Marketing news

• Can a return to nudity save Playboy in an age of shareable media?

  16-02-2017 23:44 via campaignlive.com
  
  The yearlong experiment in modesty ends, but the battle over the magazine's future rages on.
  
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• More than 1bn YouTube videos have automated captions

  16-02-2017 23:04
  
  The number of YouTube videos with automatic captions now exceeds 1bn – and consumers watch videos with said captions more than 15m times per day, the platform said.
  Google first launched video captions in 2006. It added automated captions on YouTube in 2009.
  “This was a big leap forward to help us keep up with YouTube’s growing scale,” Product Manager Liat Kaver wrote in a blog post.
  In addition, Kaver noted YouTube has made great strides in terms of t
  
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• Mofilm promotes Anna Watkins to CEO, moves Merrihue to chairman and completes management team

  16-02-2017 22:15
  
  People-powered marketing company Mofilm announced a series of senior appointments due to its rapid growth, including promoting Anna Watkins to chief executive officer, moving Jeffrey Merrihue to chairman and completing its management team by adding new group chief financial officer Elizabeth Hunter.
  Watkins joined Mofilm in September of last year from the Guardian Labs following their acquisition by You and Mr Jones, the company founded in 2015 by former Havas Global CEO and Facebook client coun
  
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• Google Home enables voice orders – with some restrictions

  16-02-2017 22:03
  
  Consumers can now use voice commands to order home goods via smart speaker Google Home – but only for one item with a value between $4 and $100 per order.
  As of February 16, Google said Home users can order from participating Google Express retailers like Costco, Whole Foods Market, Walgreens, PetSmart and Bed Bath & Beyond. Google Express is a Google shopping service that says it connects shoppers with popular stores and arranges for delivery.
  In a blog post, Google said consumers can
  
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• Ralph Lauren taps Vice Media's Jonathan Bottomley as first CMO

  16-02-2017 19:34
  
  Ralph Lauren has solidified its leadership team by appointing Vice Media's Jonathan Bottomley as chief marketing officer, marking the first time anyone has held the role in the brand's 50-year history. 
  The news comes just weeks after the unexpected resignation of outgoing chief executive Stefan Larsson, and will help the bring cohesion to the brand's global marketing efforts. 
  ​The luxury brand said in an announcement that Bottomley would be respons
  
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• In advertising, as in culture, the US still struggles with diversity

  16-02-2017 18:35
  
  While more brand content is coming out that depicts a broader scope of race, sexual orientation and gender identity, much work remains before US advertising is wholly honest about American society.
  And that’s true even though research shows consumers want diversity in advertising.
  In fact, a 2016 study from online market research firm YouGov and parenting website BabyCenter found 80% of parents like seeing diverse families in advertising.
  What’s more, the research found 49% of M
  
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• Tinder acquires Snapchat-style social video startup Wheel

  16-02-2017 18:29
  
  Tinder has announced that it is to acquire a social video startup called Wheel, which lets users share Snapchat-style video clips. 
  The LA-based app was originally launched in 2015 under the name Ferris on the premise of making it easy for people to share and collaborate on mobile videos with their friends.
  Tinder has now inked a deal to takeover Wheel and according to Variety the buyout will see the dating app weave video features into its core app. 
  Wheel's chief executive Paul
  
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• BuzzFeed on making digital shows break through at scale

  16-02-2017 18:21
  
  Whether it’s a 30-second clip on DIY channel Nifty or original drama series ‘Broke’ on YouTube Red, each month BuzzFeed video content clocks up over seven billion global views.
  One in six people in the UK now subscribes to one of BuzzFeed’s Tasty food channels on YouTube, while an episode of ‘Worth It’, the series that pits high-end items like a $1,120 cake against a budget alternative, can rack up more than 12 million views in a month.
  To put that
  
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• Ad of the Day: One Campaign proves 'none of us are equal until all of us are equal' with 'Poverty is Sexist' film

  16-02-2017 18:21
  
  There is nowhere on earth where women have the same opportunities as men - that’s the startling point made by the One Campaign in a hard-hitting new film which calls on viewers to take action for those most affected by gender inequality, those living in extreme poverty.
  Created by Don’t Panic, the film shows women at every stage of their lives being told ‘No,’ whilst nodding to issues like gender roles and the treatment of women in the workplace.
  Every moment in the film
  
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• Tag Heuer puts the pressure on football fans with intense Premier League IQ quiz

  16-02-2017 17:35
  
  Tag Heuer has launched a new campaign around its Premier League sponsorship which tests football fans knowledge in an intense time-pressured quiz.
  The latest stunt builds on its #DontCrackUnderPressure campaign and allows fans to represent their team in a quiz testing their Premier League IQ.
  In addition to running online, the Swiss watch brand is also hosting ‘Pressure Test Live’ events which Premier League legends Marcel Desailly and Robert Pires helped to kick off.
  The event
  
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• CMOs have the shortest tenure in the c-suite

  16-02-2017 17:09
  
  CMOs have the shortest tenure of any member of the c-suite, according to new research.
  The report, by recruiters Korn Ferry, found that the average CMO in the US stays in the job for just 4.1 years, behind the average for the c-suite of 5.3 years. That is half the average tenure for a CEO at eight years, and less than CFO, CIO and chief HR officer (CHRO).
  Part of the reason for this is down to the “exceptionally complex” nature of the CMO role, says the research.
  “Today’
  
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• DAC Group appoints former Razorfish VP of search Watson to head up digital media services

  16-02-2017 16:48
  
  As it continues to expand its services and international footprint across North America and Europe, digital performance agency DAC Group has appointed Jenna Watson as VP, Digital Media Services. 
  Based in the group's Chicago office, Watson will work with the senior leadership team to manage DAC Group’s growing digital media team, contributing to the agency’s value proposition in this continuously-evolving industry. 
  Watson has over 15 years of digital media experience and h
  
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• A day in the life of a real-life Alexa

  16-02-2017 16:38
  
  Alexa, can you get back to me by the end of the day with a revised press release announcing our new network hires?
  Alexa, what’s the best way to generate campaign buzz socially?
  Alexa, why are so many millennials choosing tech jobs over jobs in advertising?
  SHE can’t deliver what you want, but I can. The Alexa who is the voice of Amazon’s Echo doesn’t know how to answer many questions my bosses ask me daily, but so many are singing her praises. As an Alexa, it’s kin
  
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• Are British agencies lagging behind on behavioural science?

  16-02-2017 16:33
  
  Today most of adland gets behavioural science. We make no bones about the fact that we’re creatures of instinct – and recognise the benefits of shaping marketing around our own irrationality. Yet, despite understanding its power, few British agencies have made behavioural science a key part of their offering. Almost eight years since Rory Sutherland first championed its use in advertising, American agencies are speeding ahead, while we Brits drag our heels.
  Walk into any agency on Ma
  
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• ‘We have to course correct’: 4A’s Nancy Hill blames lack of education for messy digital media landscape

  16-02-2017 16:30
  
  Anyone who works in digital media knows that the past few years haven’t exactly been a walk in the park. Disagreements over viewability standards, the ongoing media transparency debacle and the issue of ad fraud have all fostered an environment of distrust within the digital advertising ecosystem.
  Nancy Hill, president and CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s), thinks that part of the reason why the industry has gotten itself into this mess is because of a la
  
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• Amazon Prime reveals revenues for first time

  16-02-2017 16:17
  
  Amazon has published figures for its Amazon Prime subscription membership service for the first time, revealing that its revenues hit $6.4bn (£5.2bn) in 2016.
  While at first glance this figure looks impressive, it’s still some way from what its retail and web divisions generate commercially. In 2016, according to the filing made on the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Amazon Retail brought in $91.4bn (£73.2bn) while Amazon Web Services (its cloud computing arm) made $12.
  
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• Will ITV steal back its TV crown by hiring a creative agency?

  16-02-2017 16:00
  
  ITV is in talks to hire its first creative agency in six years for an under-wraps project that could see the broadcaster reinvent its marketing output as it looks to steal back its crown from digital disruptors.
  What the creative agency will deliver for the broadcaster is not yet known. It would be the first prospective creative agency to work on the ITV account since BBH held it between 2007 and 2011. 
  ITV has repeatedly denied it is looking to hire an agency of record. When approached by&
  
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• Trump Creative Dump: the best out-of-home and out-of-the box creative inspired by Potus

  16-02-2017 15:50
  
  If there is a silver lining to Donald Trump's already controversial presidency, it is that The Donald's decisions are sparking a creative renaissance across arguably the most diverse group of protestors ever assembled to a common cause.
  On a daily basis, new creative work is emerging to make the Potus pout-us. Take, for instance, his Twitter critiques of a resurgent Saturday Night Live – mandatory viewing like the sketches that inspire them.
  The Drum has scoured the web in c
  
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• NBA’s Karl-Anthony Towns works out with Sasquatch in Jack Link’s latest ads

  16-02-2017 15:43
  
  Beef jerky maker Jack Link’s has released a series of ads that feature Minnesota Timberwolves player Karl-Anthony Towns working out alongside the brand’s longtime Sasquatch mascot.
  Created by Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch, the ads are an extension of Jack Link’s “Workin’ Out With Sasquatch” campaign, which the brand launched last year in an effort to position itself as the go-to protein snack for athletes. Last year’s spots featured NFL stars Odell
  
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• McLaren marketing boss Ekrem Sami departs F1 team as part of senior management shake up

  16-02-2017 15:39
  
  McLaren’s long-standing marketing boss Ekrem Sami has announced that he will step down before the start of the new season as the Formula One team embarks on a new era in his leadership.
  Sami will depart his role as chief executive of McLaren marketing at the end of March, drawing to an end a 35-year career with the Woking-based team.
  "I don't mind admitting that it feels a bit strange to be announcing that I'm moving on from McLaren," said Sami, "the company to which I've devoted almo
  
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• Possible appoints JWT’s Giovanni Pintaude to head up creative output for central and eastern Europe

  16-02-2017 15:22
  
  Giovanni Pintaude has joined WPP agency Possible from JWT Dusseldorf to manage the creative output of its central and eastern Europe offices as executive creative director.
  He will be based in the agency’s Budapest office, reporting to Erik Szabó, deputy chief executive, and will have a specific focus on integrated campaigns, web and mobile content development and service design working for global clients including Adidas and Danone.
  “Strong international experience was an imp
  
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• Snapchat owner dials down IPO valuation to maximum of $22.2bn but may still break US tech record

  16-02-2017 15:19
  
  Snapchat has set its IPO valuation as high as $22.2bn, dialing down its previous ambitions of hitting $25bn but still putting the company on track to be one of the biggest tech floatations the US has seen. 
  The industry has been keeping a close eye on Snap Inc since the upstart published details of its forthcoming IPO back in January in the form of an S1-filing which promised growth but not profit in the short-term. 
  According to the Financial Times, Snap is due to host
  
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• SoundCloud makes further steps into programmatic with Rubicon Project deal

  16-02-2017 15:14
  
  Music streaming platform SoundCloud has struck a deal with Rubicon Project to automate its audio and video ad inventory as it looks to bolster its programmatic offering to better monetise its content.
  It means brands will be able to tap into SoundCloud’s audience in real-time using a range of targeting capabilities including first-party and content-level targeting. Advertisers will also be able to take advantage of SoundCloud’s audience insights to target their campaigns.
  Last m
  
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• IBM Watson is ‘betting big’ on the Internet of Things, announcing slew of brand partners at opening of IoT Towers in Munich

  16-02-2017 15:12
  
  IBM’s artificial intelligence division Watson is today (16 February) demonstrating its play to become a leading tech player in the Internet of Things revolution, with the opening of a $200m IoT global headquarters in Germany and a raft of new brand partnerships.
  Located in the north of Munich, the Watson IoT Centre will act as a collaboration hub for IBM and its clients and partners to innovate in the cognitive connected space.
  John Kelly, senior vice president for cognitive solutions and
  
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• Fox turns to viral video for Logan with grainy found footage promo Laura.mov

  16-02-2017 15:04
  
  20th Century Fox is increasing the intrigue around the upcoming release of Logan, the tenth movie in the X-Men series, with a new trailer shot and distributed as ‘found footage’.
  Helping to build the Wolverine universe, the company has adopted a subtler form of marketing looking to tell the story of X-23, the child clone of Wolverine who goes by Laura.
  The story will leverage around Logan’s (Hugh Jackman) responsibility to the child and the 47 second video entitled Laura.m
  
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• Fast Web Media unveils new brand image to reflect its Manchester roots

  16-02-2017 14:58
  
  Digital marketing agency Fast Web Media (FWM) has unveiled its new brand identity which pays homage to its 22-year history in Manchester’s digital marketing scene.
  The rebrand was prompted by mporium Group’s acquisition of the agency in 2015, which gave FWM an opportunity to reassess its brand, services and overall image. Through a series of workshops, the team set about creating the new FWM visual identity over a ten-month period, complete with a new website and logo.
  Joana Ferreira
  
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• International marketing bulletin: Lidl, Unilever, 20th Century Fox

  16-02-2017 14:36
  
  Lidl expands into the US
  Lidl is set to launch its first stores in the US this summer, with plans to open up to 100 locations across the East Coast within a year.
  Lidl’s first 20 stores will be opening in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Lidl currently operates around 10,000 stores in 27 countries.
  Both Lidl and Aldi have been aggressively expanding in Europe. In the United Kingdom, Aldi recently became the fifth biggest grocer, overtaking the Co-operative. Both brands offer l
  
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• Pea-based milk brand Ripple creates 8-bit game to prove its superiority over the likes of almond milk

  16-02-2017 14:30
  
  Pea-based milk brand Ripple has been on a mission to brand itself as the crème de la crème of the non-dairy milk category. To try and prove its superior status, the brand has created an 8-bit game that it hopes will give players a fun and retro way to learn about the health benefits of milk that is made from peas.
  Created in partnership with agency VMG, the game prompts players to answer questions like “Should milk shower you in sugar?” and “Should milk be a good
  
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• Coca-Cola preps Diet Coke push with advertising shift

  16-02-2017 14:29
  
  Coca-Cola is prepping a new campaign for Diet Coke that will see the brand shift even further away from its ‘shirtless hunks’ strategy.
  Diet Coke has enlisted TV presenter Holly Willoughby as its new brand ambassador, saying she will add “a dose of extra fizz” to the brand’s activity this year. She will lend her voice to a new marketing programme that is being promoted on social media with the hashtag #ItStartedWithADietCoke.
  Willoughby is the first year-long brand
  
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• Twitter to double down live-streaming efforts after Grammy's coverage attracts 5.1 million viewers

  16-02-2017 14:23
  
  Twitter's chief financial officer Antony Noto has revealed that around 5.1 million people watched Grammy's video content on Twitter during the awards show, saying the company intends to double its live-streaming efforts in 2017. 
  Speaking at the Goldman Technology Conference in San Francisco on Wednesday (15 February) the executive said the company plans to do this by bringing more shows to the platform in Japan and throughout the UK. He also predicted this would attract advertise
  
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• Slash Football and Teenage Cancer Trust to stage football tournament featuring YouTubers being electrocuted

  16-02-2017 13:42
  
  Football platform Slash Football has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust to give brands the chance to electrocute Youtubers during a game of football.
  The ‘Absolute Shocker’ five-a-side tournament in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust will feature some of the biggest names on YouTube including, Callux, Calfreezy, The Burnt Chip and JMX.
  In an attempt to draw more attention to the tournament Slash Football has added a unique dynamic to the tournament that will see brand executives from compa
  
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• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia brought to life in VR episode Project Badass by FX and Jaunt

  16-02-2017 12:39
  
  FX is promoting the latest season of dark comedy ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ with a virtual reality-ready video that plays out just like an episode of the show.
  Partnered with VR specialists Jaunt, FX has brought the series to 360-degree video, in a continuation of Mac’s daredevilry ‘Project Badass’ that sees a man try to jump a gap between two piers on a dirt bike.
  The four minute mini-episode solidifies the gang’s awfulness in a sensory overloa
  
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• How to take your agency to Oz: Navigate Digital on global expansion and organic growth

  16-02-2017 12:27
  
  The Drum Network caught up with Navigate Digital managing partner John Kimbell, and international account manager Matt Shepard about agency life in Oz. Here is what they had to say…
  The Drum Network: It’s your tenth birthday this year. Can you tell us about how the agency came into existence?
  John Kimbell: The agency was formed after myself and Matt D’Alton left our roles at Universal McCann in 2007 and teamed up with some friends Grant Allaway and Julian Miall.
  
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• Carling to entertain pubgoers with football clips while pints are poured

  16-02-2017 12:24 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  Molson Coors has created a font for Carling featuring a screen that will show classic goals from the 25-year history of the Premier League.
  
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• Manchester United puts Wayne Rooney on a pedestal with Wolverine in 20th Century Fox 'Logan' promo

  16-02-2017 12:00
  Manchester United has forged ahead with its unique 20th Century Fox movie partnership likening its all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney to Marvel’s Wolverine in a trailer promoting Logan.
  Following previous partnerships promoting Deadpool, X-Men Apocalypse and Independence Day 2, the club has injected its brand into building awareness around the launch of a new movie.
  The slot shows how tough the England captain is, comparing his ability to combat critics and recover from injuries to the
  
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• Sony Pictures Television Networks snap up truTV

  16-02-2017 11:47
  
  Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN) has confirmed its purchase of the UK arm of truTV, the cable and satellite television channel owned by Turner, for an undisclosed sum
  Under the terms of the deal SPTN will take ownership of a selection of the existing truTV content library such as Snapped, Paranormal Survivor and Ink Master while Turner will continue to represent the channel’s ad sales. Sky Media meanwhile will continue to sell advertising for Sony’s other channels.
  SPTN&rsquo
  
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• Condé Nast Brides appoints Haymarket to deliver luxury bridal show

  16-02-2017 11:31 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  Brides magazine's sixth show will be delivered by international specialist media and events company, Haymarket Media Group.
  
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• IPA census reveals drop in female leaders and ethnic minorities

  16-02-2017 11:27 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  Despite all the attention the issue has received in the past year, the percentage of female leaders in advertising is dropping, as is the number of non-white employees.
  
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• McDonald’s takes a leaf out of Apple’s playbook to reinvent the straw

  16-02-2017 11:25
  
  McDonald’s has set its finest designers on the task of reinventing the most basic of dining accoutrements, the straw to show that the design of even humble utensils needn’t suck.
  Announced with much fanfare on Facebook Live, McDonald’s bigged-up their innovative J-shaped drinking tool during 20 minutes of unabashed hype. This presentation focused on the introduction of two side-holes within the tubular nozzle designed to double the flow rate of sugary liquid past the pursed lip
  
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• Land Rover task Warren Gatland with scouting out the most passionate grassroots rugby fans for British & Irish Lions tour

  16-02-2017 11:08
  
  Land Rover has sent British & Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland on a scouting mission to identify the most passionate grassroots rugby players to reward them with a trip to New Zealand for the upcoming Lions tour.
  Land Rover’s latest campaign in its 20-year association with the Lions sees Gatland accompanied by former Lions players Brian O’Driscoll, Martin Johnson, Gavin Hastings and Sir Gareth Edwards as they surprise amateur clubs by showing up at training to pick out rugby fans
  
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• WPP’s Mindshare intensifies equality fight with pan-office celebration

  16-02-2017 10:54
  
  WPP owned Mindshare has redoubled its push for gender equality by dedicating an annual celebration across its office estate toward bringing both sexes toward equivalence.
  All 87 global studios took part in the day long project which saw staff challenged by Mindshare North America chief strategy officer Cindy Gustafson to ‘advance gender equality through the lens of a brand’.
  Clients including Unilever, General Mills and Nordstrom were approached for the brief with each office present
  
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• Dentsu Aegis Network enters 40 UK schools with The Code, a training and experience scheme

  16-02-2017 10:51
  
  The Dentsu Aegis Network will aim to cultivate teenage talent for an entrance into advertising and media industries with an initiative called The Code, which will touch down in 40 UK schools.
  The ad network has pledged 50,000 hours to 40 UK schools, hoping to help train up and grant experience to 15,000 students between 14-18. It’s hoping to have hit this target by 2020, bringing 50% of its apprentices in through the programme.
  4,000 of the company’s staff are currently offered two w
  
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• Amazon topped UK mobile and desktop search spend in 2016

  16-02-2017 10:15 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  Amazon.co.uk not only spends heavily on desktop search in the UK, it also leads the pack in when it comes to mobile search.
  
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• Amazon topped UK desktop search clicks in 2016

  16-02-2017 10:15 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  Amazon.co.uk not only spends heavily on desktop search in the UK, it also invests heavily in mobile search.
  
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• Amazon Prime revenue hits $5.2bn with 65m subscribers

  16-02-2017 10:01
  
  Amazon has lifted the veil on revenues generated by its Amazon Prime subscription service for the first time, revealing that it generated $6.4bn (£5.2bn) over the past year.
  This figure puts it well behind Amazon’s retail and web services divisions in 2016 which raked in $91.4bn and $12.2bn respectively.
  Amazon’s filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission showed revenue growth as a whole slowed at the online retailer from a breakneck 61.7 per cent year-on-year in 201
  
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• Dentsu Aegis Network pledges to donate 50,000 hours to schools by 2020

  16-02-2017 09:56 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  Dentsu Aegis Network is setting up a programme to work with UK schools, and pledged to donate 50,000 hours by 2020.
  
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• Publicis Communications marries Arc, Vivid Brand and Saatchi X shopper marketing operations

  16-02-2017 09:23
  
  Publicis Communications has announced that it is to merge its disparate shopper marketing divisions spread across Arc, Vivid Brand and Saatchi X to form a single one-stop-shop offering for clients.
  Joining forces under one roof at Publicis’ UK HQ the move will see the collective of agencies operate under the Arc brand with economies of scale allowing the combined entity to a more comprehensive cohort of brand activation specialisms and experience, benefiting clients such as P&G, EE and
  
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• Diet Coke taps Holly Willoughby as brand ambassador

  16-02-2017 09:10 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  TV presenter Holly Willoughby is the new face of Diet Coke as the brand bids to launch an "exciting programme" this year.
  
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• Verizon Yahoo deal could face $250m discount

  16-02-2017 09:09 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  Verizon's acquisition of Yahoo is reported to have dropped in value by $250m.
  
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• 'Downloads are obsolete' and other mobile-engagement trends

  16-02-2017 08:50 via campaignlive.co.uk
  
  Marketers must quickly change their priorities from quantity to quality and get smarter about measuring performance, according to a trend report from Light Reaction.
  
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