Welcome back to your favourite roundup of all things digital marketing, tech and more… It’s time for The Weekly Download!
Maple Leaf Foods CEO makes headlines after sharing his thoughts on the Flight 752 tragedy, an update on the possibility of Twitter “edit” button, YouTube introduces Profile cards, a bizarre new candle scent from the mind of Gwyneth Paltrow, plus, could Terry Fox be the face of the next $5 bill?
Read on for all the news you need to know this week!
Maple Leaf Foods CEO Expresses Candid Feelings on Brand’s Twitter Account
After the crash of Flight 752 killed the wife and son of an employee, Maple Leaf Foods CEO Michael McCain took to the company’s Twitter account to express some candid thoughts about the tragedy.
I’m Michael McCain, CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, and these are personal reflections. I am very angry, and time isn’t making me less angry. A MLF colleague of mine lost his wife and family this week to a needless, irresponsible series of events in Iran…
— Maple Leaf Foods (@MapleLeafFoods) January 13, 2020
It wasn’t long before McCain’s series of messages criticizing the U.S. government for escalating tensions in the Middle East drew international attention, including coverage by American news outlets such as CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post.
While many applauded McCain for ‘courageously’ voicing his opinion so publicly, others criticized his use of the Maple Leaf Foods social presence to do so.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s New Candle Has the Internet Abuzz
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop brand is no stranger to internet controversy, but it drew more attention last week following the release of a new candle called “Smells Like My Vagina.”
Nope, that’s not a typo!
The $75 candle contains traditional perfume elements like bergamot, cedar and rose “to put us in mind of fantasy, seduction, and a sophisticated warmth,” according to the product copy.
According to Goop, the interesting name choice evolved from a joke between perfumer Douglas Little and Paltrow. The two were testing a fragrance one day when she declared, “Uhhh, this smells like a vagina.”
Surprisingly, the candle has sold out online. Naturally, Twitter users had some thoughts:
Excited to light the menorah next year with my candles from Gwyneth Paltrow.
— david cross✍ (@davidcrosss) January 12, 2020
Gwyneth Paltrow came out with a $75 candle called “This Smells Like My Vagina.”
So what do you guys think it smells like? I’m going with kale and turtle water. 👌🏻
— Mindy Robinson 🇺🇸 (@iheartmindy) January 12, 2020
1970 Me: Gosh, I can't even imagine the wonders we'll have 50 years in the future! Flying cars? Moon Colonies? Nanotech immortality? Supercomputers that are actually phones we carry in our pockets?
2020: Gwyneth Paltrow invents the vagina candle.
And on that note: good night.
— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) January 13, 2020
Bad News, Twitterverse: You’re Probably Not Getting that “Edit” Button
People have asked for an “edit” button on Twitter for what feels like forever. This week, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gave a somewhat definitive answer on the subject during a video Q&A with Wired.
According to Dorsey, editing a tweet would have too many implications for the social network: while there are good reasons for editing tweets, like fixing typos and broken links, there are also malicious applications, like editing content to mislead people.
So, there you have it, folks. It’s probably not going to happen.
YouTube Launches Profile Cards with Comment History
To help creators more easily identify their biggest fans, YouTube is launching Profile cards to the general public, initially on Android. The new feature offers easy access to a user’s past comments.
According to YouTube, the company hopes the new feature will help users “explore comments, build connections with others, and contribute to a more welcoming YouTube overall.”
An article by TechCrunch details the way the cards will work. Creators can simply tap on the profile picture of anyone who’s commenting to view their card. Here, information like their name, profile photo, subscriptions, subscriber counts, and recent comments will appear in a pop-up card. All this information is publicly available on YouTube, but the Profile card consolidates it in one place.
The comment history that displays isn’t a user’s full YouTube comment history — just the comments on the channel you’re viewing when you click to view the card.
Terry Fox Pitched as the Face of the Next $5 Bill
Could we soon be seeing Terry Fox on our $5 bills? That’s the hope of some, according to social media buzz.
How about Terry Fox for the new $5 Bill? pic.twitter.com/uW0Rf0Mpr8
— Gregor Craigie (@GregorCraigie) January 10, 2020
The Bank of Canada is seeking public input on the face of the next $5 bill, a title currently held by Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and it’s no surprise that Terry’s name has come up. A true hero, Fox started his ambitious Marathon of Hope in 1980 to raise money and awareness for cancer research at just 21 years old.
Although he sadly passed away before he could complete his journey, Terry raised over $24 million thanks to his charisma and determination. The Terry Fox Foundation has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for cancer research since his death.
Some other names that have come forward so far — musician Gord Downie, hockey star Wayne Gretzky, and astronaut Roberta Bondar.
So, tell us: who would get your vote for the next $5 bill?
Friday Fun
Courteney Cox Takes the ‘Friends’ Instagram Filter Challenge
It seems like there’s a new filter to try on Instagram almost every day. One of the latest tells you which Friends character you are, and it’s gotten the attention of Monica herself!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7U_qZZD_DU/
