Follow the Rabbit is a (video) podcast that invites you into the messy, interconnected world of cultural research. Join Igor and Johannes in Season 1 as they use Toby Shorin's essay Life after Lifestyle to explore cultural rabbit holes, connect unexpected dots, and uncover insights that shape our world, all while working with the garage door open.
This episode of Follow the Rabbit continues the discussion on community, identity, and brands, focusing on subscription and membership models. Key points include:
- Introduction to the current state of subscriptions and memberships, noting consumer fatigue with numerous options.
- Reference to a study showing US consumers' desire for a centralized subscription service.
- Discussion of Jim Barksdale's quote: "There are only two ways to make money in business. One is to bundle, the other one is to unbundle."
- Explanation of unbundling vs. bundling
- Examples of bundling in mobility services (e.g., CLB in Berlin)
- Challenges of bundling in media, with examples of unsuccessful attempts (Blender, Readly)
- Libraries as original bundlers of content
- Introduction to Libby, a digital library service allowing access to various content through local library memberships
- Suggestion that Libby could be a model for successful re-bundling in media
- Brief mention of the importance of identity, agency, and trust in subscription services
The episode provides an overview of the current landscape of subscription and membership models, highlighting the tension between choice and convenience. It suggests that future successful models may need to balance these factors while considering issues of identity, agency, and trust.
You can also watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/IpQXqlVdH_o