Quick Hits: Paradigm shift for podcast ads; young diamonds; the dark side of Apple earbuds

Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web:

Podcast ads hitting a paradigm shift: Kurt Kaufer, partner and CMO at Ad Results Media, a broadcast and digital advertising agency, penned an article for Forbes about changes in podcast advertising over time. He dubbed the recent surge in advertiser interest a “paradigm shift” stemming from the specificity of host endorsements and the natural relationship between host and audience.

Streaming and diamond certification: Here’s another Forbes piece for your reading list today. Columnist Hugh McIntyre examined the trend of diamond certification and how streaming has impacted the singles that achieve that milestone. He argues that the younger audience for streaming platforms has boosted performance for newer singles while older songs, even famous ones, pull in lower numbers.

The surprising inspiration behind Apple earbuds: Apple’s signature earbuds are familiar to Mac and iPhone owners worldwide, but a recent interview revealed a surprising inspiration for the now iconic design. Chief Designer Jony Ive told the Wall Street Journal (paywall) that the stormtroopers of Star Wars were in his mind while working on that project. Guess the Force was strong with him.

Anna Washenko