Miscellaneous

🏠 In "Vanishing Japan," Naomi Pollock documents 90 key architectural works in Japan demolished in the 21st century, many from post-war decades. Notable architects like Arata Isozaki and Kenzo Tange saw their works vanish due to Japan's evolving building codes and a cultural embrace of impermanence. Tokyo and Osaka, with high land prices, feature prominently. Published by Thames & Hudson, this monograph costs £35 and highlights Japan's rapid architectural innovation, often at the cost of its recent heritage.

🏖 In Crawford, Colorado, childhood memories of flying, cherry picking, and camping sparked a dream of aviation. Meanwhile, a little white summer cottage in Maine, 45 minutes from Acadia National Park, became another beloved destination. A memorable flight to Maine involved delays in Dallas and navigating Boston without modern GPS, eventually leading to an unforgettable journey through New England, including Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The cottage later hosted a honeymoon during a vibrant New England autumn.

📶 Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and Smartify Media, Inc. announced a strategic partnership in Miami, Florida. Samsung's Visual eXperience Transformation (VXT) system now integrates Smartify’s advertising platform, allowing businesses to monetize displays through local, direct, and national ads without additional hardware. This partnership connects displays to Smartify’s premium advertising marketplace, offering seamless advertising integration. The collaboration showcases digital signage technology's evolution into a revenue-generating asset for property owners and businesses.

💰 Jerry Schurder, ex-business rates policy lead at Newmark UK, has been appointed by the Treasury to lead a review of business rates for pubs and hotels. Schurder's findings are due by March 2027, aiming for implementation in 2029. A consultation, starting today, seeks input from landlords, brewers, hoteliers, and business owners.

🛩 Lufthansa Group and TPConnects, 10-year partners, have expanded their collaboration, focusing on NDC innovation. TPConnects achieved NDC 24.1 Hybrid certification, enhancing Lufthansa's distribution strategy. This upgrade offers improved disruption management and upsell features for agencies using the TPConnects Iris platform. The partnership, established in 2016, involves Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and others. Heinrich Lange and Stephanos Kykkotis emphasize the strategic importance of this collaboration in transforming airline retailing.

🕯️ Dumæ, a Los Angeles-based design brand founded by Kym Gold and Sakshi Khurana, introduces the Kayla Lighter, a brass, handcrafted, refillable, and chic alternative to everyday igniters. This product is made in India with artisan partners, blending function and home decor. Dumæ's collection includes decorative pieces like lighting and serving vessels, rooted in aesthetics and functionality. The brand's name combines Malibu's Point Dume and a tribute to motherhood.

✈️ Lufthansa launched a captivating campaign featuring witty captions on in-flight merchandise. The campaign, highlighted in Episode 313 of "Shut Up And Brand," showcases the airline's creativity and understanding of consumer behavior. While the exact cost is unclear, it's suggested that a few hundred dollars were spent on shirts and photos for this impactful campaign. The initiative, well-received by the public, highlights the power of creative branding without the need for extravagant campaigns.

🚗 Monterey Car Week 2026 concluded on August 16 with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, seeing $755.6 million in sales. A 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe fetched $42.905 million, and the first Ferrari Luce sold for $40 million, setting a record for new cars. Cadillac showcased its electric Escalade IQ, offering 1 million customization options. Lamborghini unveiled the Revuelto SV, capable of 345 km/h, and Audi debuted the Nuvolari, reaching 349 km/h. Best in Show was awarded to a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ Special Speedster.

🏠 April 12, 2026, Brickell Key: The 23-story Mandarin Oriental Miami was imploded at 8:30 AM. Four months later, momondo lists rooms from $415, while TripAdvisor mistakenly ranks it #23 of 154 Miami hotels, noting it as "temporarily closed." The site will remain unused until 2030. Despite demolition, some sites, like trivago, inaccurately describe amenities. The hotel's outdated web presence highlights flaws in how the industry manages hotel listings.