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Google Search is about to look a lot more personal. Google recently began implementing a new search feature called Preferred Sources. With this add-on, users can select the news sources they want to see more of when they browse the web. After a new preference is set, displayed news items will be filtered by the users preferred organizations. This new feature, alongside Googles recent AI updates to its search engine, are beginning to change what it actually means to Google something. In many cases, the changes are making it faster, easier, and more personalized. In the process, though, searching is also trending toward a more siloed experienceone thats less connected to an earlier ethos of exploration and discovery. [Image: Google] A new browsing experience To try out Preferred Sources, users can start by searching a topic thats in the news, navigating to the Top Stories section of the results, and clicking the small icon to the right of the section name. There, a dedicated search menu will present the option to select an unlimited number of publications or websites. Once these sources are selected, they’ll appear more frequently in Top Stories or in a separate “From your sources” section on the search results page. Users will still be able to see content from other sites, and can change their source selections through the same process at any time. Google first tested Preferred Sources with a small group of users back in Junea trial that received overwhelmingly positive feedback, according to a Google spokesperson. [Users] really loved the ability to customize their experience in this way on Search, the spokesperson said. Labs users also really valued being able to select a range of sourceswith over half of users choosing four or more. Essentially, Preferred Sources means that users can have a lot more control over their top search results, rather than leaving those first picks up to Googles algorithm. While it remains to be seen how this feature will be used more broadly, it seems likely that it will make the Google experience quicker and more enjoyable for some users, while also removing some of the exploration that was once inherent in the Googling process. When users are immediately served the sources theyve already elected to seewritten from a perspective that, most likely, they already agree withthey may not feel the need to browse any further and discover a source they wouldnt have searched for themselves. [Image: Google] The trade-off of personalized search and AI Overviews Preferred Sources comes as Googles search function is already undergoing a significant transformation. Over the past few years, the company has been focused on building out its AI Overviews feature, a tool that creates AI-generated summaries (powered by Googles Gemini model) that appear above traditional hyperlinks. While AI Overviews include outbound links that help users follow its sourcing themselves, the tool primarily collates a succinct answer to users search questions. A July study by the Pew Research Center showed that these AI summaries actually make users less likely to click on links to other websites: Based on the research, which analyzed 900 U.S. adults who agreed to share their browsing history, Users who encountered an AI summary clicked on a traditional search result link in 8% of all visits. Those who did not encounter an AI summary clicked on a search result nearly twice as often (15% of visits). Further, the study found, users are more likely to end their browsing session entirely after visiting a search page with an AI summary than on pages without a summary. The potential impact of AI Overviews on traffic to independent publishers is one main topic of an ongoing antitrust complaint thats been filed against Google in the EU. And while the accuracy of AI Overviews summaries has improved since they first debuted (and told users to put glue on their pizza, among other absurd suggestions), some experts warn that its answers are still prone to mistakes. In a blog post published on August 6, Liz Reid, Googles VP and head of search, claimed that total organic click volume from Google Search to websites has been relatively stable year-over-year, though she did add that user trends are shifting traffic to different sites, resulting in decreased traffic to some sites and increased traffic to others. Yet based on the Pew Research Centers data, it appears that at least for some users AI Overviews are cutting short a process that used to involve a more purposeful browsing effortthe familiar cycle of clicking on a few links, falling into a Wikipedia rabbit hole, and learning something entirely new. With the addition of Preferred Sources, that browsing process may become even qicker for the users who choose to implement it. To be fair, Google has rolled out new features that make AI searching a more exploratory process for topics like recipes and restaurants, travel, and shopping. We know users love to browse and theres a joy in discovery. . . . Its not always about that instant answer, Rhiannon Bell, VP of UX at Google, told Fast Company in October 2024. Still, as the company works out the balance between discovery and instant answers, Google may be shifting toward more of a one-stop-shop search model rather than one that operates as a gateway to independent exploration.
Category:
E-Commerce
Nostalgia is everywhere in marketing today. Legacy fonts, throwback packaging, retro tech revivals, all deployed with the hope that sentimentality alone can stir emotion and move product. But heres the problem: nostalgia is novelty, and novelty, by definition, doesnt last. Its seductive. It gets clicks. Its emotionally charged, delivering a quick dopamine hit. And lets be real, its easy. But slapping an old label on a can isnt strategy. When brands engage nostalgia at a surface level, they often do more harm than good. Take Coca-Cola’s recent Diet Cherry Coke revival. It was cool for a week, but, for me, it lacked any meaningful connection to what the brand has stood for across decades. It missed the opportunity to ask: What did this product mean to people then? What does it mean now? And how could that story be told with modern nuance? Without that narrative bridge, the move felt shallow. Worse, it overlooked the real power of brand heritage: a blend of familiarity and relevance that creates long-term equity, not fleeting impressions. Reimagining legacy This is where modern heritage comes in. It isnt about retro aesthetics or recycling old logos. Its a strategic act of excavation, going deep into a brands history to uncover what made it resonate in the first place. Sometimes that means literal digging: storage units, eBay listings, forgotten ad reels. The goal isnt to replicate the past, its to retool it for now. And thats hard to do well. Plenty of brands stumble when they go too far back or misinterpret their legacy. Like when Kelloggs Canada revived retro packaging and mascots for a limited edition run of Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, and other classics. As a 90s kid, I felt the instant pang of nostalgia. But was there any meaningful connection between the throwback design and the bigger picture world Kelloggs is building today? Nope. Did it invite consumers on a journey to where its heading next? Not really. Thats the trap: when nostalgia leans on a version of the brand that no longer resonates, it creates confusion, not clarity. The most effective brand work strikes a balance: it leans into familiar cues but evolves them with purpose. It doesnt just bring back old stuffit makes history useful again. When we rebranded Sizzler, we didnt reinvent the wheel. We uncovered what was already there: a family-first spirit; a charming mid-century mascot; buried design cues that still felt unmistakably Sizzler. The goal wasnt to re-create the past, but to make it feel current. And thats the key distinction: nostalgia copies. Modern heritage builds. This approach also brings clarity. It makes creative decisions easier, because theres a right answer. When you anchor a brand in its authentic legacy, you stop chasing trends. You build with intention, using assets no other brand can replicate because no one else lived that story. Guinness hasnt changed its harp in over 250 years; it has just evolved it. Thats what timelessness looks like. The modern heritage playbook So, in a trend-driven world, how can brands strike the right balance between timeless legacy with modern relevance that cuts through? One critical aspect of modern heritage is its ability to tell rich, multidimensional, and ever-evolving stories. Where nostalgia leans on artifactslogos, packaging, ad slogansmodern heritage pulls from narrative. It asks deeper questions. Who were we? Who are we now? What stories still matter? Here are three principles we use when revitalizing a brand through this lens: 1. Lead with the story, not just the aesthetic Design is an output, not a starting point. Start with the brands origin story. Who has it always been? What has it always stood for? What stories and symbols have mattered most over time? Sometimes those stories are buried. Thats why you go beyond Pinterest boards: into archives, libraries, historical societies, even conversations with long-time employees. Once the right story is uncovered, design becomes a powerful tool to tell it: visually, verbally, and emotionally. 2. Dont get stuck in one era. Curate the best of every chapter Some brands try to plant a flag in a single decade, usually the one marketers think will trend. But being an 80s brand or a Y2K brandoften aimed at Gen Z and millennials with a wink and a pixelated smiley facelimits longevity. Modern heritage takes a more layered approach. It draws from across time, curating the best, most iconic moments to create a flexible identity that doesnt feel trapped. That allows brands to celebrate the most iconic, lovable parts of their legacy without getting stuck there. 3. Own what only you can own This is the most important, and most overlooked, point. Your heritage isnt just a design system; its your story and your competitive edge. When used well, your past becomes a brand asset no one else can duplicate. Thats how you stand out: by being undeniably, authentically you. The power of modern heritage More than a methodology, though, modern heritage is a mindseta search for timelessness. One thats increasingly valuable as brands need to cut through digital clutter, avoid design whiplash, and maintain relevance without losing soul. For legacy brands hoping to stay relevant, and new brands aiming to build something lasting, the future wont be found in trendy gradients or meme fonts. Its in the archives. In the origin stories. In the truths they already own.
Category:
E-Commerce
Imagine walking down the street and stumbling upon a soccer match, except the competitors are robots, not humans. Would you be surprised to learn that this isnt a Steven Spielberg futuristic movie set but a real-life athletic competition? The first-ever World Humanoid Robot Sports Games kicked off in Beijing on August 15, hosted by the citys municipal government in hopes of promoting Chinas technological advancements and fostering further dialogue internationally. Lets take a look at the details of this event and muse about what it might mean for our future: Is there any precedent for this event? While this is the first-ever full-scale event of its kind, it is coming on the heels of the 10th World Robot Conference in Beijing, held August 8-12, according to the Asia Times. Thats not the only precursor event held in the Chinese capital. In April, 21 humanoid robots participated in the first-ever half-marathon. Only six completed the race, which seems rather relatable. The Tien Kung Ultra robot, created by China’s National and Local Co-built Embodied AI Robotics Innovation Center, finished the course in 2 hours and 40 minutes. In Hangzhou in May, the China Media Group World Robot Competition-Mecha Fighting Series took place. Four Unitree G1s lived out the rockem-sockem robot dream. Back in Beijing in June, a practice soccer match was held with robots facing off three-on-three. It was the first time AI was utilized instead of human intervention. The robots were even equipped with the ability to recover from falls, but that technology has room for improvement, as some of the robots had to be taken off the field on stretchers. Where is the event taking place? The competition is being held in two very special Olympic areas in Beijing. The first is the National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest. The second is the National Speed Skating Oval, aka the Ice Ribbon. More than 500 humanoid robots across 280 teams from 16 countries are throwing down in 26 events. What does this mean for the future? Technology is moving fast, and its hard not to have visions of ominous science fiction movies in your head when thinking about the ramifications of artificial intelligence. This event will allow the robots out of the lab and into a big stress test to look for errors in programming and design. Heres hoping we can create a world where robots support human innovation instead of, well, taking over and murdering us. A happy ending of coexistence and cooperation might not sell at the box office, but it would be a much better reality to live in. You can check out a preview of the event in the embedded video below.
Category:
E-Commerce
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