If manufacturing in the experience economy is about providing consumers a personalized experience, a Valentine’s day tradition is a poster-child. For years New England Confectionary Co. (NECCO) provided “Sweethearts” to create many of our memorable Valentine’s Day moments. With NECCO’s closing, Spangler Co. was quick to purchase the brand, but was unable to produce the goods in time for 2019. Chicago based Ferrara Candy Co. is capitalizing on the demand, hoping their Conversation Hearts will continue this holiday tradition. While manufacturers race to fill the demand for candy hearts – there’s a new competitor in town.
Research scientist Janelle Shane has programmed a machine learning algorithm to write its own Valentine’s Day sweetheart messages. What the neural network came up with is far from traditional, but definitely creates quite the experience. Could Valentine’s Day 2020 see a new rise in romantic gestures? Read the full article here and decide for yourself.