–Barbie now comes in three new sizes—petite, tall and curvy—in a massive shift for Mattel so secret it was code-named Project Dawn. Time reports.
–As big beer brands put out small “credibility beers,” Punch magazine asks, “Can big beer really make great beer?”
–What does psychology tell us about the best store return policies? New York magazine recaps the research.
–At Sundance, Amazon and Netflix—not Hollywood—are the new power brokers. Via Wired.
–What does an eco-beauty brand look like in China? Jing Daily profiles the new LVMH brand Cha Ling.
–Wallpaper* recaps the French design and interiors showcase Maison et Objet.
–Smithsonian magazine shows what’s coming up in the burgeoning field of beauty wearables.
–At Davos, World Economic Forum attendees predicted vast new wealth creation from a “fourth industrial revolution,” writes The Guardian.
–Brands and dieters are waking up to the reality that “a calorie isn’t just a calorie,” says The Atlantic.
–Nike moves into content, launching a branded series on YouTube, writes Adweek.
–“New drone racing league wants to be the next Nascar.” Bloomberg investigates.
–What’s next for Lululemon as athleisure cools down? Business of Fashion reports.
–Fathom’s “social impact cruises” haven’t yet caught on with consumers, but the PR effect has already been “unbelievably successful” for Carnival Corp, writes Skift.
–As iPhone sales slow in China, is Apple in trouble? The Wall Street Journal lists the warning signs, while Farhad Manjoo at the New York Times offers a reality check.
–Mobile ads now make up 80% of Facebook’s ad revenue. “We have a Super Bowl on mobile in the US every single day,” Sheryl Sandberg tells the New York Times.
–In a milestone for artificial intelligence, Google’s algorithms have beaten human players at the game Go—“a decade earlier than expected,” writes MIT Technology Review.
