Spring is in the air and soon a fact on the calendar. To celebrate this occasion, you should use tomorrow's "National Plant a Flower" Day to bring more color to your life. As Luther Burbank says: "Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul." More food for the soul from the links of this week. We explore technology trends under the premise of "People First", get a better understanding how advertising works, find out how the smartest companies develop their technology strategy, get an understanding of the price of innovation and learn never to be easy: - Accenture released their Technology vision 2016, entitled "People First". Some we have seen before but we were intrigued by "Industries go horizontal": "Traditional industry boundaries disappear, leading to the birth of entirely new industry segments." For a quick overview, here's a recap of the study. - There are many theories out there explaining "How does advertising actually work?". A good refresher of the second oldest profession in the world. - A global survey of business leaders shows how the smartest companies develop and wield their technology strategy. New digital technologies are eroding the value of old IP. In the future, "It is the speed of innovation that's going to matter." - What's the price of marketing? Innovation. "Modern marketing is an investment. And innovation is the price of getting a seat at the customer's table. - James Altucher, one of the most transparent business writers and entrepreneurs, tells us not to be easy. "Graham Greene says that we live fully until we are twenty years old. Then the rest of our lives we re-tell that story in one form or other. We re-tell it in our stories, in our emotional wounds, in how we treat others, in how we live our lives." And before the weekend begins, plant a seed of innovation in your life by signing up for THINK 16. A few seats are still available.