The Week of June 02, 2023 Marketing and Business News: Sorry, Alexa Can No Longer Talk Like Samuel L. Jackson
Ryan Alford and Christina cover Amazon killing Alexa celebrity voices, Smoothie King's ChatGPT romance novel, Twitter Community Notes and Kroger's screens.
- Amazon is shutting down its Alexa celebrity voice feature over budget cuts and royalty costs; the three affected voices are Samuel L. Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal and Melissa McCarthy, and existing buyers can keep using them only until September 30.
- Smoothie King wrote a roughly 250-page paperback romance novel with the help of ChatGPT, embedding coupons and offers throughout and naming its lead character Walter Malone as a watermelon pun.
- Ryan's take on AI writing: it works for short-form like emails and blog drafts, but long-form fiction from ChatGPT is unlikely to have much heart.
- Twitter is expanding Community Notes to images to crowdsource flagging of manipulated and AI-generated content, like the viral Balenciaga Pope, with plans to extend to video and multi-media tweets.
- LinkedIn's global "Find Your In" campaign includes a whimsical short film across TV, social and online, and follows a restructuring affecting 716 jobs and an 8% year-over-year revenue increase.
- LinkedIn remains underutilized because most people only visit it to post or find jobs; the hosts see growth in communities, newsletters and long-form content that people will actually click "see more" on.
- Frito-Lay is making its largest-ever investment in women's sports around the FIFA Women's World Cup, including themed packaging for Lay's, Doritos and Cheetos.
- Kroger is expanding its Cooler Screens partnership to over 500 locations after a three-year pilot, using in-store digital screens to build out its retail media business.
But you have until September 30 to continue. You can't keep buying it, but if you already have it, you can keep using it until the 30th.
I just I don't think about Smoothie King customers being avid readers, like that just doesn't feel like a pairing,
They're marketing diets to women and food to men. That's how that works.
You're listening to the ride cast a top 25 worldwide business podcast if it's radical we cover it. Here's your host Ryan Alford. Hey guys what's up welcome to the latest edition of the rad cast Friday June 2nd, 20, 23 or weekly marketing business news and entertainment of the week. Hello, hello, happy national, yeah, and national donut day. Yes, donut. Yeah, this is my friends anniversary and I never forget it because it calls on national donut day. I know a crispy cream or Dunkin Donuts. Oh man, strawberry pink frosted above everything. Don't really care where it's from. Okay. But like, gun to my head, probably crispy cream. Yeah, a Dunkin Donuts is good. I like Dunkin Donuts, but that crispy cream original is hard to beat. Heat it up. Oh yeah. Hot and ready. Hot now. I do love a good sour
cream donut. Yes. Yeah. It sounds gross, but no, they're excellent with coffee. It's nothing like sour cream. No, look, if it did, I wouldn't be mad. I'll eat sour cream with a spoon. That's all that I'm having it on us for lunch. Perfect. Done and done. Happy doing this to everyone out there for listening on Friday, June 2nd, which today it is for us, but otherwise, have it done anyway. Celebrate it's dear. If you can have one though, I think one's okay. I think I average three every time. At least. Yeah. I don't have them often. Yes. He had a good week. I did. You have a good memorial day. I did. A long weekend. We have fun. Yeah. With the lake. It was raining and 55 degrees in South Carolina.
I had to break some records. I don't know, like, usually like, sweltering by now. It was definitely. I would have gone for sweltering over cold. I'm just a sweatshirt most of the day, like Friday night and Saturday. I have my jacket with me the whole time. Monday. Monday came through a little bit though. Yeah. It was sunny. We, I hope everyone had to get a memorial day. And it was an eventful. It was just like stuff that didn't fill it. It did sense Monday, but it's, I don't know. You didn't get the whole weekend of sun and fun. Kick it off like the summer. Yeah. I don't think I've picked off the summer yet. No. I guess I got to retry this weekend. That's what for the July's four. Just keep holding out.
It's all due in second week. There you go. Kick it off with National Donut Day. Yes. That's what I got cooking. I have a burning question for you. Do you, are you an Alexa or a Hey Google person? Or neither? Hey Siri. Okay. Yeah. We have Alexa in the kitchen. Yes. So we have. Did you ever buy the voices for her? No, absolutely not. Probably a good thing because as of now, Amazon is discontinuing its celebrity voices. Did they actually sound like the celebrities? Yeah. Because it was, I think it was celebrity recorded. It wasn't like AI. And the reason why they're doing away with it is because they're doing some budget cutbacks. And you've got royalties that are involved with all of that. But if you did pay for them,
you can use the three that it mainly affects our Samuel L Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal and Melissa McCarthy. You always think of it because I didn't even know existed. I just wouldn't pay for it. Like it's a fun offer, but I'm not going to pay extra for it. If I could go, hey Alexa, turn into Samuel L Jackson. But you have until September 30 to continue. You can't keep buying it, but if you already have it, you can keep using it until the 30th. Yeah. I don't know. I think I'm going to pass on that one. We need to edit somebody's voice in this moment, like Melissa McCarthy. Who's in the new Little Mermaid movie? Yes. Which I plan on seeing its end point. Absolutely. I have no girls in the family other than my wife, but no little girls. I have to please
with Little Mermaid. I'm excited, but I don't have to do that. We've got some romance novels in the notes today. Smoothie King has used chat GPT to write a 215 page, 250 page romance novel. And in this novel, it's all coded with different coupons and offers that Smoothie King customers can partake in. Yeah. A summer fling to the extreme details about the relationship. Oh, that's what it's about with Walter Malone. Do you know who that is? That's a play on watermelon. Oh, that's the main character. Right over that insert. So you would be making getting these basically clues. I don't know Walter, but I know Ben, Ben Dover. Hey, I just I don't think about Smoothie King customers being avid readers, like that just doesn't feel like a pairing,
but clearly they've done some research behind this. I think it's really fun and weird. Yeah, I want to know is it just lots of puns or is it like truly like romance? I'll look it up and do like it from my ties. My following and all the smoothies are my following and love with these people. I will record the audiobook just for you. Just for you. It's a fun. You said the newest text that gets your buzzwords out there. Hey, you did a book with open AI. I also I don't think about using chat GPT for content this long because I only use it for short form. I think that the most I've used it for is drafting an email or a blog post, but the thought of AI generated,
like 250 words of a romance novel. Yeah, I wonder if it reads like some of those stuff starting read to me. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have much heart. I would imagine. Yes, I would imagine. Yes, but it does have Walter Malone. Walter Malone. Raging Heartthrob. Are you a Smoothie King person? Are you like Smoothies? Oh, Smoothies. Yeah, I don't patron the King often, but you make him a home patronize the King often, but yeah, I'm more of a home smoothie. Yeah, I have to I don't have some of eight dollars for a smoothies. I like it. I like it. It's a luxury. It's dessert for sure. It's probably like in Dorfins like the sugar Dorfins. Okay, I'm in, but I used to have the really expensive
time. Yeah, no, I'm. I'll make a protein now stuff at home. I don't know. It's not dollars for a smoothies. It's starting to get a little steep. I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Yeah, but if they have a romance model, maybe. Maybe that's the sound point. Yes. That's the target audience. We got some radcast news. We do. We do. Listen to this week's episode with Sun Yee, the owner of and founder of Nidal's media and digital agency in New York. Great storytelling. He told a great story, dry humor, really interesting. And if you want to grow on social media, go to the episode. He had a lot of actionable tips. That was this week, this past Tuesday. Next week, we've got another best of additions. Some of the best of motivational
business stories. Some of the best ones the last couple of years. Michael Bayer, Bobby Maximus. We don't keep Hollis and Cody Burns very unique diverse set there, but all what I would classify as motivational storytelling in the business field. Some of them have overcome tremendous adversity, including Cody Burns, who was burned on like over 70% of his body. It's come back and become a motivational speaker. Really powerful story. And Bobby Maximus will get you motivated in health and exercise. A lot of great tips there. But some of our best of motivational stories. So check that out. One of the best of the radcast. When you have 350 episodes, you get to aggregate some of these things. So you get a shortcut to the best of. You don't have to go listen to 45
minutes. You get it wrapped up all the best parts in one. So if you're looking for some motivation and developing your business or overcoming a verse, you check it out next Tuesday, where you're listening to this now or you can watch the videos on Instagram or YouTube. I have good news and bad news for you because I know that you love a good dad joke. But it's not just the season of dad jokes, even though father's days coming up, we have an amazing offer for our listeners from our absolute favorite meat sponsor of the radcast. Good ranchers. America can be delivered. You can head to goodrangers.com and use code radcast for $30 off your first box. We've already kicked off summer. At least we're trying to here in South Carolina. Hopefully some of y'all have had better luck
than we have. But if you are looking for something to buy for your father, I know my dad is impossible to shop for and my brother and I actually have given him like cuts of wagyu beef before. And now I'm just going to have a deliver. Don't have to go to the butcher. There it is. I can use my radcast code and I know he's going to be happy. Exactly. Get $30 off of code radcast and we're all happy. He's happy. I've got four boys. So if anyone wants to buy you a father's take gift, this is a good one. Just go to goodrangers.com plug in our code. It's empty more. I have lots of room in my freezer. So what dad wouldn't want more meat on the grill. Truly. Yes.
It's first thing knowing how good this is and how high the quality is. Yes. Steakhouse quality delivered right to your door, including wagyu burgers. I think I might have some burgers this weekend. So it's actually digging out my seven-year-old son, Nash. He's spoiled to a degree like all of them, but he has a little scoop of ice cream. That's like his dessert each night. And so I was digging my last night. Chocolate. Excellent. Only chocolate. That's his only go to right now. And what was in the way of getting that chocolate ice cream was those burgers. So I was staring at them going. It made me hungry in the moment. Soon. It was like nine o'clock at night. I'm like, I guess I can have a burger
right now. But I think they can pretty weight. I'm not going to lie. Oh, it's never a bad time for bacon. Never a bad time for bacon. But yes, 100% American raised meat. Everybody is great. Let me tell you this is take off quality right to your house. The official steak delivery company of Ryan offered and the red cast get $30 off with code red cast like Christina mentioned. You'll thank us for us later. And it is a great gift for Father's Day coming up. Make every Father happy. I'm telling you I'm speaking for the truth here. As a father, if this showed up on Father's Day, we be in very happy. Very good. Father's Day is June 18th. So go ahead and just place that order. Have it delivered on time. Exactly. Now's the time to do it because you're going to get
busy. You probably take a week or 10 days. So you're right around that window. All of a sudden delivered right to the door. Yep. There you go. Yep. Give dad will something you know, he'll because that's the hardest thing. Don't get him a tie. No. No ties. No wallets. No bad gift cards. No belts. Have no meaning. Sorry. Just telling her like it is. So what we do here on the right cast. Keep it real. Give us a good ranchers meet. Those are right to the door or good sponsor. Good ranchers.com. We've got some Twitter news per usual. It just cannot seem to stay out of the news. They are launching a new community note for images. This is on the heels of all of
these AI generated images, but they've launched community notes for images in posts to put more on crowdsourcing moderation. The company aims to flag content like manipulated pictures or AI generated images such as the Balenciaga Pope that went viral a few weeks ago. Did you see that? No. I missed it too. I saw when I had a little kids in the pictures. I didn't really care for it. Sure. That was not AI, however. But Twitter is working on expanding this feature to videos and tweets with multiple media through the matching algorithm. Though the matching algorithm may miss some instances. So it's just kind of trying to keep everything safe. No, you get to have to have a lot of this for images for videos for audio audio. Yeah. That's a big one. So the filters are
going to have to keep up with all the bad players. So it makes sense. Has off the lawn. Getting something right here. Yeah. Yeah. We're looking out for people trying to. Yes. And then is emphasizing the power of networking and a big global push. They have a massive campaign. It's global and it's called Find Your Inn, which places an emphasis on the platform's networking capabilities. I don't use LinkedIn as nearly as much as I should have, but I found this super interesting. The effort includes a whimsical short film supported by TV, social media, online and video as part of their effort. The flashy campaign comes after LinkedIn announced a corporate restructuring affecting 716 jobs through the company. And it's most recent earnings report announced an 8% year over year boost in revenue. I think LinkedIn's underutilized by a lot of people
myself included. Sometimes it starts to show signs of the Facebook defect a little bit of some of the posting, like getting away from business, which I'm okay with on certain levels. I do like to see people's personality, but I do think it's untapped. It has a lot of room for growth. And I think you're going to see an expansion of the platform. And not just where people go, where I'm looking for a job or I have a job, which is probably 70% of them now. Like I'm looking for a job. I go to LinkedIn. I am posting a job. I posted there. I think that communities are starting to expand there. You've got people doing newsletters. You have a lot of other things. And I am starting to see LinkedIn. I have seen a couple of their TV spots here recently.
So I think you're going to see an expansion of it beyond just the jobs. But I think I just hope we can keep it in the realm of business on some level and it doesn't just completely fade into Facebook. And I get so tired on LinkedIn of all of like spam emails I get and spam messages. I think it's the one. I mean, I get them more on LinkedIn than others. And I get a ton of the same thing and so annoying. It's like how many lead generation companies can they're possible. They all need me up on them. And they just face it off of one keyword that might be hiding somewhere on your profile drives me nuts. And unlike like even Facebook or Instagram or
only we start on TikTok's DMing is terrible. But nonetheless, I don't immediately on these other platforms goes. Someone's trying to sell me something necessarily. But on LinkedIn, like every time everything, I'm like, okay, what are you selling? And that's why I don't use it as much for that anymore. I try to just keep it organic because I feel I'm like, you know what, I can't practice what I hate against it. I just don't in and day people with, hey, I'm not way that kind of sales guy anyway. But like, I think you got to kind of get out of all the spammy stuff and find ways to create true connection to community. And I think they've got a ways to go there. But I think there's a lot of opportunity because I do think
it is the platform. And it makes sense because it's a professional platform where I feel like the people are real. Yeah. Yeah. On social media, at least for me, getting so many DMs, different things. I'm like, how many people are actually not even real? Just a robot being told to do something or whatever. I do think it does have a credibility that leads itself to greater. I don't know. I know that everybody has their profile photos and stuff. But think about how many on all those social platforms. I still find there's a level of credibility of this program that could be leveraged to do more things that break it to streamline that yeah, real versus fake. Yeah. I also think that LinkedIn lends itself to more long form content. I am
more prone to. Yeah. I would prefer more content. Like I would rather click see more on LinkedIn. Whereas if I see that on Facebook or Instagram, I'm going to scroll right past it. I agree. So just my thoughts. Yeah. But I don't use it much. So what do I know? Burgeoning platform. It is that LinkedIn. On to our marketing news. Brito Lay makes the largest ever investment in women's sports for the FIFA World Cup. The marketing program marks the snack companies largest ever investment. And the World Cup themed packaging will be released for Lay's Doritos and Cheetos. You know why that is because the guys are the ones that munching on those snacks. Like I don't want to eat them too. But man, guys, I think you're just known for that. I was eating some burritos.
The kids have me snack food. I'm like, get that away from me. It's like, but I won't do Cheetos. I can't with the Cheeto fingers. I'm so even thinking about everybody snacks. But I think guys are worse at snacking. I don't know. Oh, absolutely. For sure. I don't know. It's guys are just snackers. It's probably why they haven't invested. I'm sure they've invested. But not as heavily. Maybe that started to change. Yeah. That's the problem. They market to us too much. And so they start marketing. Yeah. They're marketing diets to women and food to men. That's how that works. This is fun. Since we're both Apple Music lovers, Apple Music Classical is now available on Android. Apple's totally taken over the world. Apple Music Classical is now available on
Google Play Store for Android users with an Apple Music or Apple One subscription. The app was first announced earlier this year in March and was acquired by Apple in 2021 from streaming. Over 5 million tracks are available to search through using keyword combinations like composer artist instrument work title. Yeah. I'm not personally like a giant classical music person. But I do. I was surprised because I have my Galaxy Fold and it has Apple Music on it. Like they're just regular Apple Music. So I was actually surprised that I actually had that. I didn't know that there was a rolled every platform out. But I know you're into the stage and all that stuff. Are you a classical music person? I know. If I hear certain pieces, I can recognize it. And I like
I don't know if it's just your glasses. And I like I played some of that. It's not my go-to like running music or anything. But I enjoyed. I appreciate it. I like going to the symphony because I'm 80 years old. Yeah. I can get behind it. I loved I loved studying it in school. Loved it. Yeah. I took piano for five years when I was growing up. So I remember like chopsticks and other really difficult. Maybe that's on there. Hard and soul. Do I have heart and soul? Oh, yes. Oh, I still play some. Oh, yeah. Heck yeah. You know, you have to be a piano player to actually play your soul. Yeah. I took the NFL seven years and now I just Google chords. All you Android lovers get on the
and Android users. All 10 of you get it. It's way more than that. It's at least 12. Your Apple music classical download. Yeah. There you go. You heard it from the Radcast. There you go. Radcast only. Kroger, which is a grocery store that we do not have here in the South Carolina, but they are bringing digital smart screens to over 500 locations. The grocer is expanding its partnership with cooler screens, which makes digital smart screens after a three year pilot. The in-store technology aims to not only improve the shopper experience, but also bolster Kroger's retail media offerings. Yeah. In other words, they want to show you ads so that you're in line. So here's how this works. You're in line. You're looking at that smart screen.
It's like you didn't know you forgot those Doritos, but they're on screen. Oh, I need those. They're on sale. They're on sale. They're on sale. $2 off instant coupons. Right there. That'd be that. That's a good little bit. Do we have like smart screens that grocery stores around us? Not many. No. They're not. I just googled them. I'm not as easy as I was like, I know I've seen these, but you're starting to see them more in CVS and more greens, little kiosks and stuff. Yeah. That makes more sense. You start to see it more in the grocery store. I don't think of Kroger as a cutting-edge grocery store. There's a Kroger in like, in-virtual beach. Okay. Okay. There is one. I thought they started in Georgia.
But I don't know where they started. I know that's the last time I went to a Kroger. It was in the middle of the beach. And you know what happens in the middle of the beach? A whole lot of nonsense. Yeah. What happens in the middle of the beach?
The original Vegas of South Carolina, the Grand Strand. Got a lot of it. But the digital stuff, it makes sense, especially for real-time delivery of offers and stuff. They think with like being new boards and all that stuff, they can update digitally, which makes sense. Ultimately, they're just trying to sell you more stuff. And they're going to sell ads on those things to the food groups that are already in the store and or trash bags. Do you have any apps for your grocery stores? I have the Harris Teeter app, and I never use it. But apparently they run specials and like my boyfriend gets coupons through it all the time. I just did McDonald's app the most because I take the boys' area, our Friday hotcake Friday.
And it is quite good about pre-ordering ahead, but no grocery store apps. And I go to the grocery store a lot. So either it's not worthy of doing anything or they don't market to be enough to download it. I just don't feel like I can bring myself to have my groceries picked up for me. I'm able-bodied. I can take care of it. The problem is like some of the Geo ads that there were going to be like real-time stuff when you're near stuff. It kind of came out. It was more annoying than helpful. I agree with that. But who does it like a good coupon? Like you talk about a good story, it would be if they could somehow match up. Do you use it
all your privacy anyway? But you're in the grocery store line and they know you've already gotten something potentially. They know you're in the store because it's like Geo and like your app on the phone. Yeah. And then some kind of targeting on that screen that matches it to an offer and to encourage. There's a there's an interplay of those technologies that I think has always been the promise. But I don't know that it's come along. I'm going to buy something and I instantly get a coupon like a little surprise into lights. Great. Like if you have my data- Always save money. And you know that we buy I don't know snacks like in the lathe we buy the multi-pack chip things like surely that's embedded in our data. The same things that we buy every
time like the little yogurt stuff that goes in the lunch boxes for the kids. Matching these discounts with the product with the products that would probably should already be online. Her grocery list. Yeah. And that's where it's okay. Curious. Even my wife. I mean she obviously does more like of the ordering and sometimes she's sending me lists to pick up but does more of it than me. Sure. You would think that it would encourage she doesn't use that. And she uses a lot of apps. So she has no condones apps for her coffee and the kid stuff. She's not she's getting her coffee every morning. So she has the apps for stuff that's helpful. Yeah. But as much as she grocery shop to not be using the app seems like either they're not far along or they don't market it or I don't know.
If Trader Joe's had an app. I'll be all over. They probably do. I don't think they do and I don't know. Yeah. Who knows? Well, be a follow up next week. There you go. Stay tuned. I'll do some research. We will love any feedback. Are we missing out on grocery apps? And we don't know. Yes. How can we improve our grocery? The crumble app is probably my most use. Oh God. That's so good. Man. Are we hunger here? I know. Right. I got to stop. You've done the girls on this red cast. If you learn nothing, you've been made hungry potentially. Yes. Between the good red shirts, meat and the doughnuts and crumble cookies. Man. Go listen to that episode. If you haven't, that'll make you hungry. Here comes Lee. Anyway, we really appreciate everyone. It's summertime folks.
Kids are out. School's out for the summer. Lots of suns and buns. You know, we'll find us to radcast.com search for all today's concerts search for doughnuts and screens. You'll find them. Screens. Give behind it. Yes. Find all the latest content. I'm Ryan Alfred on all the social media platforms for Sawyer for Christina. We'll see you next time. The radcast to listen to watch full episodes. Visit us on the web at the radcast.com or follow us on social media at our Instagram account, d.rad.cast or at Ryan Alfred. Stay radical.
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