Hey Snackers,
2006: Kazakhstan wants to sue Borat creators in outrage over the film. 2020: "Very nice!" becomes the new slogan of Kazakhstan's tourism campaign.
Markets dipped yesterday. US jobless claims fell to a seven-month low last week, but the pace of improvement is slowing.
Ariana Grande fans are having withdrawal... and concert giant Live Nation is saying "thank u, next" to 2020 (48 more days). Live Nation's sales were down 95% last quarter because it was 0% live. The previous quarter was even worse, since festival season was cancelled (#Nochella). Still...
Do I have to take off my shoes?... Live Nation's Ticketmaster unit is reportedly working on a TSA-like plan to go live. Ticketmaster wants to check your COVID status before you step foot in its venues.
This could be a framework for all live gatherings... Live Nation wants to lead the "Return to Live." A vaccine could be widely available by April, as Dr. Fauci suggested following the promising Pfizer news. But until enough Americans get vaccinated (could be a while), Live Nation will have to prove it can operate safely enough. If it succeeds, others like Eventbrite could follow.
But does it have Ludicrous mode?... Ford is working on an electric version of its classic Transit model. The nearly-windowless van reminds you of a sketchy UberPool — it's actually the top-selling van in America, used by companies for jobs like plumbing and delivery. Now Ford wants to give it some sex appeal...
It's not just about electric wheels... Ford's also making a subscription play with digital add-ons to help customers track and manage their fleets. Currently, it charges $20 to $25 per vehicle/month for those services. It's expanding those offerings with the new e-fleets:
Subs could be Ford's future profit puppy... With recurring revenue from digital subscriptions, Ford can continue to profit off your purchase even after it sells you the car. Companies are obsessed with data because it helps them run more efficiently: if Ford can save companies money with these connected data services, companies could be willing to pay extra.
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Disclosure: Authors of this Snacks own shares of Apple, Disney, and Google
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