In this issue: Demand gen ads / Loyalty programs r us / Newsletter scheduling / AI generators as Play Doh extruders / Max Romeo loyalty lawsuit / Instagram Reels ad updates / Pop-punk revival / Inside Chicago.
Welcome to Context Collapse, the world’s best comms newsletter. I’m Neal Ungerleider. I run Ungerleider Works and used to work as a reporter for Fast Company, write op-eds for the LA Times, and work as a senior copywriter for R/GA. This newsletter helps readers navigate the weird new world of media and gleefully ignores all the conventional wisdom about journalism, public relations, marketing, and advertising.
I’ve been running my own business for almost six years now (Shite!). In that time, I’ve grown from skilled freelancer to industry consultant to running a small creative agency. Which has been, on the whole, great.
But for someone like me whose brain consists of a circle of running squirrels constantly chasing each other and making as much noise as scientifically possible, the challenge has always been putting structure to the chaos.
When I worked at an agency, morning routine was simple. Come into the office. Check in with the remotes on Slack. Answer emails. Do the morning standing meeting. Interject with client video calls and last minute Google Slides massages as necessary.
But here in self-employment-land, it’s anarchy. And structure—relentlessly timeblocking and blocking social media and keeping the day organizes—is the only thing between you and losing the $15,000 bid because you fell into a Netflix hole.
Wishing you welcome from newsletter time. Now on to the links.
“If you want to know: The key to writing a successful newsletter is the same as the key to any writing – just be consistent. I write every week. I plan out my content, research, go deep, and have fun, but always, I put a newsletter in your inbox. Sure, I’ve taken vacations. But even then, I pre-schedule newsletters and get guest writers. This is a business and I take it seriously, even the goofy stuff.”
”Reggae legend Max Romeo has filed a US$15 million lawsuit against UMG Recordings and Polygram Publishing, Inc., claiming almost 50 years of unpaid royalties on 19 songs, including War Ina Babylon, One Step Forward, and his biggest hit Chase The Devil, which was sampled by Kanye West and Jay-Z and featured in the Grand Theft Auto gaming franchise.”
Why is pop-punk popular again?
Peter Santenello visits Chicago.