. But its beautiful. And it fits. It fits in a way that only a brand so fully confident in itself and its point of view could. That point of view has been the backbone of Yetis overall brand strength. Pierre Jouffray, Wieden+Kennedy executive creative director, says the agency worked with the internal Yeti team to really crystallize what that point of view is. After talking to all the brands ambassadors, one thing stood out. There’s something that is so true about their product, about the ambassadors, about the people, and about the way we would work together, which is this idea of irrational commitment, he says. Thats something that you can really connect with no matter what your pursuit is. For Reintjes this isnt about taking a weird left turn for the brand. This isn’t about doing something different; it truly is additive, he says. It’s almost like a layer cake. We’re just adding another layer on top of the incredible work that our team does from the most grassroots, endemic, connected, authentic audiences across social media and different platforms. We look at this as augmenting and a partnership in and how we scale this brand for a really long time. Bad Idea is a great start, blending what both companies do incredibly well. Its even narrated by musician and actor Ryan Bingham (Yellowstone), who hosted a Yeti show called The Midnight Hour in 2020. The real test will be to build up the global brand work that truly taps into that idea of irrational commitment while still connecting and creating with the audiences who built this brand in the first place. Just Yeti It.
Category:
E-Commerce
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