Marketing news

• Home robotics brand Anki unveils its good bot Vector, and all its hellish alternatives

  25-09-2018 22:53
  Home robotics company Anki has released an ad for Vector, its ‘good robot’, to appeal to consumers fearful of a world filled with mechanized destroyers.
  The Wieden + Kennedy crafted spot shows a homeowner checking through his options at an electronic store, first spotting the little silver bot staring wide-eyed at its potential new owner.He thinks against it, then ponders the other choices: a smart speaker that’s more than willing to sell your private information to brands
  
  Read more

• TV Ad Spend Weekly: Allstate lends a hand for Hurricane Florence relief for NFL Sunday

  25-09-2018 22:03
  Brands continue to invest heavily in above-the-line content, and television is still seen as the place brands want to be. Each week, in partnership with Kantar Media, The Drum looks at which brands have been investing the most in newly-launched creative on US national broadcast and cable TV.
  NFL games are continuing to drive advertising spend for broadcast networks, accounting for 22% ($238m) of overall national TV ad spending during the week of September 17, including $63m of new advertising. O
  
  Read more

• Brat reaches teen and tween audience with smart mix of scripted shows and young talent

  25-09-2018 21:39
  Everyone in marketing is always clamoring to reach a younger generation. With millennials already a force, brands and marketers are turning their attention to the up-and-coming Gen Z audience, with mixed results.
  One company, however, has already reached this market and is thriving by appealing to teens and tweens after barely two years in existence – Brat, a network featuring original programming through social channels, as well as a website that extends the stories and the personalities.
  
  Read more

• Justworks makes human resources a storybook saga with animated subway posters

  25-09-2018 21:20
  Justworks released a series of animated posters for its latest campaign, making the services it provides into illustrated sagas.
  The new chapter to its #WorkFearlessly campaign, made with agency partner Circus Maximus, is made specifically for the transit kiosks and digital billboard on New York City’s MTA subway system, allowing straphangers to watch the motion pictures come to life.
  Each motion graphic takes on a children's storybook-like feel, each going airborne to illustrate the
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• AT&T rolls up adtech offerings into Xandr, taking on Oath’s services head-on

  25-09-2018 19:53
  AT&T  has announced the launch of Xandr, its new advertising offering that consists of recent acquisition AppNexus, AT&T Adworks and its other adtech services.
  Xandr, named after AT&T founder Alexander Graham Bell, has consisted of AT&T’s advanced TV, data and analytics businesses, ATT.net,  AdWorks, and AppNexus, all of which are to continue supporting the 170 million direct to consumer relationships across wireless, video and broadband. AppNexus had been added t
  
  Read more

• Paul Gubbins: Thoughts from the programmatic coal face...

  25-09-2018 19:36
  It's been a hectic few months in the ad & martech sector so I wanted to share a brief overview of some of the things that have caught my eye..
   
  Dmexco
   
  Off the bat, Dmexco is not going anywhere. It felt just as big this year as it has ever been. Ok, there were fewer agencies in attendance but i feel that is more a reflection of the day to day pressures they are under rather than the event no longer being relevant for them. That said, the consultancies were there in force and thei
  
  Read more

• Ads We Like: Park MGM goes cinematic with micro-films by Gondry bros to promote Vegas resort

  25-09-2018 19:35
  The new Las Vegas resort from MGM Resorts and Sydell Group, Park MGM, is going Hollywood in the shortest fashion possible. Las Vegas Love Stories is a collection of feature films made in partnership with creative agency, Virtue, Academy Award-winner Michel Gondry and critically acclaimed director, Olivier Gondry.
  Each of the six films follows a different couple over the course of the same night, as roller coasters, kaleidoscopes and bumper cars fulfill fated fantasies ot
  
  Read more

• Busch pushes people outdoors to find free beer and help plant trees with ‘Tree Roll’ campaign

  25-09-2018 18:45
  Fall is here, and Busch Beer wants to give Americans even more reasons to get outside and enjoy their public lands, which is why the brand has launched an outdoor challenge nationally in forests across the country, inviting America to celebrate the great outdoors this fall with the motivator of free beer (or cash equivalent).
  Partnering with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) and  Busch marked six trees in forests across the country w
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Three digital marketing trends dominating marketers' thoughts right now

  25-09-2018 17:49
  Each year the ad tech industry flocks to Dmexco to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing digital marketers and publishers.
  Building on recent years where concerns around brand safety, viewability and GDPR dominated, delegates and exhibitors seemed more optimistic. Conversations shifted from outlining problems to providing more solutions on how to improve transparency and trust throughout the digital marketing and publishing chain. Ads.txt implementation across the landscape and rapid adop
  
  Read more

• How to grow a niche audience using video content: OnTheTools.tv founder reveals his secrets

  25-09-2018 17:33
  At the recent Benchmark 2018 conference, Lee Wilcox, co-founder and chief executive officer of On The Tools, a rapidly-growing online community for the construction professionals, took to the Benchmark stage to explain how video has helped him take his company from a bedroom business to a leading industry brand.
  Detailing the brand that he and his longtime friend Adam dreamed-up while enjoying a number of drinks, Wilcox took the Benchmark audience through the initial audience building exercise f
  
  Read more

• Durable Goods director announces kid-designed clothing line with eclectic video

  25-09-2018 17:30
  Sue-Ling Braun doesn’t pick out clothing for her four-year-old son Akira; he does that himself – from his own clothing line.
  Braun, a director at Durable Goods, announced the launch of the ‘Akira’ childrenswear line from ethical clothing company Everybody.World with an adorably whimsical and stylized video (see above). The unisex line, meant for ages two to six, features “treasure pockets” for kids to easily hoard their stash of goodies.
  “The collection
  
  Read more

• Pinterest opens shop in Toronto to stick into $11.52bn Canadian market

  25-09-2018 17:26
  Pinterest has announced the opening of its first office in Canada, located in downtown Toronto.
  The expansion has been made for the social platform to serve the thousands of local advertisers in the country, and to tap into a market said to spend $11.52bn in national advertising in 2018. According to Comscore, 12 million people use the platform, and have saved over 4.5 million ideas on Pinterest in Canada each day.
  In a blog post, Pinterest said that 80% of signups come from outside of the Unite
  
  Read more

• Kia Motors bolsters sports portfolio with Uefa Europa League partnership

  25-09-2018 16:50
  Kia Motors has been named as an official partner for the Uefa Europa League for the next three-years.
  As part of the partnership, Kia will introduce a series of new programs and initiatives like its ‘official match ball carrier’ youth program to increases the awareness of its brand and engage with fans worldwide.
  The car brand will also operate on- and off-line ticket promotions for local football fans in each country. The carmaker will collaborate with Uefa in carrying out the first
  
  Read more

• Forget burgers, Ihop is all about pumpkin beer and pancakes this fall

  25-09-2018 16:29
  Fall is all about pumpkin spice at just about every restaurant and coffee shop, and Ihop is no exception. The pancake chain has essentially gone away from its Ihob burger promo and is now promoting a beer to accompany its Pumpkin Pancakes.
  Ihop has joined forces with Keegan Ales to dream up a pancake beer called, well, Ihops, in honor of one of beer’s main ingredients. The limited edition brew – a pumpkin pancake stout – is said to combine pancakes, pumpkins, maple syrup and ot
  
  Read more

• HAT commits ad industry history to film

  25-09-2018 16:25
  Series will be available to view free of charge on HAT's website over the course of this year.
  
  Read more

• Influencers: Have we reached a tipping point?

  25-09-2018 16:20
  Influencer marketing has been having a moment recently, however scepticism over follower authenticity and success measurability are some of the issues surrounding the marketing strategy. A new report produced by The Drum in partnership with influencer marketing platform Buzzoole looks at the current state of influencer marketing in the US and the UK, and aims to uncover the latest marketing trends in the sector as well as detailing the obstacles and investment opportunities available for markete
  
  Read more

• For and against: Weight Watchers' rebrand to WW to focus on 'wellness'

  25-09-2018 16:00
  Weight Watchers announced this week it would rebrand to WW, ditching its 'diet' image to capitalise on the wellness trend. But is it a savvy refresh or a lightweight move for the 55-year-old advertiser? Two industry execs offer their differing takes on the wholesale shift in strategy.
  "WW has demonstrated that it’s playing the long game"
  The case for: by Maria Vardy, managing director at Jaywing
  This rebrand is a great example of a brand taking bold action to keep up with th
  
  Read more

• Protein World and Amazon collared over weight loss claims

  25-09-2018 15:57
  Advertising watchdog rules that the companies failed to provide evidence to support the claims of products sold on their websites.
  
  Read more

• Sublime: Is our fear of the evolution of technology justified?

  25-09-2018 15:54
  As technology develops, we’re becoming increasingly threatened by its impact on human creativity. The Drum’s Creativity + Technology: The Formula to Inspire the Future report, produced in partnership with Sublime, suggests that technology can enable the creative process but first, we must redefine what this looks like in today’s digital age. 
  Many campaigns have questioned the intelligence of machines, with some even successfully proving their ability to outsmart
  
  Read more

• People on the move: TSB, JWT, Lucozade, Saatchi & Saatchi and more

  25-09-2018 15:40
  This week has seen another wave of appointments and departures at brands, media owners and agencies. The Drum has rounded up the key moves from the EMEA, APAC and North America regions below.
   
  Loading...
  Saatchi & Saatchi
  Saatchi & Saatchi has named former 72andSunny New York executive creative director Guillermo Vega as its new chief creative officer (CCO) in London.
  Vega will report to chief executive Magnus Djaba and global chief creative officer Kate Stanners when he joins
  
  Read more

• The skills CMOs must invest in today to ensure they stay at the top

  25-09-2018 15:17
  Marketers must continually invest in learning to ensure they have the skills they need to remain at the top of their game and inspire those they manage, particularly as the marketing landscape evolves. Training should not be something marketers stop doing the further up the ladder they climb.
  That’s the view of Unilever’s chief marketing and communications officer Keith Weed, who says marketing leaders often get distracted by day-to-day business tasks and forget the import
  
  Read more

• Clear Channel Outdoor on How Location Data Helps Brands with OOH

  25-09-2018 15:14
  As out-of-home becomes integrated and indeed, a measurable part of the marketing mix, it will be technology that will define the sector.  To help bring data into the physical world, Clear Channel introduced RADAR, a suite of solutions that helps brands understand consumers’ real-world travel patterns and behaviors as they go about their day.
  “I think most marketers understand that out of home works,” says Dan Levi, chief marketing officer at Clear Channel Outdoor Americas.
  
  Read more

• Pitch Update: Macmillan, GSK, Open University, Avis

  25-09-2018 15:13
  Macmillan Cancer Support has a direct marketing brief out, while Avis has picked Collective London as its EMEA and APAC creative agency.
  
  Read more

• Next cuts print and TV ad spend after seeing ‘impressive’ results from digital

  25-09-2018 15:08
  Next is planning to more than double its digital marketing budget in 2019 – funded by a dramatic reduction in investment above-the-line media and catalogue production.
  Speaking at a press briefing this morning (25 September), chief executive Simon Wolfson told Marketing Week that print, TV and direct mail “definitely” no longer deliver the level of ROI they once did, while digital is generating “impressive” returns.
  That means Next is looking to increase its digita
  
  Read more

• Omega set for expansion drive following marketing and digital agency appointments

  25-09-2018 15:01
  Omega, the kitchen manufacturer, has released a new online presence having begun expansion plans, with digital at the forefront.
  Having sourced Cogent as the brand and marketing lead and Engage Interactive to handle the digital remit through The Drum Recommends, the brand sought to revamp it digital portfolio, beginning with its website. As a result, Omega aims to develop the platform further having made the initial investment to improve its functionality.
  Andrew North, Omega Group’s sales
  
  Read more

• Sir Richard Branson is excited to work with Aviation Gin but Ryan Reynolds has bigger plans

  25-09-2018 15:00
  Virgin Atlantic has inked a new partnership with Ryan Reynold's Aviation American Gin that will see the drink served on-board the airlines flights, but if the new ad is anything to go by the duo have different interpretations of the deal. 
  The tongue-in-cheek ad to promote the collaboration sees the pair sitting alongside each other.
  Talking business with a tycoon like Branson is a prospect that would daunt even the savviest leader, so imagine you're Reynolds, a Hollywood actor and relative
  
  Read more

• Ayima Group acquires digital analytics agency LeapThree

  25-09-2018 14:48
  Digital marketing agency, Ayima has announced the acquisition of digital analytics consultancy LeapThree as it aims to grow the business.
  The acquisition will see LeapThree - a specialist in the provision of web analytics, data analysis, conversion optimisation and strategy planning - provide new opportunities to Ayima’s existing blue chip client base, along with developing new software-as-a-service products
  LeapThree’s founders Peter O’Neill and and Michael Feiner will join Ay
  
  Read more

• Diageo's head of global media partnerships to chair The Drum Social Purpose Awards

  25-09-2018 14:33
  Diageo's head of global media partnerships, Jerry Daykin, is to chair The Drum Social Purpose Awards.
  Formerly the Marketing Can Change the World awards, The Social Purpose Awards will celebrate those driving forward socially responsible marketing, brand purpose and a truer representation of society today across the media.
  Daykin was appointed to lead and strengthen Diageo’s relationships with a range of key global media partners, joining their global digital center of excellence
  
  Read more

• Mother and VCCP clean up at Marketing New Thinking Awards

  25-09-2018 12:30
  Agencies took home one Grand Prix each, with winning campaigns including KFC, Ikea, Amnesty International and Domino's.
  
  Read more

• Marketoonist on the 360-degree customer view

  25-09-2018 11:30
  Tom Fishburne is founder of Marketoon Studios. Follow his work at marketoonist.com or on Twitter @tomfishburne
  See more of the Marketoonist here
  The post Marketoonist on the 360-degree customer view appeared first on Marketing Week.
  
  Read more

• Snapchat's visual search tool now lets people find and buy products on Amazon

  25-09-2018 11:15
  Snap has launched a visual search collaboration with Amazon that makes it easier for people to search for products in Snapchat, then buy them from the e-commerce giant. 
  Using Snapchat's existing visual search tool, people can now use the app to point their camera at physical product or barcode to then be redirected to an Amazon pop-up card for that product or something similar.
  The service is in testing and will be made available only to a small percentage of Snapchat users in the US initi
  
  Read more

• Ogilvy UK handed oversight of Mobo Awards brand positioning

  25-09-2018 11:00
  The Mobo Awards are looking to the future having appointed Ogilvy UK to rethink the development, strategy and positioning of the brand ahead of its 2019 showcase.
  Established in 1996 to celebrate music of Black Origin the awards have since grown to become obe of Europe’s largest award ceremonies, recognising talent in genres such as Hip Hop, Grime, RnB/Soul, Reggae, Jazz, Gospel and African Music.
  Kanya King, CEO of the MOBO Organisation, said: “The evolution of the MOBO Awards is al
  
  Read more

• Movers and Shakers: Saatchi & Saatchi, Y&R London, Pablo, VCCP, Initiative and more

  25-09-2018 10:47
  Welcome to Campaign's weekly round-up of the hires, departures and promotions across the industry.
  
  Read more

• Google at 20: the thoughts of the media and marketing industry on the tech giant

  25-09-2018 10:39
  It’s been two decades since Google was formed by graduates Larry Page and Sergey Brin, beginning a path to world domination of the search engine sector and creating an advertising behemoth along the way. The world has changed significantly with the ability ‘to google’, and rivalry from the likes of Microsoft and Yahoo has only spurred its global growth on.
   
  The Drum spoke to a number of marketing chiefs to get their views on just how Google has grown and flourished during
  
  Read more

• Instagram co-founders to exit the company

  25-09-2018 10:29
  Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger are set to leave the company in a bid to rediscover their creativity. 
  The duo has already resigned from their posts as chief executive and chief technology officer respectively, and posted a statement explaining their decision on the company website. 
  The statement by Systrom, read: "Mike and I are grateful for the last eight years at Instagram and six years with the Facebook team. We’ve grown fro
  
  Read more

• Ryan Reynolds and Sir Richard Branson team up to promote gin

  25-09-2018 10:19
  Tie-up means Virgin flights have exclusive rights to serve Reynolds' gin brand on board.
  
  Read more

• The&Partnership and TalkTalk partner with Bauer to alleviate ‘Netflix syndrome’

  25-09-2018 10:17
  The&Partnership and TalkTalk have formed a four-month partnership with Bauer Media to create a cross-platform campaign targeted at time poor, TV hungry audiences.
  Designed specifically to address the very first-world problem of ‘Netflix syndrome’ – where audiences are overwhelmed by an abundance of programming – the tie-up seeks to deliver reliable recommendations to ease the decision-making process.
  Readers of TV Choice, TV Guide and the newly launched Pilot wil
  
  Read more

• You & Mr Jones bolsters artificial intelligence investments

  25-09-2018 10:15
  You & Mr Jones has continued to focus on artificial intelligence (AI) technology by announcing $4m investment in AI Foundation and also into the internet of things company, Evrythng.
  The AI Foundation is currently developing foundational technology, products and experiences which will aim to reshape business and marketing as brands grow their interests and use of AI to bolster their marketing efforts and customer insights. 
  The investment in Evrythng follows  investment i
  
  Read more

• Wunderman buys majority stake in martech company Emark

  25-09-2018 10:13
  Emark's headquarters are in the Netherlands but it also has offices in London, Barcelona and Poland.
  
  Read more

• Schweppes to take over London Eye for Cocktail Week

  25-09-2018 10:04
  Coca-Cola brand plans to turn the Eye yellow and run cocktail masterclasses in the pods.
  
  Read more

• Stand Up To Cancer unites gamers on a new battleground in fight for research

  25-09-2018 09:47
  Activity by Anomaly features characters from well-known games.
  
  Read more

• Barb tackles TV fragmentation by capturing tablet, PC and smartphone audiences

  25-09-2018 09:47
  The Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (Barb) has undertaken a major overhaul of its ratings system by taking into account multi-screen viewers across all TV, tablet, PC and smartphone mediums for the first time.
  Acknowledging the era of distraction we now live in, Barb will launch a four-screen viewing dashboard from Tuesday (25 September), from which users may view the top 15 programmes of the week arranged by average programme audiences, arranged by either broadcaster or individual c
  
  Read more

• TalkTalk embarks on four-month partnership with Bauer Media

  25-09-2018 09:37
  Activity includes a YouTube show with Heat magazine.
  
  Read more

• LinkedIn’s tips for creating more meaningful thought leadership pieces

  25-09-2018 09:20
  Content marketing is having a moment, with many marketers and brands using various platforms to keep their presence alive online. It’s no surprise then that LinkedIn, the professional social network, is filled with thought leadership and content pieces. What may come as a shock is how few pieces actually stand out or have something of worth to say, lost in the ether of cyber space.
  Speaking at The Drum's Pitch Perfect conference, KL Daly, content partner manager, EMEA at LinkedIn stresses
  
  Read more

• Sony stages Channel 4 takeover for Venom push

  25-09-2018 09:17
  Channel 4 has partnered with Sony Pictures and Manning Gottlieb OMD to mark the cinematic debut of Spiderman spin-off Venom, by handing control of the station's continuity breaks. 
  The  "twisted, dark and full of rage" anti-hero, played by Tom Hardy, will take to the small screen to disrupt the channel's voiceover, as they explain what's coming up in the schedule, in a variety of 10 second films
  Chris Braithwaite, agency principal at Manning Gottlieb OMD, explained: “We
  
  Read more

• Snapchat links visual search to Amazon listings

  25-09-2018 09:12
  New function is claimed to recognise barcodes as well as products themselves.
  
  Read more

Follow @marketing_UKnws on Twitter!