Forget Graph Search, has Facebook reached its saturation point? The future of brick and mortar, CES highlights, American Idol’s new star-studded faces, the must see films of 2013… This week’s notable news and tantalizing tidbits for young treps:
1. Facebook fatigue: Online marketing is generally intrusive, but when marketers doggedly chase their target demographics where they commune, users run. With UK Facebook accounts down 600,000 users in December, is Facebook reaching its saturation point? (The Guardian)
2. Want to win over the social masses? Here’s a hint: Don’t try to be clever, be clever. Elephant Journal lays out the rules for playing the marketing game on social media. (Elephant Journal)
3. Teaching engagement: Academic engagement among high-school students is down 44 percent, according to a recent Gallup poll of students. As a result, teachers are changing up their teaching strategies — oddly, creating a model that marketers and entrepreneurs can learn from. (US News)
4. Bodega 2.0: With so many mom-and-pop shops shuttering, what will populate Main Street in the future? Jennifer Pahlka, founder and Executive Director of Code for America shares her insights into the future of brick and mortar. (LinkedIn Today)
5. 2012, a buyers’ market: When the books shut on 2012, homes listed for sale stood at the lowest level in more than five years. New sales were down 17 percent — leading some to speculate whether real estate would become yet again a boom industry. (The Wall Street Journal)
6. Didn’t make it to CES? From laptops and TVs to gadgets that we don’t really quite know where they fit in, here are some highlights. (Wired)
7. Coca-Cola cares about polar bears: Coca-Cola has teamed up with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in an attempt to boost its good-PR quota, I mean… bring awareness to the shrinking habitat of polar bears. (Brand Republic)
8. The importance of purpose: Even for entrepreneurs doing what they love, motivation can come in spurts. Justin Ahrens, co-founder and creative director of Rule29 explains how believing in something bigger than yourself can help you stay energized. (revolution.is)
9. American Idol banks on Mariah Carey, but should it? Can the 11-year-old televised talent contest bring back the ratings with new celebrity faces? Fox is betting the bank, spending $54 million on salaries alone. (Forbes)
10. The ‘must see’ films of 2013: For those seeking work/life balance, consider creating a movie going itinerary. Here’s a comprehensive list of the 21 must-see films of 2013. (Business Insider)
