Month: June 2019

Could the third time be the charm for CBS and Viacom? The media companies, who split 13 years ago, are once again talking about merging, with CBS planning to make an offer for Viacom in the coming weeks, according to The Wall Street Journal. Both CBS and Viacom declined to comment to Adweek about the…

The U.S. ad market expanded 3.1% in May vs. the same month in 2018, according to the latest data from Standard Media Index. The U.S. Ad Market Tracker, a collaboration of SMI and MediaPost, slid
slightly from April, falling 1.2% on a sequential basis. May nonetheless posted the strongest index of media-buying demand for the month since SMI began tracking it in 2011.

CANNES, France–Authenticity in advertising is paramount to brands right now–consumers are savvier than ever. How brands that deliver that authenticity, however, differs. Diego Scotti, evp and CMO of Verizon, told Adweek in a conversation on Verizon Media Beach at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity that consumer desire for authenticity has led Verizon to…

American ecommerce company eBay has launched a review of its global media planning and buying responsibilities in an attempt to streamline that business, a spokesperson confirmed today. Its goal is to choose a single agency to handle this work around the world. “With eBay’s new markets organization, regional teams are working together more closely than…

At the corner of Christopher and Gay Streets in New York’s Greenwich Village, passersby will see a host of new names for the latter road thanks to Mastercard. For Pride, the brand has tacked on nine more street names in an effort to be more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community. Dubbed “Acceptance Street,” the rainbow…

In 1986, model Kelly LeBrock starred in a Pantene commercial extolling the virtues of the product for her hair. The tagline “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful” became a pop culture catchphrase. Now, it’s getting an update to be more inclusive for 2019. In partnership with GLAAD, the P&G brand and agency Grey New York…

At a press event today at the NBA Store in New York City, Ruffles, the potato chip brand, announced that it’s entered a “Chip Deal” with reportedly the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Davis, “to develop bold new products and transformational fan experiences.” Who knew potato chips could be so filled with…

CANNES, France–A series of five videos for The New York Times’ “The Truth Is Worth It” campaign, created by Droga5, took home the Grand Prix in the Film Craft category at Cannes Lions. The Craft track, which includes Digital and Industry subsets in addition to Film, “focuses on the artistry, skill, talent and flair required…

Every time TV’s annual primetime upfront beckons there always seem to be calls for either abandoning the whole process or reshaping it so that advertisers get a better shake. Clearly, there are many
reasons to retain the upfront system, not the least of which is the ability of major corporate buyers to lock up otherwise perishable commercial positions for all their brands in programs or program
genres of their choosing for every month of the upcoming season. For advertisers who buy time in the upfront, access to what they need, when they need it is key, not only because of the shrinking
availability of GRPs due to continued rating fragmentation, but also in order to merchandise their buys to their distribution set-ups well in advance, showing their sales force, franchises, dealers,
etc., how well the brands are being supported by commercials in big-time network shows.

Google is hoping to increase user engagement with advertisers on YouTube through interactive augmented reality features in videos. This week at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Google is showing off a new AR tool for video creators that adds a layer of interaction–it’s starting with its beauty brands vertical, letting viewers digitally try…