Long Form Essays and Insights

Web3: The Next Generation of the Internet • 10 min read •

What Are Adidas Doing In web3, the Metaverse and NFTs?

Adidas has gone all in on web3. From NFT collections to buying virtual land plots in The Sandbox, from full-body AI-personality generated avatars to partnering with the world's first "internet team." What exactly is the adidas web3 brand strategy?…

Rick Huckstep • 03 Oct 2022

Essays and Insights • 3 min read •

From Adidas to Zara: Brand Strategies For The Metaverse

Over 200 of the biggest brands have dipped their toes into the emerging tech world of web3, NFTs, blockchain, and the Metaverse over the past 2 years. And I've catalogued them all! Check out the collection of brand strategy projects exclusively for premium subscribers.…

Rick Huckstep • 28 Sep 2022

Attention Economy • 8 min read

Can Peloton's Rowing Machine Save The Sinking Ship?

🔒 As Peloton announces its latest product, co-founders John Foley and Hisao Kushi announced they are leaving the troubled premium-priced brand. The question is: can a rowing machine that's 3 times more expensive than the competition save the company?…

Rick Huckstep • 22 Sep 2022

TikTok • 14 min read

TikTok Is Killing Facebook, But Is It A Propaganda Machine For The CCP?

🔒 TikTok is bossing it! The app commands the time and attention of the most influencable demographic in society (young people). It also happens to be a Chinese tech company, raising huge questions and concerns about influence from the CCP over this cohort.…

Rick Huckstep • 16 Sep 2022

Metaverse • 12 min read

Unlocking the Metaverse: Where Our Virtual and Physical Lives Come Together.

🔒 Unlocking the Metaverse: What’s happening and what's next in this disruptive technology. This collection of writings, videos and podcasts will tell you all you need to know about the Metaverse.…

Rick Huckstep • 07 Sep 2022

• 8 min read

When Mark Zuckerberg Talked To Joe Rogan.

🔒 For almost 3 hours, the boss of Facebook and Meta spoke to Joe Rogan, Spotify's controversial headline star. It was inevitable that there would be some nuggets from the Zuck. It was the impact on society that caught my attention!…

Rick Huckstep • 01 Sep 2022

NFTs • 5 min read •

"NFTs Are A Blank Canvas To Create Art": The Eternal Collection by Sir Anthony Hopkins

Legendary actor Sir Anthony Hopkins has 1m followers on Twitter. He's just told them that he's about to launch a collection of unique art as NFTs. The Eternal Collection triggers the human emotions driven by Status and Scarcity.…

Rick Huckstep • 19 Aug 2022

Meta/Facebook • 5 min read

MetaFB's New AI Chatbot Makes Fun Of Daddy Zuck

When Mark Zuckerberg announced BlenderBot3, he called it an AI companion for the Metaverse. Hmmm! Unfortunately, we've been here before when AI bots have been let loose on Social Media. IT never ends well!…

Rick Huckstep • 18 Aug 2022

Web3.0 • 6 min read •

Tornado Cash Is Punished For Doing What It's Programmed To Do

Tornado Cash is a Decentralised Autonomous Organisation, aka a computer program. It's software that "mixes", taking crypto transactions and anonymising the sender and receiver. There's nothing wrong with that, unless you're laundering money! Which caused concern at the US Treasury.…

Rick Huckstep • 18 Aug 2022

• 8 min read

BeReal Putting Friends First: The Return of Authenticity To Social Media.

🔒 BeReal has momentum. It's the number 1 downloaded free app and everyone's talking about it. It's bucking the TikTok trend for viral content. Instead, promising closer connections between friends, no addictive features, and an authenticity to social engagement we've not seen in a decade.…

Rick Huckstep • 17 Aug 2022

Web3.0 • 8 min read

Pearson's Plans For NFT eBooks Are The Future Of Web3

🔒 Web2 has given us monopoly platforms built on the industrial advertising complex. Web3 promises to change that and create a democratic, decentralised internet. But will it? To find out, I test the motives of Pearsons, the world's largest publisher to see if it is true.…

Rick Huckstep • 11 Aug 2022

Twitter • 8 min read

Does Elon Musk Have A Get-Out-Of-Jail Free Card Up His Twitter Sleeve?

It’s a tug of war. Elon is pulling one way and the Twitter board the other. My money’s on Twitter, but only a fool would bet against Elon. The question is: what could Elon Musk do to get out of the Twitter deal of his own making? Let me explain……

Rick Huckstep • 08 Aug 2022