MEDIA: Instagram was smart to roll out stories, and the launch was well executed. But, at least for now, the product experience suffers from technical hurdles and network issues. There are two product issues with Instagram stories. One I expect Facebook to solve in first-world markets over time; the other will be a much tougher nut to crack. The first is loading speed. Even on a fast LTE connection or Wi-Fi, I click through stories far faster than the app can load images and video. After the third time I hit a blank “loading” screen, I leave the app.

MEDIA: The biggest long-term risk for the network—which spent $12 billion for the rights to the Olympics through 2032—is that the Games may simply not be as compelling for audiences in younger age groups, which in many cases are the targets that advertisers really want to reach. “Sports is less ingrained in the younger demographic,” Brandon Ross of BTIG Research noted in an interview with Bloomberg. “It has been replaced by other things like video games and e-sports and Snapchat feeds.”

ECOMMERCE: In Southeast Asia in particular, ecommerce still represents only a fraction of total retail sales. An underdeveloped digital payments infrastructure and a weak logistics framework have made these markets unprepared to handle high volumes of ecommerce orders and have kept ecommerce at a nascent stage. Retail ecommerce sales in North America will rise 15.6% this year to reach $423.34 billion, maintaining the area’s status as the world’s second largest regional ecommerce market. The region will see consistent double-digit growth through 2020.

BRAND: Office design has come a long way from the fluorescent-lit cubicle farms of the past. Thanks to mobile technology, changing work styles and the growing influence of millennials, today’s workplaces are now sleek, employee-focused enclaves decked out with lifestyle amenities such as rooftop decks, gyms, coffee bars and lush green spaces. Companies now see their office facilities not as a cost burden, but as a powerful competitive advantage. According to experts, a well-designed work environment can boost employee productivity.

ECOMMERCE: This program really seems to be all about Hyundai trying to make it easier for people to make the decision to buy their cars, by first making it easier for them to take a test drive. They are counting on some good will to come their way for arranging to have a car pull up to your house — or anywhere you want to start your test drive apparently — rather than forcing you to come down to the dealership for forced conversation with a salesperson and watered-down coffee. It's hard to imagine a program like this being on Amazon's drawing board of Prime delivery ideas, but who knows?

BRAND: When Nike decided it was getting out of the golf equipment business -- including clubs, balls, and bags -- it took a lot of people by surprise. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its golf business over the past decade and sponsorships of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy alone cost Nike somewhere around $40 million to $60 million annually. In fact, Woods, who signed a $40 million deal with the company in 1996, was the catalyst for Nike's entry into the club and ball business.

BRAND: The survey of more than 2,000 individuals found that nearly two-thirds of people between the ages of 18 and 34 were at least somewhat more likely to want to work for a company that gave to charity than one did that not. That compares with 59% of those between 35 and 44 years old, and 47% of people between 45 and 64 years old. Young people were also more inclined than their elders to say they would buy products from a company that contributes to charity, or to recommend the business to a friend.

BRAND: Luxury activewear line Callens is ideal for women who have given up on Lululemon (even their lab exploits), but aren’t ready to put on structured, uncomfortable clothing in this debilitating heat or on a long trip. Created by Claire-Anne Stroll, the wife of Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, the line isn’t meant to be worn at the gym, although some pieces would be comfortable there. The leggings, leather and furs can be worn on the tennis court or on the slopes. 

MEDIA: Indeed, NBC reportedly spent $12 billion to get exclusive US broadcast rights to the Olympics through 2032. And rather than rethink its investment now, it ought to rethink the way it takes advantage of those rights. This year, it offered more content on digital platforms than ever before: viewers, if they wished, were able to watch every single event on something other than a television. But they still had to have a cable login, and therein lies the problem. By requiring cable login credentials, NBC didn’t do enough to pull in cord-cutters, or “cord-levers."

ECOMMERCE: Amazon hasn’t made any major inroads in adding lifestyle features to its e-commerce site, though the company invests in routine social media promotions. Seattle-based Amazon's biggest social media push was in 2014 with its $970 million acquisition of Twitch Interactive Inc., an online forum that lets users discuss gaming and watch others while they play. Twitch continues to operate as an independent company under CEO Emmett Shear with limited integration with Amazon’s online marketplace. Mixing social media with e-commerce hasn't really taken off in the U.S.

ECOMMERCE: Scott also told analysts on the call that New York & Co. will launch a mobile app in the third quarter, though he declined to provide specifics on the operating systems it will be available on or the features and functionalities it will offer. Data shows that mobile drives the majority of traffic to NYandCompany.com. According to data from web analytics company Similar Web, 72.95% of traffic to the site from May through July came from tablets and smartphones devices. 

INNOVATION: At the start of the summer, clothing brand Topshop launched a contest called Top Pitch. Startups were invited to develop ideas for wearable technology and finalists would have the chance to spend the summer in London with Topshop mentors. Topshop has just announced the winner, which is a company founded by Madison Maxey called The Crated that aims to integrate electronic circuits into textiles. One of the startup's biggest innovations is a heated garment prototype.