Latest news with #BrandsThatMatterAwards
Fast Company
05-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
How Bravo became Comcast's biggest streaming asset
When Frances Berwick started at Bravo in the 1990s, the cable channel was still positioning itself as a hub for 'film and arts.' Berwick climbed the NBCUniversal ladder, eventually growing her domain to all of the company's entertainment cable channels, including E!, Oxygen True Crime, SYFY, USA, and Universal Kids. Her rise at NBCUniversal has coincided with cable's decline. Some 46% of households have cut the cord, and many of the networks she once oversaw became a drag on parent company Comcast's stock. So, the company amputated the afflicted limbs. All of those entertainment networks, along with news magnets like MSNBC and CNBC, will be overseen by a spinoff company, Versant, which is expected to be spun out by the end of 2025. But Bravo, the network that houses reality franchises like The Real Housewives, Vanderpump Rules, and Top Chef, is staying in-house. That's due in part to the fan-driven culture of its programming, which can prop up custom advertising, live events, and—the company hopes—their streamer Peacock. Berwick will lead the way: In January, she was named chair of Bravo and Peacock Unscripted, effectively merging the reality network with its streamer. The extended deadline for Fast Company's Brands That Matter Awards is this Friday, June 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Fast Company
04-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
A first look inside MillerKnoll's new million object archive
The magic of an archive often has to do with discovery—of an idea that never made it out of a sketchbook, the behind-the-scenes lore only a handful of confidantes are privy to, and the mundane items that time transforms into holy grails. Now, the field of modern design has a new archive to salivate over, courtesy of MillerKnoll. Composed of over one million objects and held in a 12,000-square-foot facility at MillerKnoll's headquarters in Western Michigan, the archive includes visible storage; a reading room for researchers; and an exhibition space. There, visitors can spy everything from the streamlined objects Gilbert Rohde designed for the 1933 World's Fair to prototypes of the Eames Action Office and pattern-drenched postmodernist chairs by Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi. It's a who's-who list of modern design history, all under one roof. But the archive—designed in collaboration with the New York-based consultancy Standard Issue —is more than a repository for historic artifacts; it's something that can help develop new ideas and tell untold stories. 'The great excitement for me is not one particular item, not one particular narrative; but the endless opportunity that it presents to make more connections,' says Ben Watson, the chief creative and product officer at MillerKnoll. The Story of Modern Design History has been an important part of the individual brands that comprise MillerKnoll, which includes Herman Miller, Knoll, Design Within Reach, Hay, and Muuto, among others. In silos, they told a company-specific story; all together the collection represents the myriad narratives that shaped how modern furniture became a business, from ambitious ideas to the nuts and bolts of how objects actually get made. The extended deadline for Fast Company's Brands That Matter Awards is this Friday, June 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Fast Company
03-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Elon Musk's Starship failed—again. We're all better for it
The latest attempt at space travel by billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX failed spectacularly once again last week. After the two previous attempts ended in explosions, last Tuesday's liftoff—the Starship's ninth in total—ended with it spinning uncontrollably about 30 minutes into the flight. The flight also failed to meet other objectives set for the mission, including the deployment of mock satellites into space. To anyone with an interest in space travel or astronomy in general, this is probably pretty disappointing news. Even Musk's self-proclaimed fanboys are feeling let down after yet another unsuccessful flight. But it's my opinion that this latest technological failure is a blessing in disguise. Of course, humans have accomplished space travel in the past. But as Musk described in a speech last week, he has a specific ambition: the colonization of Mars. Despite the fact that no human has yet set foot on Mars, let alone figured out how to make its environment habitable for humans, Musk is determined to make life on Mars possible. This is where the Starship, specifically, factors in: The rocket is the largest ever built, and Musk intends to use it to send an uncrewed mission to Mars by the end of 2026; the eventual goal is to transport private citizens—'hundreds of thousands if not millions' of them—to Mars. He believes that humanity not only can but should secure its future by going to 'the asteroid belt, the moons of Jupiter . . . and other star systems . . . making science fiction no longer fiction.' advertisement The extended deadline for Fast Company's Brands That Matter Awards is this Friday, June 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Fast Company
29-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
3 ways to get investors to take your pitch seriously
I've spent the last 24 years as a charity auctioneer on stages around the world selling anything and everything to potential bidders. From Robinhood to Goldman Sachs, the biggest names in business and philanthropy entrust me to win over audiences and secure the sale. When I give talks about selling, I always kick things off with one simple question: What's the most important part of sales? The answers I get are all over the place and sometimes hilarious: persuasion, charm, bringing good snacks . . . but few people get it right. The most important part of sales is listening. This fact is just as true when you're pitching investors as it is when you're closing a deal. If you want investors to take you seriously, your pitch can't be a one-size-fits-all presentation. It has to be tailored to their interests and needs. Your goal should be to meet your audience where they are, not where you are. Here are three surefire ways to make sure you stand out the next time you're pitching a crowd. 1. Know your audience Before you craft a single bullet point on your deck, ask yourself: Who am I pitching to? What do they invest in? What gets them excited? What have they backed in the past? If your business doesn't immediately fit into their portfolio, find a commonality to draw them in. Help them draw the line from what they know to what you're offering. Show them how your vision connects to their world, even if it takes a little creativity. The final deadline for Fast Company's Brands That Matter Awards is this Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Fast Company
21-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
The H Mart paradox: Why the beloved Asian grocer might be OK despite Trump's trade war
On a recent weekend in April, data consultant Shane Kessler wasn't at the grocery store to panic-buy eggs, but rather to scour the tall, narrow aisles of the the H Mart in Manhattan's K Town for the viral Korean pastry known as a crungji, basically a flattened croissant. He hadn't found one yet, but his basket was filled with popular Melona ice cream, from South Korea, and two bottles of his favorite Japanese soy sauce from among the more than 100 varieties on offer. He was worried about tariffs raising the prices of his favorite goods. 'I never thought I'd be stockpiling soy sauce, but here we are,' he shrugged. 'I've come to H Mart every weekend this month.' Subscribe to the Design latest innovations in design brought to you every weekday SIGN UP Privacy Policy | Fast Company Newsletters advertisement The final deadline for Fast Company's Brands That Matter Awards is Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
