If 2020 has brought an unprecedented reckoning around racial injustice in America, sports might be among the most impacted industries, a testing ground for just how far corporate brands can move into political discourse. NBA playoff games get canceled when players go on strike. A reckoning on Native American slurs forces the Washington Redskins to…
Seven months into the novel coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., ad buyers are still entering the market with uncertainty. Spending on traditional offline media is expected to be slashed by almost a third, although this could be offset by the continued rise in digital media investment by advertisers. Only 9% of ad buyers have clearly…
Death sucks. But, when the time comes, being in control of your own end-of-life care can make the process smoother–as Danny DeVito and Michael Douglas promote in a charming new ad. The spot for POLST–Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment–was directed by Gerry Graf, founder of now-closed creative agency Barton F. Graf, via production company m…
Google is playing a waiting game this summer. For months, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based tech giant has been anticipating dueling lawsuits–one from the U.S. Department of Justice, and one from a coalition of states led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton–over potential antitrust violations. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and parent company Alphabet, has already…
During Adweek’s Breaking the Mold: Creating Long-Term Success for Independent Agencies Live Virtual Summit today, Adweek senior editor, agencies, Doug Zanger, and agencies reporter Minda Smiley posed questions to three thought leaders about the pressing issues facing independent agencies today. Erin Allsman, executive vice president and managing director of Brownstein Group; Julie Dub?, partner and…
As the United States heads into a presidential election at a time when it’s harder than ever to root out fake news online, Microsoft is releasing a new tool aimed at better detecting AI-generated deepfakes. The software, which is the product of a partnership between the tech giant and the hybrid nonprofit-commercial enterprise AI Foundation,…
Following the police killings and shootings of Black Americans including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and, most recently, Jacob Blake, talent and executives from streamer Urban Movie Channel (UMC) are sharing stories of their first encounters with law enforcement to raise awareness about police brutality. In a haunting six-minute PSA, stars of the AMC…
To address a nationwide poll worker shortage and encourage employees to vote, Old Navy announced today that it will pay its employees to work at the polls on Election Day and give workers up to three hours of paid time off on Nov. 3 to cast their ballots. It’s part of a broader initiative by…
The airline industry’s myriad fees have been a bone of contention with travelers for years, and the change fee–which charges fliers as much as $200 to take a different flight after purchasing a ticket–is one of the most hated. But this week, within a few hours of one another led by United Airlines, almost every…
Back in 1894, when Labor Day was a new idea, this federal holiday centered on parades to salute “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the country, according to the Department of Labor. But times have changed. The 35% of Americans who belonged to unions in 1950–the height of…
When you grow up the children of a dentist, with oral care a common topic at the dinner table, there’s a good chance you’ll go into the family business. But for Cody and Julian Levine, that didn’t mean dental school. Instead, the brothers founded Twice, a toothpaste brand that is taking on the giants of…
InfoSum has raised $15.1 million in a funding round led by Upfront Ventures and IA Ventures as the VC outfits attempt to capitalize on shifting privacy requirements in the marketing industry. Also participating in the round were Ascential, the owner of MediaLink and organizer of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity; Akami; AT&T’s Xandr; Experian…
Isobar U.S. CEO Deb Boyda will step down from her current role and leave the broader Dentsu Aegis Network holding company in March 2021 to pursue consultation and board work and spend more time with her family. “Deb has been a strong leader for Isobar, stabilizing the business and beginning the transformation necessary to rebalance…
While the face mask is undoubtedly the most in-demand accessory of 2020, another item has bubbled up to the top of the collective consumer consciousness: the nap dress. The garment has taken social media by storm this summer, with data from Google Trends showing interest in the term increasing 20-fold since January. It’s not a…
Automotive styling has been known to creep into the fashion realm from time to time. Porsche will happily sell you some aviator sunglasses. Like the looks of a Ferrari? Its gabardine chinos are currently on sale for $98. Mercedes-Benz’s fashion collection even features a fanny pack (sorry, a “hip pack.”) But for a limited time,…
Fans frequently tuning into sports, both professional and amateur, are more likely to support the Black Lives Matter movement and support the overall fight for social justice. Sports and politics have always been intertwined in America, from the controversy over desegregating baseball to female athletes’ fight for equal pay. And a survey released by sports…
If we were in a business meeting and someone said something was “future-proof,” I’d reach for my banned words money jar and fine them $20. “Future-proof” is on my banned words list because it conveys the idea that there is a state of being or condition that will automatically adapt to the future. That’s just…
The leveraged loan default rate for retail continues to soar, reaching 18.9% in August from 17.5% at the end of July following the bankruptcy of apparel retailer Tailored Brands, the parent of Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank, according to credit rating agency Fitch. The figure continues to hit new historic highs not even seen…
At the height of the 2008 economic recession, American Airlines became the first major carrier to charge for a checked bag. More than a decade later, travelers now almost expect to be nickel and dimed for everything short of using the lavatory (though Ryanair floated that idea in 2010). But now, in the midst of…
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. Meet the 3 Women Who Founded Black Lives Matter–and Started…
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