Key Insight: CVS joins retailers including Target and Walmart in introducing its own in-house media network. Today, CVS Pharmacy is introducing a new advertising platform, CVS Media Exchange, or as it’ll be known for short, cMx. The CVS Media Exchange will cater to CPG brands, and allow them a chance to “efficiently reach existing and…
After the initial shock of lockdown, one of the early trends among alcohol brands was an outpouring of support for bartenders and service industry workers–people who were hit especially hard by the closure of bars and restaurants. But as often happens, that kind of support slowed down as the months dragged on. There are still…
Publicis Groupe has retained U.S. media agency of record duties for Kraft Heinz, following the conclusion of a global media review launched by Kraft Heinz in March. At the time of the review, data consultancy COMvergence estimated Kraft Heinz’s spending at around $520 million, and the majority of the client’s spend is dedicated to the…
In an era in which facial recognition has made it easy for law enforcement and other organizations to search someone’s identity based on their face alone, the question of when it’s appropriate to share identifiable photos of protesters and activists publicly has become a flashpoint on social media. A German startup called Brighter AI is…
As the Covid-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating in the U.S., it is already upending several fall TV mainstays, including college football games (many of which have been postponed until 2021) and the traditional start of the new season (which will be delayed, with most shows still unable to resume production). But at least…
2020 has threatened to undo me. Prior to the pandemic, I was confident in my naturally empathetic leadership approach, managing 10 employees and 10 clients. But I also knew when to stand my ground. Strong and soft. I began repeating this mantra when the business impact of the Covid-19 crisis began to take shape. March…
Welcome to First Things First, Adweek’s daily resource for marketers. We’ll be publishing the content to First Things First on Adweek.com each morning (like this post), but if you prefer that it come straight to your inbox, you can sign up for the email here. Did Ikea Just Make a Huge Translation Error, or a…
When launching its new app in the U.S. in 2018, Burger King and FCB New York created Whopper Detour, which drove people from its main competitor McDonald’s to get a one-cent burger. It was one in a long line of stunts from the brand that come from various agencies. In the United Arab Emirates, Wunderman…
When George Washington was president, he may well have enjoyed a scone baked with King Arthur Flour. A couple hundred years later, and after a decade of discussions, the company finally decided to move forward with a rebrand–dropping “flour” from its name. Most rebranding efforts hope to inspire renewed interest and relevance. That wasn’t King…
Zambezi, the Los Angeles-based full-service agency that has worked with clients including Beats by Dre, TaylorMade and Venmo, hired Norm Brown as design director. In the role, he will be tasked with working across the agency’s client roster while collaborating closely with Gavin Lester, who joined Zambezi as CCO and equity partner in 2017, and…
Key Insights: Big Tech has helped forge industry standards, but not without a struggle. Former outliers such as Google are beginning to yield to industry standards. Politicians around the world are under pressure to lean on digital media, forcing the biggest players in the sector to strive for consensus around data-sharing practices. Some believe U.S….
Ironically, the ads for products we buy to clean up or prevent messes often have a noticeably sanitized quality about them. Some, like Charmin, rely on humor and euphemisms to relay its messaging without getting into the dirty details. Bounty’s ads have long taken place in glaringly white kitchens in the suburbs. Pad and tampon…
Some of the world’s largest brands are spending more on programmatic advertising, just as the practice is set to become much harder. Members of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) are directing 41% of their digital media budgets to programmatic channels, up from 16% in 2016. Exact figures for how much of their budgets those…
Key Insights: Budgets are shifting to electronics and furniture to fortify remote learning environments. Panic buying could return if consumers get spooked about product availability. In simpler times, back-to-school shopping for many American students meant a trip to local stores to pick out supplies like binders, backpacks and clothes. Of course, 2020 is again the…
IPG-owned Kinesso is launching a developer community by making its owned and operated APIs available to third parties, a tactic large tech providers such as Apple and Google have used to bolster the array of services they can offer customers. Launch partners include fellow IPG outfit Acxiom, leading demand-side platform The Trade Desk, and mobile…
When Katie Kern’s boss pulled her aside after a meeting, she told her to stop nodding her head. To her boss, a head nod is always a sign of agreement, but Kern was just acknowledging that she was following along. She grew up in a Black church, and “the nod” is a cultural nuance she…
The famously chill Snoop Dogg doesn’t walk. He saunters. And he doesn’t check his watch. His only appointment is with a beach chair. “Have you ever seen a man in a hurry, while also drinking a Corona?” asks the hip-hop icon as he settles into an ocean-front seat in a tropical paradise. “No, you have…
Welcome to First Things First, Adweek’s daily resource for marketers. We’ll be publishing the content to First Things First on Adweek.com each morning (like this post), but if you prefer that it come straight to your inbox, you can sign up for the email here. The New York Times Tells Over 100 Stories in 2…
After emerging from a nearly yearlong bankruptcy process in January, discount footwear retailer Payless is back. This week, the company announced the relaunch of its brand in the North American market, unveiling its new (and open for business) ecommerce platform and brick-and-mortar concept stores. The footwear purveyor aims to unveil its first location in Miami…
A new AI-powered listening experience from Spotify offers listeners some personalized one-on-one time with The Weeknd. The streaming service rolled out a microsite this week that features a slightly distorted digital avatar of the R&B star, who addresses listeners by name and comments on their listening habits. The appearance and voice of the digital clone…
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