Glimpse Insights

Articles on the intersection of trends, data, and consumer behavior

The Rise of Electric School Buses – It's Not What You Think

The largest public transportation system in America is not one of trains or subways; it’s school buses. Every day, nearly half a million school buses move 26 million kids to and from school. And while the rise of electric school buses might seem like it’s a story about transportation, it’s in fact a fascinating glimpse into an energy arbitrage business merely in its infancy. It starts with buses’ lack of utilization. While commercial airplane utilization is nearly constant, school bus utilizat

Consumers Are Eating More Chicken than Ever Before

Today, the low-margin, cost-conscious grocery store industry uses rotisserie chickens as a loss-leader product. Many Americans visit the grocery store to buy rotisserie chickens on a weekly basis, and leave with other, higher margin products too. In 2017, a whopping one in every two Americans bought a rotisserie chicken. The best show of rotisserie chicken’s status as a loss leader is that they are cheaper than uncooked chickens. Because they're a popular product, they tend to bring in foot tra

Why It's Illegal to Take Photos of the Eiffel Tower at Night

It's illegal to take a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night and use it for commercial purposes: the lighting arrangement itself is intellectual property. This illustrates some of the surprising complexities involved in licensing and creating media, and it’s a source of demand for clever licensing hacks for stock photos. The growth of free stock photo sites like Unsplash means there’s more supply of free images, where users aren’t as explicitly purchasing the rights as they did before. This means

Why The U.S. Government Subsidizes Colombian Flower Farms

One of the biggest sources of flowers is the result of a regulatory arbitrage: the US government subsidizes Colombian farmers with hundreds of millions of dollars each year to encourage them to plant crops other than coca leaves, as coca leaves make their way into the US in the form of cocaine. The subsidy is so significant that nearly 70% of flowers sold in the US originate from Colombia. At peak season, almost 30 cargo planes of flowers are shuttled from Colombia to the U.S. per day. The flo

The Top 10 Google Trends Alternatives in 2024

While Google Trends is a valuable tool for understanding online search behavior, it often falls short in providing the deep insights needed for comprehensive market analysis. In 2024, marketers and researchers are increasingly turning to alternatives that offer more granular data and advanced features. This article explores the top 10 Google Trends alternatives, selected for their data quality, accuracy, usability, and unique capabilities. Whether you're a marketer or researcher, these tools wi

The 100 Most Searched People on Google in 2024

Last Updated: September 4, 2024 In a year marked by global events and cultural shifts, the people who captured the world's attention on Google search were as diverse as the topics they inspired. From unexpected tragedies to viral sensations, these individuals left an indelible mark on the digital landscape. Note: Every week, we create a list of the most searched people on Google by filtering through 25+ billion Google search queries. We share the full list below, plus the most Googled person i

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