The "Friend Finding" Feature No One Asked For: OpenAI’s Pivot to Surveillance Capitalism
How the February 2026 privacy update transforms ChatGPT from a tool into a tracking ecosystem.
Tom Chapman
Welcome
Higher Education
Rethinking Internationalisation: A Strategic Framework for Higher Education Leadership
Global higher education stands at a critical juncture. Shifting geopolitical realities, funding challenges, and increasing competition for global talent are reshaping the landscape in which universities operate.
Business Strategy
The 6 Stages of Marketing Evolution (And Why Most Businesses Are Stuck in the Past)
From Henry Ford to TikTok, marketing has moved from simple production to psychological prediction. Explore 6 eras through cases like Haier and Nokia to understand why the 'Hard Sell' has had its day.
artificial intelligence
The End of the Honeymoon: OpenAI Just Dropped the Ad Bomb
The "Clean Web" is dead. As OpenAI pivots to ads, we analyse the shift through Doctorow’s "Enshittification" theory and the rise of Paid Answer Optimisation. Plus: The Friday Briefing on Balenciaga’s ugly luxury, the TikTok deal, and Apple’s Gemini pivot.
marketing-education
Dissertation Topic #1: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – The "Death of SEO"
To study the future of AI, you must look to the past of psychology. This blueprint for an empirical dissertation on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) shows how to anchor modern tech in established theory and design a rigorous experiment for a distinction grade.
Dissertation Support
The Anatomy of a Dissertation: A Chapter-by-Chapter Blueprint
Many students fail because they view a dissertation as five separate essays stapled together. A Distinction student views it as one single argument, sliced into five chapters.
marketing-education
5 Marketing Dissertation Topics for 2026 (That Your Supervisor May Actually Approve)
Most dissertation proposals are rejected because they lack scope, not potential. Discover five distinction-grade Marketing dissertation topics for 2026 that hit the 'Golden Triad' of Currency, Criticality, and Focus—from the rise of AI Agents to the psychology of 'De-Influencing'.
Dissertation Support
The "Hidden Curriculum": 4 Rules Every UK Marketing Dissertation Follows (That They Don't Always Tell You)
I looked at Dissertation handbooks from 22 Universities to workout what a dissertation really means. Here is the blueprint.
Marketing Strategy
The "Lanzhou Spike": Why Your Analytics Are Lying to You (And What It Means for Strategy)
A sudden traffic spike from Lanzhou, China, isn't a viral hit, it's a data integrity problem. We explore how this AI bot wave is distorting your GA4 metrics, creating "conversion rate illusions," and the strategic steps you must take to filter the noise.
behavioural-science
Let’s (Not) Get Physical: Why Adding Physical Versions to Digital Products Can Undermine Their Value
New research by Rob Angell shows that adding physical versions to unique digital assets can reduce their value. This article explores the cross-format dilution effect and its implications for digital marketing strategy.
SME
Digitalisation for SMEs: Doing More with Less
How can small businesses embrace digital tools without big budgets? This article explores how SMEs can adopt tech creatively using entrepreneurial marketing logic—blending effectuation, bricolage, and lean testing to drive growth on their terms.
ai-marketing
The Rise of AI-Generated Models in Fashion
AI-generated models like Lil Miquela and Shudu are redefining fashion marketing. Discover how brands like H&M are embracing digital twins, the benefits they offer, and the ethical questions they raise about authenticity and diversity.