5 In 5: Goldfish Crackers, Super (Bowl) Woman, CES 2021, Little Free Art, Virtual Parade

Each week, Padilla’s Insights + Strategy team stands at the intersection of people, culture and brands to bring you five stories that you can read in five minutes.

1. Goldfish Crackers

Goldfish Crackers is taking kids’ artwork and turning them into billboard campaigns. Why should you care? The Canadian campaign, #FeedImagination, launched last Fall and invited parents across the country to submit their kids’ goldfish-themed art. Eleven contest winners can now see their artwork displayed on billboards, Instagram stories and an augmented reality game. Brands like Goldfish Crackers and Legos are placing importance on children’s development and helping to unlock their imagination at a time when it’s most needed, as schools have shifted to distance learning. [AdAge]

2. Super (Bowl) Woman

Next month, Sarah Thomas will become the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl. Why should you care? Thomas joined the NFL as its first female on-field official in 2015. NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said, “Sarah Thomas has made history again as the first female Super Bowl official. Her elite performance and commitment to excellence has earned her the right to officiate the Super Bowl.” We think 2021 is getting off to a great start with women shattering glass ceilings at the Big Game and in the White House. [ESPN]

3. CES 2021

CES 2021 showcased masks, sensors and other tech to help fight COVID-19. Why should you care? The consumer tech conference was forced to go digital amid the pandemic and featured many new innovations to fight coronavirus. Some notables were: a doorbell that can take people’s temperature before they’re allowed inside, a touchless video doorbell from Alarm.com, robots that radiate UV light to disinfect spaces, sensors that stick to your body to detect flu-like symptoms and much more. As we grapple with a seemingly never-ending pandemic, we’re seeing how it dictates different industries, with consumer tech being no exception as CES 2021 was primarily a showcase of products to solve or fight COVID-19. [CNET]

4. Little Free Art

Seattle resident Stacy Milrany has opened an art gallery where visitors are encouraged to walk away with the art. Why should you care? In a complete reversal of infamous art museum heists of our past, Milrany has created Little Free Art Gallery in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. It works in the same way as Little Free Library. She says, “anyone is welcome to leave a piece, take a piece or just have a look around and enjoy what’s inside.” About 100 pieces have come and gone since its inception last month, clearly a sign that it’s serving its purpose of bringing some beauty and a sense of community back following such an isolating year. [The Washington Post]

5. Virtual Parade

Biden’s virtual parade was created almost entirely via Hollywood cloud-based production. Why should you care? The ‘Celebrating America’ Special featured performances from Justin Timberlake, John Legend, and Katy Perry, as well as bands and dance teams from across the country – and pretty much went off without a hitch. We have the “magicians” at Hollywood postproduction studio, SIM, to thank. They started working on the Special a month ago, editing content sent to them via Signiant’s file transfer technology. Content came in all types of formats (iPhone, drones, etc.) and cuts were then reviewed and approved using a cloud-based remote workflow. It’s nice to see how far we’ve come hosting virtual events and performances. #youreonmute [THR]

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