Tech concierges, is this a thing?
Adrián and I recently recorded another Papapalooza conversation. Yes, a lot of it is parenting stuff. But a lot is also strategy stuff for non-parents.
Below is the full video. It's a good one. Below that, some short reflections.
Short things to think about:
If shows like Bluey have a two-year window before kids think they're "too old for that", their success rests on continuing to recruit new viewers. Children teach us loyalty is overrated.
The fact Disney recreate age-targeted versions of their characters (Spidey and His Amazing Friends vs Spider-Verse) might not mean originality is dead, just that remix culture is much more attractive.
If you want to reconnect with the joy of everyday things, spend time observing a 8-month-old dropping things to discover gravity.
Ethnographic research feels less awkward if you have someone else coming along with you. The body language of commenting on something as you observe it probably unlocks richer places faster.
There's a massively untapped market for brands to help 80+ year olds learn how to use new technology. You could probably build a highly profitable business around the idea of a 'tech concierge'.
The loss of one parent can unlock a more potent, and much needed, relationship with the remaining parent. Feels like there's an insight in this, purely based on my own experience with grief so far.
It's not the job of a child to match their parents' interests. It's actually the job of a parent to match their children's interests.
You probably lose the equivalent of 20 IQ and EQ points when you spend too much time in the same environment you grew up in. Also feels like there's an insight in this. Also from experience.
One of the great gifts of parenthood (apart from the obvious) is its ability to help you feel less embarrassed about being embarrassing.
At their best, parents can act like emotional thermostats for their children. When the child's emotions run hot, parents help cool them down. When emotions run cold, parents warm them up.
Disney characters are some of the most powerful brand endorsers of the music that is now acceptable for the family to listen to.
