–Adweek goes inside Nike’s “moonshot” attempt to crack the two-hour marathon record; while unsuccessful, the ambitious stunt helped establish Nike’s “athletic cred.”
–MIT Technology Review highlights Face++, a Chinese face-detecting startup that can now authorize payments, as one of its ten breakthrough technologies.
–A new conductive system from Carnegie Mellon called Electrick can be sprayed on any surface, adding a touchscreen to everyday objects. Via the Verge.
–For Mental Health Month, Instagram is building communities to raise “awareness about mental health and the importance of finding support.” Via Fortune.
–Have we reached the limits of influencer culture? JWT Intelligence’s Lucie Greene discusses with the New York Times.
–The liquor industry is courting Hispanic drinkers, who “will drive 75% of the growth in the U. S.’s legal-drinking-age population through 2020,” writes the Wall Street Journal.
–Kraft’s “Swear Like A Mother” ad is a refreshing break from the “pandering momvertising” that typically surrounds Mother’s Day, writes Fast Company.
–What does the burgeoning natural hair movement look like in the UK? The BBC investigates.
–Dove’s “Real Beauty Bottles” campaign was not met with the “gushing support” the brand usually receives. Via Fast Company.
–The newest use for VR? Remote collaborations on car design. Via Design Week.
–Alipay and WeChat Pay are both launching trials in the US, “seeing a big market in the waves of Chinese traveling abroad.” Via the Wall Street Journal.
–How will Alexa with a screen change the connected home. The new Echo Show from Amazon is now available for preorder at $229.99. Via the Verge.
–Wow in the World is NPR’s first podcast for kids, which premieres May 15. Via Nieman Lab.
–Does the world have room for another dating app? Appetence, the world’s first “slow dating app,” requires users to talk before seeing pictures. Via Mashable.
