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Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are famously close, with a friendship that spans five decades. The actors were first seen together in The Godfather Part II, but their friendship has propelled them to do several other films together, including Heat and The Irishman. Today, they appear in a different creative project: a campaign for the luxury outerwear label Moncler. The campaign is premised on expanding the definition of warmth. Moncler, which is known for creating warm jackets, also wants to be known for the warmth of feeling between friends and loved ones. [Photo: Platon for Moncler] In the imagery for the campaign, De Niro and Pacino are captured in black-and-white by Platon, the renowned portrait photographer who goes by one name. In one image, they’re on a rooftop, looking out at the New York skyline. They also appear in a series of short video clipsalso shot in black-and-whitesitting across the table from one another, occasionally touching hands affectionately. In voice-overs, the actors speak with their distinct, gravely voices. Moncler’s moment The campaign is part of Moncler’s broader effort to immerse itself in the creative world. In 2018, it launched the Genius project, in which it partners annually with 10 creatives across various disciplines who come up with interesting ideas for new products and runway shows. Last year, it featured all of these ideas in an immersive experience called the “City of Genius,” which took place in Shanghai and was attended by 8,000 people. The actor and singer Donald Glover designed an architectural farmhouse inspired by his farm in Ojai, California, along with a collection of clothes perfect for farming. Edward Enninful, the founder of EE72 magazine and the former editor of British Vogue, designed a multisensory performance art piece that showed a weather station being overrun by a sandstorm, a snowstorm, and a windstorm. It was meant to reflect a future of extreme weather and the clothes that we might wear to survive the elements. Moncler also partnered with Jony Ive, the iPhone designer, to design a five-piece outerwear collection that offered a futuristic take on a field jacket, parka, and poncho. Ive’s team also designed an entirely new button made from a clasp with magnets to make it easier to secure and separate layers. Now, Moncler is turning to these beloved actors, now in their 80s, to tell a story about their friendship and creative partnership over the decades. The photography captures their longevity, documenting wrinkles and age spots, while also offering a rare glimpse into their intimacy. It’s a touching portrayal of a softer side of masculinity that contrasts the macho roles the two actors have often portrayed across their careers.
Category:
E-Commerce
If youre still using Google Calendar like its 2009just punching in appointments and letting it rideyoure leaving productivity on the table.While were all drowning in digital noise, the single best thing you can do is carve out some actual, useful time. These five tricks are simple to implement, and they turn your basic calendar into a surprisingly effective time-management copilot.So, stop scheduling and start planning.The shortcut-iest shortcutsYou know whats less efficient than a two-hour conference call? Constantly clicking the Create button or dragging your mouse to the next available time slot.Instead, just hit the C key on your keyboard.The event creation box pops up instantly, ready for you to title your meeting and select a time. Its basic, but the cumulative time savings of not having to drag the pointer to the left-hand corner of your screen for the ten-thousandth time is non-trivial.Also, while youre at it, hit T to jump straight back to todays date, and check out other useful shortcuts here.Block out Focus TimeWe all have a task list that never ends. You need two hours to write that report, but your calendar is a patchwork quilt of calls, reminders, and quick syncs. If its not on the calendar, it doesnt exist.Carve out some actual work time by scheduling a Focus Time event. Note that for this to work, youll need a Business, Enterprise, Education, or Nonprofit Google Workspace account.In the past, youd just block off the time. Now, Google Calendar has a specific Focus Time event type. Its like a regular event, but it gives you an option to automatically decline any conflicting invitations during that block.Use it, abuse it, and get something done.Color-code your eventsYour work calendar is a mess of identical blue events. Is that blue dot a mandatory team meeting, or just a reminder to take the recycling out? You have to click it to know.Instead, assign a color to specific types of events.When editing an event, change its color next to your name about half-way down the modal. I like to use red for anything thats a Hard Stop or external meeting, green for personal stuff, and yellow for internal work things.Now, when you glance at your week, you can instantly see the type of week youre having: a color-coded visual indicator of your commitments.Schedule meetings without herding catsLets be honest: The absolute worst part of scheduling a meeting isnt the meeting itself, its the five emails and three Slack messages that happen before the meeting, all dedicated to the question, When are you free?Youre not a reservation agent. Use the Find a Time feature instead.When you create an event and add your guests, click on the Find a Time tab right next to Event Details.Google Calendar instantly overlays the schedules of everyone you invited, so you can see exactly who is busy and who is free and at which times. Drag the event block to the first open slot that works for everyone.Build in some breaksThe bane of modern office life is an entire day of back-to-back, 30-minute meetings. No time for lunch. No time for the bathroom. No time for . . . well, anything.Dont be a time miser. Instead, go to Settings > General > Event settings > Default Duration and click the Speed meetings box.This is a subtle but powerful change. Now, when you create an event, it automatically stops five or ten minutes before the hour.You and your attendees get a break and a chance to prep for the next call. In a world insane with meetings, its a small victory for sanity.
Category:
E-Commerce
Financial technology is now entering its third act, marked by a significant shift in how platforms and businesses interact with financial services. The first wave brought democratization, with businesses gaining access to online credit and lending tools aimed at leveling the playing field. The second wave moved these products inside platforms, embedding payments and finance into everyday software workflows. Despite their impact, these steps left business owners managing multiple fragmented systems. Today, platforms are in a race to embed financial services; as of 2021, 73% planned to integrate lending features into their software within two years. The opportunity is huge: Such integrations can increase EBITDA, retention, and user acquisition for platforms. Yet, most current efforts stick to static, product-first solutions rooted in earlier fintech phases. The real transformation is reaching its third actplatforms evolving into true financial operating systems (OS): intelligent, integrated, and predictive. This third act is crucial for end users, who want to manage and resolve their financial challenges directly within the platforms they use daily, without juggling separate systems or applications. ACT I: DIRECT-TO-BUSINESS FINTECHS The first phase of fintech focused squarely on increasing access. Online lenders and challenger banks used bureau data and alternative signals to provide credit and unbundle financial services, making them accessible outside traditional institutions. Capital flowed more freely, yet these assets remained siloed: Businesses had to navigate a separate financial stack from their core operations, consuming valuable time and resources. For fintech providers, reaching customers directly was fraught with acquisition costs and operational hurdles, often making profitability elusive. ACT II: SINGLE EMBEDDED SOLUTIONS The second wave introduced embedded productspayments, lending, accounting, and payrolldirectly into existing platforms. Small and midsize businesses could access financing or manage payroll without leaving the tools they relied on for day-to-day operations. Platforms experienced increased growth and retention, but the integrations were narrow. They often addressed only isolated events in the customer journey, like a loan for payroll, without considering broader impacts on cash flow, vendor payments, or inventory management. Most solutions in this stage felt bolted on rather than truly integrated, providing businesses with options but not holistic or proactive solutions. Many fintechs still operate in this single-product mode, mistaking integration for innovations finish line. ACT III: THE EMBEDDED FINANCIAL OPERATING SYSTEM The third act marks a major leap. Instead of simply adding products, the financial OS embeds finance into the entire user workflowmaking it not just about payments or credit, but intelligence. In practice, these platforms anticipate cash flow gaps before they arise, deliver insights in real time, and proactively match users with the best financial tools or resources when needed. Every interaction adds context and intelligence, going far beyond what static loan products or one-off integrations can offer. AI drives this evolution, analyzing unstructured data, predicting financial needs, and constantly improving the OS with every transaction. This approach doesnt just create stickier platforms; it transforms the core experience by reducing the complexity of financial decision-making. For platforms, fully integrating finance means owning the end-to-end workflow, becoming the trusted system of record and deepening user relationships over time. STAKES FOR PLATFORMS The competition to embed fintech at deeper levels is escalating. Platforms that linger in Act I or II will be overtaken by those embracing the financial OS approach. Users are tired of fragmented dashboards and single-point appsthey want systems that remove friction, automate financial decisions, and free up time for growth. Companies that evolve into a financial OS dont just provide servicesthey become indispensable, earning trust and increasing loyalty as financial intelligence compounds with each interaction. THE NEXT ERA Fintechs evolution is about aligning closer to the workflows that drive real value for businesses and consumers. Act I expanded access; Act II brought capital into software. Now, Act III is defined by intelligence and seamless, proactive integrations. Static tools may address temporary issues, but only platforms powered by AI and a true financial OS will define the future. The next era will belong to those that shift from product-centric models to embedded foresight, enabling businesses and consumers to focus on further unlocking their potential. Luke Voiles is CEO of Pipe.
Category:
E-Commerce
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