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The humanoids are here. Say hello to AI-powered robots. Sanctuary AI, a Vancouver-based robotics firm, just unveiled Phoenix — a 5’7” general-purpose humanoid that can lift up to 55 pounds and move at three miles per hour. Why does it feel like we watched this Black Mirror episode…
In other news… ad agencies care for employee mental health, Netflix’s new ad tier, and Gen Zers love being influencers (regardless of their follower count).
Top Trends
YouTube → “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” - Nicki Minaj
Twitter → System of a Down
Google → Prince Harry
Reddit → Timothée Chalamet
Spotify → “Little Things” - Jorja Smith
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CULTURE
No work is more important than your mental health // Illustration by Kate Walker
How ad agencies are taking care of employee mental health
The Future. Amid economic uncertainty, an increase in layoffs, and the emergence of Gen AI creating fear about job security, ad agencies are prioritizing employee mental health. Because the ad industry touches almost every aspect of our lives, its focus on mental health care could have a ripple effect on other workplaces.
A safe space
Agencies are providing mental health support for their employees whenever they need it.
Cactus, which built a mental health platform for its employees, is opening up the platform to any ad agency that wants it.
Publicis launched “Working With Cancer” to provide cancer patients with full job security for at least one year.
OMG partnered with Peace at Home Parenting Solutions and the Working Parents Network to host discussions around traumatic events like school shootings.
A safety net
Some agencies are even giving monetary perks to employees to alleviate their inflation-driven financial stress.
VMLY&R offers 10 days of childcare (plus 10 extra days within the first year of birth or adoption) for between $15 and $25 a day per child.
VaynerMedia, TDA Boulder, Mekanism, and McCann’s North American and APAC offices offer unlimited PTO.
Today’s world can be difficult for everyone; agencies are reassessing how they’re taking care of their employees. Many understand it’s not just “another day at work” anymore.
MEDIA
Is Netflix crying ad tiers of joy? // Illustration by Kate Walker
The early performance of Netflix’s ad business
The Future. While Netflix has more subscribers than any other streaming service, it’s among those with the fewest subscribers paying for an ad-backed version of its service. The streamer’s ad tier could get a boost, however, after it cracks down on password-sharing in the US and more countries around the world.
Subscribers by the numbers
Netflix is competing for major ad dollars with streamers that have been in the ad business longer and boast more ad-watching subscribers.
Its $6.99/month ad tier reportedly had 937,616 US subscribers in March 2023, whereas Disney+’s (which launched a few weeks later) had 863,791.
Hulu had 20 million ad-tier subscribers, Peacock had 15.5 million, Paramount+ had 10.7 million, and HBO Max had 3.6 million in the US in March.
Advertisers’ thoughts
Some ad buyers point out that the Netflix ad tier’s small subscriber base doesn’t allow them to run as many ads as they want or effectively target certain subscribers.
Others have held back from buying a lot of inventory because Netflix’s ad prices are more expensive.
Still, others praise the Netflix ad tier for letting them reach a subset of the population they had been closed off from for years.
The bottom line
Once Netflix cracked down on password-sharing in Canada and Spain this past February, the company said people subscribed to the service for the first time on the lower-cost ad plan.
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CULTURE
What are influencers without influence? // Unsplash
Gen Z-ers post like influencers regardless of follower count
The Future. Gen Z-ers without significant social media followings are increasingly posting influencer-quality content in their spare time. The normalization of this behavior could lead to a new kind of résumé — but could worsen the mental health crisis, too.
No days off
Young people are spending more spare time and effort linking their identities to platforms like TikTok.
Unsponsored users are modeling influencer content — like summarizing daily routines, modeling clothes, unboxing products, or linking to personal Amazon storefronts.
The practice often wins users small perks, like free products or commissions for purchases made by redirecting through a user’s profile.
Many “faux-influencers” say they’re building a résumé their peers can appreciate, advertising to brands and people alike by consolidating their social media presence to a single Linktree page.
The majority of Linktree accounts have less than 1,000 annual page views.
Alone time
Posting like an influencer can attract brands and young viewers who feel more comfortable with influencer content. But it also encourages creators to self-isolate and link their self-worth to their ability to monetize a personal brand, behaviors associated with mental health problems.
If TikTok becomes everyone’s business, can it also be their pleasure?
Highlights
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Elon Musk took an especially hard line against the work-from-home trend during an interview this Tuesday, arguing that it makes people unproductive and is even “morally wrong” because not every job can be done remotely. He may be right in some respects, but it’s hard to take such statements seriously coming from someone with a history of toxic workplace allegations.
Read More → theverge
Mast Reforestation rebuilds forests after fires
Even augmented by drone-aided planting, reforestation programs are no match for the accelerating rate of forest fires. That’s why DroneSeed has created Mast Reforestation — a company devoted to updating the communications and supply chains that link seed providers to seedling growers and foresters. It’s fitting that interconnection may save Earth’s forests.
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Employers are exploiting freelancers
This year, a majority of companies have reported wanting to fill employee gaps with freelancers. But that means employers are trying to foist full-time positions on independent contractors — expecting them to adopt additional responsibilities and illegally controlling their workflow — without offering them job security or benefits. To keep this from becoming the norm, freelancers can push back.
Read More → fastcompany
Young people are too financially insecure to start families
According to Deloitte’s annual survey, nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials don’t think they can afford to start a family. The exorbitant cost of living has half of these generations living paycheck to paycheck and working multiple jobs — so buying a home or starting a family is out of the question. At least you can become a DINKWAD.
Read More → insider
Workers think their bosses are lying about AI
Thanks to AI’s rapid advances in the past six months, half of workers believe their bosses aren’t telling them how their companies will use AI. Nearly half believe their firms will start using more AI, and AI could soon kill their entire industry. Maybe it’s time to revisit UBI…
Read More → insider
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Today's email was brought to you by Kait Cunniff and Luke Perrotta. Editing by Melody Song. Publishing by Sara Kitnick.