Month: August 2023

Disney is the latest publisher closing the wonderful world of upfront talks. Today, Disney announced it had crossed the upfront finish line, with commitments across entertainment, streaming, sports and inclusion. Demand was driven by live events; addressable across sports and entertainment, including Hulu and the Disney+ ad tier; and programmatic and measurement offerings. Overall revenue…

From radio and TV to the internet and artificial intelligence, the advertising industry has changed significantly with the rise of each technological advancement. Staying relevant requires advertisers to anticipate these groundbreaking technologies. In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Rishad Tobaccowala, renowned author and former chief strategist at Publicis Groupe, joins Suzy founder…

Oreo maker Mondelez International was among the first global brands to pull ads off X (formerly known as Twitter) last year after Elon Musk acquired the social media site. The company cited hate speech concerns, according to reports by Reuters. However, X’s brand safety tools have brought the company back on the platform since May,…

Google changed the name of one of its video formats to specify that the product does not only include in-stream inventory. The change comes at a time when buyers are questioning whether they can trust the inventory the video giant sells. In-Stream Ads will now be called Skippable Ads, the company wrote in a blog…

Recognizing the value of LGBTQ+ representation must go beyond Pride Month. Do the WeRQ does just that, championing LGBTQ+ creativity in advertising and marketing year-round. Do the WeRQ magnifies the impact of queer creativity and highlights its crucial role in advertising. The platform facilitates meaningful connections, transformative experiences and cultural shifts that bring about real,…

Working with brands as part of my everyday job, I often think about those that have had a lasting impact on my life. Growing up, one of them was Vans. Vans allowed me to embrace the lifestyle that I admired and aspired to as a teenager growing up in Southern California during the 1990s. Whether…

Wonya Lucas, president and CEO of Hallmark Media, will step down from her current role at the end of 2023. The executive joined the company in 2020 during a tumultuous period following the departure of longtime CEO Bill Abbott, who exited due to backlash from Hallmark Channel pulling several ads from wedding planning brand Zola…

Squarespace captured attention earlier this year with a Super Bowl ad starring an army of more Adam Drivers than viewers could count. The Emmy-nominated campaign got even more meta with a behind-the-scenes video in which multiple versions of the actor clashed with each other on set. Now the brand is building on that quirky concept…

The CW is finally winding down upfront talks in its first year under new parent company Nexstar. During a Nexstar earnings call on Tuesday, CEO Perry Sook said the network had a good overall performance in the upfront, with dollar volume being “basically flat” with the prior year and unit rates up mid-single digits. “The…

Brooks Running, a retailer specializing in performance-grade running footwear and clothing, has named Stagwell media agency Assembly its paid media agency of record. Assembly’s new scope includes programmatic, social, direct partnerships, video strategy and execution. It will manage Brooks’ media across North America. Last year, Brooks spent just $7 million on media in North America,…