Amazon and MGM Merger, Cryptoh-no, Charlie Bit My Bank Account and More

Fresh Format Alert

It’s officially summer (almost) and we’re gonna shake up The Packet format this week because we all need some change. If you’re loving The Packet so far, just wait for what we have in store. Also tell your friends and coworkers to subscribe so you finally have something in common. Let’s unpack it.

Amazon and MGM Merger

The giant e-commerce company has announced a new blockbuster deal. For a whooping $8.45 billion, it will acquire MGM Studios, which famous for classics like James Bond, Rocky and more timeless franchises, as well as 4,000 movies and 17,000 TV shows. Can’t you just smell the future product placement? After purchasing Whole Foods, this is Amazon’s second large acquisition in their journey to become the “everything e-commerce” store. Read more about the merger and what this means for the Entertainment industry here.

Cryptoh-no.

Just when it seemed like Bitcoin and cryptocurrency were finally embraced by Wall Street and Main Street, with companies like Tesla, WooCommerce and even Shopify accepting Bitcoin as payment, this month the entire cryptocurrency market has experienced huge swings of volatility, with prices dropping over 20% of all-time highs practically overnight. Speculators have taken a bleak stance on the future of cryptocurrency, and Mark Cuban has even coined this latest downturn “The Great Unwind.” Read more about Crypto and E-commerce at our blog here.

Charlie Bit My Finger NFT

The viral video “Charlie Bit My Finger” will be removed from YouTube after the creators sold it as an NFT for $760,999. Learn more about NFTs and why people are clamoring to throw money at them here. Where are the Charlie Bit My Finger kids now you ask? Check out the riveting journey of their 10 year anniversary here. Warning: Graphic Content. Oh how child stars shine bright and fast. On a high-protein diet? It’s almost cicada season so check out a nice cookbook here.Ever wonder why freight railroads are separated into classes? It’s not smarts, but the annual revenue. Sounds like Harvard. Find out more here.

Cool Online Brand of the Week

Giving new meaning to their ‘garden unit’, indoor farming is having its time in the grow lights. The vertical farming startup Bowery just announced a $300 million round of funding for its indoor “post-organic” farm, which grows pesticide-free leafy greens inside a New Jersey warehouse. Mmmm fresh. And now, its products are sold in 850 stores nationwide. Learn more about the indoor farming industry here.

ShipHero News

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