Kevin Smith is supposed to be here today. Three decades after his scruffy feature film debut, Clerks, made him a literal poster child for Generation X slackers, the born-and-bred Jersey boy oversees a vibrant direct-to-consumer business that encompasses merchandise, live events, CBD (cannabidiol) products, comic books, podcasts, vodcasts, and … oh yeah, even the occasional…
Pepsi Chases Delivery Drivers to Claim Its Rightful Place Beside Pizza
While Coca-Cola often touts its flagship soft drink as the perfect complement for various foods, Pepsi wants to take dominance of pizza night. Its method? Chase down pizza delivery drivers. “Pepsi Chase Cars,” created by agency BBDO Worldwide, begins with a pizza delivery driver ringing a doorbell – only to be startled by a man…
FX’s Grotesquerie Marketing Campaign Is Harvesting Fan Screams
FX wants to get fans screaming for the premiere of its latest horror series with a two-part marketing activation. Grotesquerie, a 10-part series from horror maestro Ryan Murphy, centers on a detective (Niecy Nash-Betts) and a nun (Micaela Diamond) who investigate a series of heinous crimes in a small town. It also stars Courtney B….
The Games Planners & Buyers Don’t Play
As editor of trade pubs focused on where advertisers and agencies plan and buy media, I’ve struggled for years to understand why gaming isn’t more of the mix. That’s about to change.
The Godmother of AI Wants Everyone to Be a World Builder
Stanford computer scientist Fei-Fei Li is unveiling a startup that aims to teach AI systems deep knowledge of physical reality. Investors are throwing money at it.
Marketing Morsels: Veggies, Mayo, and Support for Ukraine
-For those who imbibe, coffee is food–and the source of life, let’s be honest–but it’s technically not a fruit or veggie. Vending machine snacks and boardroom lunch menus are also typically devoid of leafy greens and nature’s candy. To bat back against a phenom referred to as “sad beige meals,” a brand called Kencko has…
Francis Ford Coppola Sues Variety, Exec Editors for $15M Over Megalopolis Misconduct Report
Francis Ford Coppola is suing Variety and two of the trade publication’s executive editors for libel over a story published in July alleging that the director behaved inappropriately and unprofessionally on the set of his new film, Megalopolis. (TheWrap) The article at the heart of the suit alleges that the Academy Award winner inappropriately hugged…
First-Run Syndication Rolls On With New Game Show
“Flip Side” is a half-hour, game show in which contestants are challenged to guess answers to questions for which others have been surveyed.
Harvey Weinstein Indicted on New Charges After NY Conviction Overturned
A Manhattan grand jury indicted Harvey Weinstein in connection to new sexual assault allegations, according to prosecutors. (CNN) The new indictment is under seal, prosecutor Nicole Blumberg told Judge Curtis Farber, who set a trial date for Nov. 12. The district attorney’s office did not provide specifics about the new charges. (NBC News) Prosecutors retrying…
In Major Deal, Max and Discovery+ Will Join Charter Video Bundle
The cable bundle is taking another step toward rebuilding itself. Warner Bros. Discovery and Charter Communications said Thursday that the companies inked a multiyear early renewal agreement that will see a tier of Max, including HBO content and Discovery+, be made available to Spectrum TV Select packages without an extra fee for customers. (THR) People…