Spoiler: It’s possible to feel sexy after spending two months in sweats. Whether you’re quarantining solo or holed up with a partner, this pandemic has had a massive effect on peoples’ sex lives. In a study called “Sex and Relationships in the Time of COVID-19” , the Kinsey Institute found that half of the 1,200 participants are having less sex since the pandemic began. Similarly, sex-wellness app Coral, which uses coaching, stories, and guided exercises to improve intimacy, conducted a survey last month that found that 38% of responders are having sex less frequently than in their pre-pandemic days—but 66 percent of them say that intimacy and connection feel more important than ever. Long story long, it’s a confusing time. Read Full Story

A new “social distancing picnic blanket” because some people just can’t figure it out on their own. If the past week’s warm weather is any indication, not even a pandemic will keep people from heading to the nearest public park for some fresh air. That’s theoretically fine, but images from New York , California , and Florida make it clear that people aren’t always keeping their distance when they go outside. Because it can be hard to eyeball exactly how far six feet is, one designer rethought an essential to make it explicitly clear. Time to add “social distancing picnic blanket” to your list of summer must-haves. Read Full Story

From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, marketers have had to re-think or adjust many of their strategies. A new survey from LinkedIn and Vision Critical examines some of the challenges they have encountered and the strategic shifts they have made. Here are a few key points from the study. 1. Budget Cuts Cause the… Read More » The post Four Points About COVID-19’s Impact on Marketing appeared first on Marketing Charts .

A new Harris Poll performed exclusively for ‘Fast Company’ found that job losses are cutting some people’s ability to give—but even those without jobs are trying to contribute to hunger relief. A cruel irony of the COVID-19 pandemic is that at a time when more Americans may need to rely on nonprofits after layoffs or furloughs, those same financial struggles may affect charitable giving across the country. But many Americans who do have a habit of giving to charity are still making donations, and in some cases, they’re giving even more. Read Full Story

How these big three pacifiers are finding ways to get paid during a global pandemic.

Jeff Bezos is down. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is up. As the coronavirus has radically reshaped the economy, some companies have adapted better than others—and some CEOs have performed better as leaders. A new ranking from SJR, a corporate communications firm, compares the public perception of CEOs based on an analysis of millions of social media posts and articles, and it compares how leaders were seen both immediately before COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and in the six weeks afterward. Read Full Story

Quarantime is a free hotline designed to help you out of your creative rut. Layoffs have been happening across all industries as COVID-19 forces business to close and people to isolate at home. Work for freelance creatives, which is inherently tenuous, has dried up too. So with all the new hours to fill in a day, some people are using the time to fight the woes of isolation in unconventional ways. Read Full Story

The billionaire philanthropist’s regular reading list is informed by the coronavirus crisis, with books about pandemics, how to survive difficult times, and what policies can help us recover Bill Gates, who has spent years warning the world about pandemics and whose foundation is now supporting the race for a COVID-19 vaccine as it simultaneously fights challenges like malaria and tuberculosis, is a busy person. But he still finds time to read—and in a new summer reading list , he recommends five books that can offer either insight on the current crisis or some much-needed distraction from it. Read Full Story

Fox Sports’ head of digital David Katz breaks down why the new app is trying to bring everything—news, live games, social—under one roof, in real-time. The first pitches of the 2020 Major League Baseball season will be thrown on Thursday night, as the Opening Night games kick off between the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals, and the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. As with all major sports since the pandemic hit, this baseball season is going to be significantly different. The number of games has been cut to 60, teams are starting with 30-man rosters (up from 26) presumably for some buffer if anyone tests positive for COVID-19. Read Full Story

The greatest Black Friday gift of all is a cleaner inbox. For some of us, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are a good time to buy a new TV or a Bluetooth speaker. But for marketers, it’s the best time of the year to spam your inbox. Read Full Story