With autonomous cars on their way to becoming a widespread reality, companies are starting to think about how they can monetize the extra time and space that a robot in the driver’s seat allows passengers. Intel and Warner Brothers proposed a vision for what that media-transportation fusion might look like at this year’s Consumer Electronics…
There is no consensus on what the classic American snack happens to be. Potato chips, beef jerky, pretzels–all are contenders. But this much is certain: If you’re going to make a list of classic American snacks, then trail mix should definitely be on it. A blend of nuts, dried fruit and (usually) pieces of chocolate,…
Clinique launched its signature product, Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, way back in 1968, and it’s been one of the brand’s biggest sellers ever since. A version of it–there’s also a Dramatically Different gel for those with oilier skin and a jelly, which claims to help protect skin against pollution–is purchased somewhere in the world every…
Sears chairman Eddie Lampert’s investment firm upped its bid for Sears Holdings to nearly $5.1 billion, and the retailer will live to see at least Sunday. According to a regulatory filing, as of Jan. 10, Sears stockholders are Lampert, as well as a slew of organizations that list him as CEO: ESL Partners LP, JPP…
Today, global “brandtech” network You & Mr Jones announced perhaps the largest in an ongoing series of acquisitions across the marketing space since its 2015 launch with the purchase of a majority stake in U.K.-based Inside Ideas Group. The company is best known for its Oliver division, which specializes in helping brands develop their own…
Qualcomm is offering a glimpse at how the next generation of wireless service could lay the groundwork for a self-driving future. Today, at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, the telecom chipmaker partnered with Ford, Audi and Ducati to outfit a sample route through downtown Las Vegas with 5G network equipment that connects cell-connected cars and…
Sexual wellness company Dame Products, which sells sex toys, is challenging the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Outfront Media after the organizations rejected the brand’s first subway campaign for being too sexual, and for displaying sex toys. Dame Products co-founder and CEO Alexandra Fine said the brand first reached out to the MTA and Outfront…
There’s no one way to describe Adrian Parker. As the vp of marketing for Patr?n Tequila and Grey Goose Vodka, he leads the brand and digital experience for both liquor brands by day and makes music videos with his family by night. His high energy and creative spirit are contagious and have contributed to making…
Trader Joe’s–the grocery store chain known for private labels, Hawaiian shirts, maritime bells and Two Buck Chuck–was once again the top retailer in consumer data company Dunnhumby’s annual survey of America’s favorite grocery stores. Dunnhumby asked 7,000 U.S. households about price, quality, digital, operations, convenience, discounts/rewards and speed to determine which of the country’s largest…
For the most part, there is a perception about influencers. On one hand, they can be considered a valuable marketing channel–essentially word of mouth on digital platforms. On the other, there is all manner of potential pitfalls in the still-emerging space ranging from bots and fake followers to flat-out fraud, not to mention the ridicule…
HTC wants to make sure virtual reality fans–or especially would-be fans–know that Oculus isn’t the only one coming out with a consumer-friendly headset sometime soon. On Monday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the company unveiled a number of new hardware and software products including the HTC Vive Cosmos, a VR headset that…
Subscription services still seem to be all the rage, but the latest brand to hop on the trend might surprise you. Arby’s is officially in the subscription game. The brand announced today, via Twitter, that it plans to roll out the Arby’s of the Month subscription plan for sandwich lovers across the country. “‘Arby’s of…
Just when it seemed like Sears was finally going to be put out of its misery, a judge in U.S. bankruptcy court has reportedly given chairman Eddie Lampert’s firm ESL Investments one more day to revise its $4.4 billion bid for what’s left of the long-suffering retailer. Sears agreed to consider a revised bid from…
After 50 years, Mastercard’s logo is shedding its dedication and identity tied to plastic. The company announced today a plan to gradually roll out a rebrand that does not include the word “Mastercard,” leaving only a Venn diagram of red, yellow and orange circles that it hopes will put it in a nameless category along…
A star was born at the Golden Globes–but it wasn’t Lady Gaga. Instead, it was Kelleth Cuthbert, a model who spent the Golden Globes red carpet portion of the evening holding a tray of Fiji Water bottles. Given Cuthbert’s prime position on the carpet, just behind the parade of stars posing for photos, she was…
Spotify is testing a new way for brands to be discovered weekly. Today, the company announced a beta test of a new ad format for its weekly personalized playlist (aptly titled Discover Weekly), inserting audio and video ads during ad breaks between songs on the free version of the service. “Personalization has quickly gone from…
Over its 94 years of flying around the United States, the Goodyear Blimp has arguably contributed as much to keeping football in Americans’ hearts as radio and television broadcasting. The company estimates its blimps have covered in excess of 2,000 football games to date, from long-forgotten collegiate romps all the way to the Super Bowl….
Welcome to 2019 and our first issue of the year, appropriately focused on the Consumer Electronics Show, which is where many brand marketers, media execs and creatives will start their year, looking through the prism of technology–tactically and strategically. What tools and capabilities do I need to get to where I want to be in…
Brands try every available marketing tool to meet customer acquisition costs, and in the fancy digital age, some companies are bringing back some old-school tactics, like package ad inserts. UnDigital, a package insert advertising marketplace, is tapping into marketers’ concerns over some of the unsavory areas of digital, and helping both retailers and advertisers meet…
The NFL is ringing in the new year with two groundbreaking partnerships. On Thursday, the organization announced its first casino sponsor, Caesars Entertainment, and on Friday, it named Intuit TurboTax Live as the debut presenting sponsor of both the AFC and the NFC Championship games. The Caesars partnership will debut with the 2019 playoff season,…
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