Marketing news

• GroupM debuts global viewability standards backed by Unilever, Volvo and Subway

  17-08-2017 19:17
  WPP's media arm GroupM has announced the global rollout of viewability standards which have been backed by clients including Unilever, Campbell Soup, Shell, Subway and Volvo.
  It's an update to standards that GroupM set in 2014. Then, it required that 100% of the pixels in a display ad must be in view (for any amount of time) and for video, that 50% of the video must be played at the user’s initiation, with the sound on, while 100% in view.
  In what it described as a
  
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• Aegon hires Alistair Welham as head of marketing comms

  17-08-2017 19:02
  Insurance and pensions company Aegon has hired Alistair Welham as head of marketing communications.
  Previously leading the marketing for Elevate, a platform that was snapped up by Standard Life from Axa in November 2016, and before that, Virgin Money, Nationwide Building Society, Mercedes-Benz, Welham brings a wealth of experience to the role.
  Welham reports to Aegon marketing director Andy Manson. On the hire, he said: “Alistair has a great understanding of the industry and joins at an in
  
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• How can brand interactions mirror real life personal relationships? |Brand love stories

  17-08-2017 18:43
  Brands should create trust and deliver value to their customers in the same way they would in their personal relationships. At least this is how MediaLink’s chairman and chief executive officer, Michael Kassan interprets brand love in the third episode of Oath’s brand love series.
  “It’s about that enduring trust and delivery of value to whatever it is you need satisfying in that context. If it’s my credit card, they’ve got to do the right thing for me. If it&r
  
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• Acceleration Partners managing director on the challenges of moving business to the UK and how advertisers are becoming more demanding

  17-08-2017 17:43
  US performance marketing agency, Acceleration Partners (AP) launched its UK and European base last month with Helen Southgate taking on the role of managing director.
  As the largest independent agency, working with clients like Adidas, Reebok, eBay, Travelex and Pearsons, AP have around 70 employees who help develop their performance marketing solutions in a way they grow their business in a way that is right for the advertiser. 
  Southgate spoke to The Drum on her new role at AP, what&rsquo
  
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• EP+Co tailors its first campaign for Men's Wearhouse

  17-08-2017 17:26
  EP+Co (formerly Erwin Penland) recently won the business for Men’s Wearhouse in the US and Moores Clothing for Men out of Canada, and with it has introduced a new campaign spot.
  Both companies are subsidiaries of Tailor Brands, so it’s fitting that the new agency of record would title its first spot, ‘The Tailor.’
  EP+Co wanted to focus on real men and the challenges they face finding the right fit, translating that to how the experience at both Men&rsq
  
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• How affiliate marketing uses data to drive decisions

  17-08-2017 16:18
  Using data to drive marketing decisions is more important than ever, and there is a huge amount of value to be unlocked within the affiliate marketing channel. The model is evolving, enabling brands to better recognise partners that are delivering the type of customer that is valuable to their business.
  For many retailers, their digital marketing spend is dictated by upfront costs – per click or per impression. The affiliate model has always set itself apart with a payment model focu
  
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• Malaria No More appoints Dentsu Aegis Network and R/GA London to global remit

  17-08-2017 16:13 via campaignlive.co.uk
  R/GA London and Dentsu Aegis Network have been appointed to help Malaria No More UK achieve its goal of ending malaria in a generation.
  
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• Tottenham Hotspur sign Chinese smartphone makers Leagoo in a bid to expand their global presence

  17-08-2017 16:03
  In a bid to expand its global presence, especially in Asia, Tottenham Hotspur has inked a five-year-deal with Chinese smartphone makers Leagoo as the club's Official Mobile Phone.
  Leagoo is creating a range of Tottenham Hotspur phones and accessories as part of the agreement.
  Fran Jones, head of partnerships of Tottenham Hotspur, said: “We are delighted to bring such an exciting and ambitious company as Leagoo on board as a partner. We look forward to working with
  
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• NerdWallet trots out thrifty ‘Frank’ to help people budget properly

  17-08-2017 16:00
  Money advice and personal finance company NerdWallet has introduced a new campaign with an amiably thrifty character, Frank, to drive home the importance of budgeting to save for the things consumers want most.
  The three-part social video campaign begins today (August 17) and will run on social channels, including NerdWallet’s Facebook page. It was developed with social and digital agency Epic Signal.
  Frank is a guy who takes ill-fated money-saving advice from friends and family and g
  
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• VML names God-is Rivera as director of inclusion and cultural resonance

  17-08-2017 14:44
  Marketing agency VML, a WPP agency, has promoted God-is Rivera to the newly created position of director of inclusion and cultural resonance. Rivera has been a key part of the evolution of VML’s Inclusion & Diversity committee. Being a black woman in the advertising industry has prompted Rivera to pursue her passion of highlighting the imperative need for greater diversity within the industry. In 2016, she joined VML’s social media practice and has since pushed for a wi
  
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• Group M rolls out viewability standards globally

  17-08-2017 14:42 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Group M is optimising all its global media spend towards its standards of viewability.
  
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• International round-up: US TV giants cut ads & the trial aimed at reducing ad fraud

  17-08-2017 14:41
  TV giants are cutting back on advertising to ‘reduce clutter’
  US TV giants including Turner and Viacom have been experimenting with cutting down the number of ads they air during shows. They hope it will appease viewers sick of so many ads showing in their favourite programmes while also meaning they could charge a premium because there are fewer slots, therefore driving up revenue in the long term.
  However, the strategy doesn’t yet seem to be paying off. Viacom says it saw a 2
  
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• Turner eyes sports streaming app to host - and recoup the cost of - its Uefa Champions League coverage

  17-08-2017 14:19
  The Turner Broadcasting group is the latest industry player to consider the release of a bespoke streaming service, this time a sports app which will be built around its US English language Uefa Champions League coverage.
  In 2018, the company is looking to monetise its $60m investment in the Champions League rights by showing a mere 20% of its matches on its linear TV channels. As a result, the bulk of its coverage will be locked behind a still-to-launch sports streaming service,
  
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• Asda returns to sales growth but brand recovery is still some way off

  17-08-2017 14:09
  Asda returned to sales growth in its second quarter for the first time in three years as investments in price and the store experience convinced shoppers to return.
  Like-for-like sales (excluding petrol) were up 1.8% in the three months to 30 June, with Asda claiming one of its most successful Easter trading periods ever with total sales up 16%. Even without Easter, comparative sales would still have been up 1.1%.
  Doug McMillon, CEO at Asda’s parent company Walmart, says he is “encou
  
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• Creative Director's Choice: Colle+McVoy's Laura Fegley on 'My Black is Beautiful'

  17-08-2017 14:00
  Creative Director’s Choice gives creative directors a chance to highlight the current work they think is the best out in the ad world – the ads and campaigns they think are making a difference. Each week The Drum is featuring the words of a creative director or other top creative on the work they find funny, powerful or otherwise engaging. 
  This week we're letting Laura Fegley, executive director at Minneapolis agency Colle+McVoy talk about her current favorite work.
  &ldquo
  
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• Tributes paid to London College of Communication lecturer Jo Hodges

  17-08-2017 13:57 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Tributes have been paid to Jo Hodges, tutor at the London College of Communication, who died last month.
  
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• Carling puts the Premier League trophy up for grabs with on-pack promotion

  17-08-2017 13:50
  Beer brand Carling has released an on-pack promotion that will see winners gifted the coveted Premier League trophy – for a short time.
  In partnership with the Premier League and Sky Sports, the competition has tasked drinkers with downloading the Carling app on their Android and Apple devices in purpose to scan the participating packs. Winners of prizes will be immediately alerted, furthermore, the activity drives downloads of Carling's bespoke app which will enforce brand retention and l
  
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• Bell Pottinger has been in hot water before, the South Africa scandal won't be its end

  17-08-2017 13:31
  Nearly a decade ago, the then-chief lobbyist at Bell Pottinger was asked by MPs for an example of a public relations campaign having a ‘malign’ effect on society.
  Bell Pottinger’s Peter Bingle replied: “We had a call from Zimbabwe asking us to advise Zimbabwe. We said, “Thank you very much, but no.” That would have been, I think, a very malign campaign if somebody had run it.”
  Had the question been asked today, Bingle might have cited his old employer&rs
  
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• Always '#LikeAGirl' returns to fight girls' fear of failure

  17-08-2017 13:24 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Procter & Gamble's Always has brought back its "#LikeAGirl" campaign with a new ad tackling girls' failure of confidence during puberty.
  
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• From sausage rolls to salads: Behind the scenes at Greggs

  17-08-2017 13:18
  On joining Greggs in 2013, at a point when the brand was experiencing a sustained period of falling sales, CEO Roger Whiteside took the bold decision to switch up the core focus of the business.
  Research he commissioned suggested that while customers once bought baked goods to take home and consume they now wanted something quick and easy to eat while out and about, as well as healthier alternatives.
  It’s this insight that has reshaped the business and brought it back to life.
  Marketi
  
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• Airbnb appoints ex-Unilever marketer Geoff Seeley to fill 'critical' media director role

  17-08-2017 13:15
  Airbnb has appointed its first ever media chief almost eight months after the hunt began, The Drum can reveal.
  Working under the title ‘director of global connections and media activation,’ former Pearson and Unilever executive Geoff Seeley has been charged with drawing out greater value from the company's media investment as it transitions from disruptive room-renting app to a full-service travel powerhouse.
  Reporting to chief marketing officer Jonathan Mildenhall, he will
  
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• HBO hacked by OurMine in latest cybersecurity breach

  17-08-2017 13:00
  HBO’s Facebook and Twitter accounts have been hacked in the second cybersecurity breach to hit the firm in the past month.
  A group called OurMine appeared to take control of the HBO’s main social media accounts, as well for shows such as Game of Thrones, in what was deemed a test of the network’s security.
  One post left by the group said "OurMine are here. we are just testing your security", while another read ‘Let’s make #HBOHacked trending!’ Some posts were
  
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• Disney channels the power of princesses for UN's Girl Up initiative

  17-08-2017 12:57
  Disney is supporting the UN’s Girl Up fundraising efforts with a global princess-themed campaign that looks to inspire children with a multitude of stories and evocative images.
  Nineteen female photographers across the globe have assembled troupes of diverse princesses to showcase the various roles woman and girls can aspire to.
  “The idea that stories, whether real life or fictional like those of Belle or Rapunzel, can inspire kids to follow their dreams is at the heart of the #Dream
  
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• Meet The Drum’s US 50 under 30 honorees from the South

  17-08-2017 12:30
  Each day this week, The Drum has been highlighting 10 of the 50 talented women that make up our inaugural 50 under 30 in the US, a list that is celebrating women across the country who are putting themselves - and their cities - on the map via their creativity, achievements and dedication to an industry that is changing at a fast clip.
  Today we are featuring our honorees from the South. Each was chosen with the help of a judging panel that included MullenLowe Los Angeles exec
  
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• Always’ #LikeAGirl is back, and this time it's tackling girls’ ‘paralysing’ fear of failure

  17-08-2017 12:17
  Sanitary brand Always has revived its critically acclaimed #LikeAGirl platform with a new advert that addresses the ‘paralysing’ fear of failure experienced by girls going through puberty.
  The P&G brand’s latest film features a diverse range of teenagers around the globe who are facing fears such as rehearsing for a play, revising for exams and playing in a football match.
  A young girl who is facing her own fear of speaking in front of her class tells the viewer: &ldqu
  
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• Samsung pitches the Galaxy S8 with a feature you never knew you needed - sand resistance

  17-08-2017 12:14
  Sand is coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere, a trait identified and supposedly eradicated by Samsung for its new smartphone, the S8.
  An absurd 15-second ad from the company is pitching the feature you never knew you never needed, for the mobile to be sand-proof. Last year Samsung went heavy on the water-resistant marketing for the S7 and now it has evolved its latest device to handle everything a beach can throw at it.
  The work shows the mobile stuck to the back of a daze
  
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• Copa90 teams up with Continental Tire for MLS video series to tap into soccer 'fan fever'

  17-08-2017 12:08
  Copa90 has unveiled a fresh campaign in collaboration with Continental Tire – the sponsor of US and Canada’s Major League Soccer (MLS), continuing the football upstart’s foray into the North American market.
  The pair have come together to build on Continental’s existing ‘Ode to Soccer’ series which celebrate the unique culture of the beautiful game, giving a nod to what makes it distinctive both on and off the field.
  Continental will work closely with Copa90 a
  
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• Canvas Conference set to bring international product insights to Birmingham in October

  17-08-2017 11:52
  The organisers of Canvas, the largest annual digital product and design conference that takes place in Birmingham every year, has signed up an international cast of speakers for 2017’s event taking place in October.
  The conference is organised by Midlands-based digital experience studio 383 and this year is being supported by Labs by London Midland and mParticle alongside The Drum and organisers at 383 expect to attract more than 700 digital professionals across many disciplines to Birming
  
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• McCain fights back against popular culture's problem with real families in latest campaign

  17-08-2017 11:48 via campaignlive.co.uk
  McCain is aiming to celebrate "what makes modern families great" in a new TV ad featuring real people, and with a voiceover by Ricky Tomlinson.
  
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• Where is the empathy in Singapore’s advertising?

  17-08-2017 11:45
  If Circle Life’s recent 'Fight Data Deprivation' campaign started with an insight, that insight was probably along the lines of “this survey shows millennials consider internet access a basic need”.
  In fact, a quick look at the research presented on the campaign page and it’s not a bad guess to assume this is where it all began. It’s an interesting thing to play with, and you can take it very seriously if you want: the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a re
  
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• A career outside of the capital: has London lost its touch for creative agencies?

  17-08-2017 11:30
  Since many of the world’s most famous advertising and creative agencies were founded in London during the 1960s and 70s, the city has been famed as a leading media heartland. But with more and more of these agencies thriving outside of the capital, is London losing its shine for agencies, their staff and clients?
  With all four of the UK’s top rated independent agencies in The Drum’s latest Independent Agencies Census based outside of London, it’s clear these businesses do
  
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• What makes a great Christmas campaign? UK agencies look back at their favourites from 2016

  17-08-2017 11:11
  With the ad industry currently immersed in creating the campaigns that will dominate our screens this festive season, we asked RAR member agencies to name their favourite pieces of marketing from last Christmas.   While many of the usual suspects – John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and so on  – featured heavily in the feedback, some hidden gems were also highlighted among the tinsel:
   
  David Bowers, Lo + Behold -
  I don't think Christmas campaigns need to be particul
  
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• BBC brands Channel 4’s Bake Off scheduling clash a ‘cynical move’ as feud gains heat

  17-08-2017 11:00
  The BBC has called Channel 4's decision to schedule the return of The Great British Bake Off to clash with its own cooking programme, The Big Family Cooking Showdown, a "cynical move" adding fuel to the ongoing battle between the two competing broadcasters.
  Channel 4 announced yesterday (16 August) that the long-awaited return of The Great British Bake Off will hit TV screens on Tuesday 29 August at 8pm. However, this clashes with the slot for The Big Family Cooking Showdown, which sta
  
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• As Twitter celebrates 10 years of the hashtag, what is the social platform's future?

  17-08-2017 10:41
  Next week marks the 10th anniversary since the hashtag debuted on Twitter on its journey to becoming a familiar component of online conversation.
  It has become an appropriate symbol for a social media platform that has always seemed at a crossroads, seeking to define a role that distinguishes it from bigger internet rivals which have come for its its advertising share and event its ownership of the hashtag.
  In the past year Twitter has wrestled with that identity like never before. Its chief mar
  
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• Four sales trends to watch this Christmas

  17-08-2017 10:37
  What’s in store for the festive season in 2017? We know it will break all records for ecommerce and that it’s important to get plans for commerce marketing solidified early.The 2017 festive season will cap a year of retailer progress – making better use of their real-world footprints, refining merchandise focus, and embracing the power and potential of omnichannel.Omnichannel marketing drives both awareness and sales through hyper-personalised experiences, no matter where shop
  
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• The one copywriting client you need to run away from

  17-08-2017 10:04
  If I were to build a copywriting robot, I’m not sure what I’d programme into it beyond a basic understudying of apostrophes – and a wildly disproportionate ratio between how much tea it drinks and how much it makes.
   
  (Of course, this is all hypothetical as I only own one type of screwdriver and, inexplicably, that’s covered in Nutella.)
   
  What I absolutely wouldn’t put into my copy-bot however is the sensitivity, self-righteousness, conceit and all round
  
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• Deloitte Digital continues M&A trend with Acne agency acquisition

  17-08-2017 09:54
  Deloitte Digital, the marketing services arm of the consultancy, has announced the acquisition of Acne, the Stockholm based creative agency as it continues into the marketing sector.
  The business, founded in 1996, already works clients such as IKEA, Spotify and H&M, will hire around 80 new employees, half of which will be based in London, it has said.
  Paul Thompson, head of Deloitte Digital for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said: “The acquisition of Acne is an important mo
  
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• PR and advertising execs launch integrated creative agency

  17-08-2017 09:39 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Three ad execs have joined forces with a PR veteran to form a new integrated agency that aims to bring advertising, public relations and digital together in a single offering.
  
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• What’s next in the Facebook versus Snap arms race?

  17-08-2017 09:13
  Snap’s less than favourable results last week led to a media storm speculating on the future of the platform. Rumours around a potential buy-out have surfaced and some analysts feel that the only future is an acquisition from another major tech company. Meanwhile, other social media giants are continuing to innovate, leading to some interesting questions about the future of the space.
  Snapchat has constantly innovated its offering and can certainly be seen as the transformative platfo
  
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• Facebook updates News Feed to improve user conversations

  17-08-2017 09:01
  Having ramped up its premium content play with the purchase of Fayteq, Facebook has now updated its News Feed for consumers to have 'more lively and expressive conversations' on the platform.
  Facebook has updated the comment style which aims to make it easier to see which comments are direct replies to another person. It has also updated icons and Like, Comment, and Share buttons that are larger and easier to tap.null
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  In a blog tit was explained: "Every person’s
  
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• Ad of the Day: Hyatt Regency celebrates Hotel of Hope’s 50th anniversary with film of acceptance and understanding

  17-08-2017 08:57
  Half a century ago, when leaders of the Civil Rights movement were denied a place to gather, one hotel opened its doors. That hotel, the Hyatt Regency Atlanta – the first Hyatt Regency property – would become known as ‘The Hotel of Hope’ for the movement.
  The Hyatt Regency is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new short film titled 'Come Together'. The film champions bringing groups together to build community and share ideas, much like it did on August 16,
  
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• Clarity and transparency mean everything in digital marketing, says IAB Singapore’s Miranda Dimopoulos

  17-08-2017 08:06
  Reminiscing on recent headlines about digital marketing may not always conjure up entirely positive memories, but among the doom and gloom there are some shining lights.
  The digital marketing industry is still seeing double-digit growth in many markets, and for good reason, and a large majority of the industry is genuinely working hard towards a better ecosystem. Leading that charge in South East Asia (SEA) is the IAB in Singapore, which has seen a significant uptick in its output of indust
  
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• Helen Tupper: Busy lives require better goal-setting

  17-08-2017 08:00
  Do you ever feel like days, weeks or even months go by when you’re not sure what you’ve really achieved or what your hard work has been in service of?
  All too often, our minds are reactively focused on the estimated 35,000 decisions we make each day and the management of the 150 tasks on our to-do lists that research tells us the average professional has at any given time.
  It’s easy to lose sight of where you’re headed and why when you’re running on autopilot.
  While
  
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• Deloitte buys Ikea agency Acne and hires Sandoz to lead creative

  17-08-2017 07:58 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Deloitte Digital has bought Stockholm-based Acne Agency, which has worked with brands such as H&M, Spotify and Ikea.
  
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• HBO attacked by hackers again

  17-08-2017 07:38 via campaignlive.co.uk
  HBO's social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter have been hacked in the latest cyber attack on the company.
  
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• Trump "fires" business leaders after mass exodus

  17-08-2017 07:22 via campaignlive.co.uk
  President Donald Trump has disbanded two business councils after even more corporate leaders left in a move to distance themselves from Trump's handling of Charlottesville.
  
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• Facebook, Google, Twitter & LinkedIn shutting out neo-Nazi users post Charllotesville violence

  17-08-2017 06:16
  Following the violence in Charlottesville last week, the Silicon Valley digital giants are counter blasting neo-Nazi groups, white nationalist and racists with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube and security firm like Coudflare removing hate content from their platforms.
  Spotify removed hate bands after a story headlined "I Just Found 27 White Supremacist Hate bands on Spotify also shined a light on the problem it faced as well. In Response to Our Article, Spotify Is Removi
  
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• Monopoly keeps up with India's demonetisation move by venturing into cashless payments

  17-08-2017 05:00
  Popular board game Monopoly has announced its venture into cashless payments where they are encouraging consumers to switch to “Monopoly Electronic Banking.” 
  The move falls in line with India's own move to digital money, with the demonetisation of low value notes, which has helped boost the move to digital payments.
  The concept was introduced via a digital film called 'Monopoly news network', launched by global play and entertainment company Hasbro India LLP. 
  Th
  
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• McCain takes ‘bold’ step to deal with misrepresentation of modern families in advertising

  17-08-2017 01:01
  McCain is placing diversity at the heart of its advertising with a new campaign focusing on “real” families, with the brand claiming consumers have “had enough” of misrepresentation in ads.
  The ‘We Are Family’ campaign, which was created by adam&eveDDB and launches today (17 August), looks to celebrate “modern day families” at meal times.
  The ad shows a host of real families, from single parents and LGBT+ families to “grandparents who act
  
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