Rick Fox is the definition of Hollywood. The former Lakers stalwart and three-time NBA titlist has made an off-court killing using his made-for-TV looks to act, model, dance and serve as a basketball analyst. Now, the 13-year basketball pro is running a fast break into eSports with the reported $1 million purchase of Gravity Gaming.
“As a professional athlete, businessman and proud member of the gaming community, I see the way that the eSports world is growing and I know we are on the verge of something massive,” Fox said in a statement. “The opportunity to parlay my experience in sports, entertainment and gaming into a leadership role with Echo Fox is exciting and humbling. This decision is equal parts business and personal for me.”
Gravity Gaming will be rebranded to Echo Fox in the next “League of Legends” competition.
“The desire, focus, dedication and work ethic that I have seen from athletes in the eSports space reminds me of the competition I felt as I pursued a career in basketball,” Fox added. “My passion was supported and embraced by society and, as owner of Echo Fox, I plan to be an advocate for our athletes in the same way.”
The news might take Fox’s casual fans by surprise, but it’s a natural move for him since he’s been championing eSports for a long time. His son, a sophomore in college, is a professional video gamer who’s educated and enlightened his father of the legitimacy behind eSports. Last year, Fox appeared on The View and declared pro gamers as professional digital athletes.
Fox is also a partner at Twin Galaxies, the official video game world-record and player-ranking authority; he’s donated his three championship rings to the fundraiser #Right2Game, which supports professional gaming; and earlier this month, he used his platform on NBA TV to ask Jazz forward and avid gamer Gordon Hayward about TSM’s acquisition of Doublelift.
Getting public figures like Fox not to mention world class athletes to empower the estimated 200 million eSports players in the world is a sizable leap in legitimizing an industry that s expected to grow overall revenue from around $300 million this year to $1 billion by 2018.
To draw a quick parallel, 19.9 million watched the 2015 NBA Finals, compared to the more than 27 million people who watched the 2014 League of Legends World Championship. The staggering statistics should have marketers foaming at the lips.
Fox is an athlete with a Swiss-army knife-like résumé off the hardwood floor. With the news of him now courting his own team, eSports just took another quick step forward real quick.
Given the massive population, opportunities arising after the Chinese Console Ban was lifted, and a reported $22.2 billion in revenue this year from video games (especially mobile), it’s no wonder Western publishers want to expand into China and other Asian countries. However, Asian companies have been executing their own plans for expansion.
Niccolo de Masi, President of Glu Mobile (Kim Kardashian: Hollywood;Â Katy Perry Pop)Â and others have predicted that a great consolidation will hit the mobile gaming industry. Afterwards, mobile gaming will be dominated by a handful of huge companies at the top, making it even more difficult for small companies to get ahead, save by being acquired by larger ones.
Additionally, de Masi tells [a]listdaily that Chinese and Korean companies with “big domestic markets and low cost bases” compared to Western companies will be “figuring out international markets… A lot of buyers, partnerships and ventures will be from Eastern companies looking to bring their titles and expertise to the West.”
Glu should be no stranger to this form of expansion, as its major investor is the Hong Kong-based Tencent Holdings. Tencent, which recently purchased full control of League of Legends developer Riot Games, in addition to investing $128 million in Glu, is looking to bring its biggest mobile shooter, We Fire, to a Western audience. However, de Masi explains that We Fire‘s gameplay and social mechanics will be combined with a Western IP, most likely Frontline Commando, to appeal to a global audience and become the shooter that sets a new bar for lifetime revenue.
In most instances, bringing an IP from one region to another doesn’t work out. A Western shooter brand won’t be very popular in China, and a Chinese brand has a low chance of success in the West. That’s why, in the case of We Fire, Glu won’t be bringing the brand over – just the game engine. In this partnership, both Tencent and Glu will be working together and playing on each others’ strengths. “A Western consumer will not know that this is We Fire. They will know it as Frontline Commando or Contract Killer.”
Simon Hade, Co-Founder and COO of Space Ape (Rival Kingdoms; Samurai Siege) , see Chinese companies falling into three categories “Publish – bring Western content to China; Partner – acquire or invest in a company that will win in the West; and Beach head – establish presence in the West,” noting how Tencent has been making big moves in the West with its numerous acquisitions and investments.
Hade also tells [a]listdaily, “Mobile game companies cannot just localize language and launch their game in the West successfully. While features like Gacha [collectible characters] are becoming more widely adopted in the West, games from Asia generally do not directly translate. In order to successfully bring a game to the West, you must invest resources, which takes time and money. The companies and games that invest well will have a better chance to create a top 20 game.”
“We’re seeing more and more Chinese game mechanics translating to the West,” adds Hade. “It’s still the case that China, Korea and Japan are each very different markets and a lot of the charts are dominated by local players addressing local tastes. However, it’s feeling more and more like the concepts that work in China are easier to adapt for the West (e.g. Game of War). One big difference is around the pace of content. Chinese players consume content very quickly, and your monetisation needs to reflect that behavior in order to make a game viable.”
While Hade’s thoughts closely matches with de Masi’s, their opinions differ in regards to the rate Asian games will break through into global markets. de Masi tells [a]listdaily that he expects global expansion from Asia to go “slowly,” since “you’re not going to see a lot of the partnerships be successful.”
Hade, on the other hand, states “Asian game companies have already begun to expand quickly, and it’s likely we’ll see at least one Chinese game and one Chinese developer break into the top 20 in the West in 2016. While Chinese investment in Western game companies will continue to rise quickly next year, it’s unlikely we’ll see much expansion from Japanese or Korean companies in that time.”
However, Tencent’s aggressive moves may lead to other impacts in the coming years. Newzoo‘s Peter Warman, in discussing Tencent’s buyout of Riot Games, notes that through various investments in companies like Activision Blizzard (which recently acquired Candy Crush Saga developer, King), the company “(partially) controls about a third of the revenues generated by the top 10 global companies by game revenues. The only other true publisher left in the top 5 is EA.”
This kind of reach could prompt, Netease, Tencent’s chief rival in China, to become more aggressive with its own investments, which this year has included a $2.5 million investment in Reforged Studios. Warman concludes by saying, “I would not be surprised if Netease makes an effort to acquire EA before the power of Tencent in the Western market is behind their horizon.”
Using metrics that measured throughout every aspect of the consumer’s “journey” with a product on YouTube – from consideration to favorability to purchase intent – a new report from Think With Google indicates that consumers are generally positive throughout. The report also compares how YouTube ads fare over traditional TV ads.
Back in April, Think With Google reported that 65 percent of Google Preferred ads via YouTube saw much more effectiveness in brand awareness, with an average increase by 17 percent. However, for end-of-year studying, the company broke down the many steps involved with the success of online video advertising. Google TrueView numbers were measured, between both people initially exposed to an ad and those who watch for more than 30 seconds. Across various categories, including change in consideration and favorability, the numbers showed increase, all within a single exposure.
Think With Google also measured the effect of the “skippable” ad format, giving users the choice to either view the ad or move on. Creative choices can result in longer watch time for ads. “For instance, if you choose to show your brand in the first five seconds, the placement of the logo in the video ad matters: viewers respond better to a logo attached to a product versus a logo floating freely,” the report notes. “People are also less likely to ‘skip’ funny ads or those that feature celebrities. Creating less ‘skippable’ advertising by optimizing for longer views – better watch time – will get you better lifts in metrics throughout the consumer journey.”
From there, the report shifts to discussing how shifting TV dollars to digital impacts a return on ad spending. MarketShare provided some interesting numbers on this, where media mix modeling (or MMM) comes into play.
“At average spend levels, $1 spent on TrueView in the action movie category generated 7X the box office revenue of $1 spent on TV,” reads the report. It ties in with increased revenue, with a 20 percent shift of ad budget from TV to YouTube showing potential increased marketing driven revenue by 25 percent.
MMM could actually be the key to driving up revenue through online videos, particularly with a focus on the consumer. “As brands work to match their media decisions to consumer media decisions, they’ll increasingly meet people in the moments that matter – and move the metrics that matter.”
“TV Everywhere” has enabled consumers to take their favorite shows with them as they opt to view on mobile, websites or smart TV apps. A new report from market research organization GfK delves into the growth of the technology since 2012. GfK cites that overall, 42 percent in pay-TV households have used TVE-based offerings in one form of another. By comparison, 46 percent have used some extent of TV network based services to watch their favorite programming.
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While only 25 percent of overall consumers in the age 13 to 64 bracket have heard of the expression “TV Everywhere,” they’ve certainly been using it. As Gen Y opts to take their entertainment to go, mobile has been the driving factor in TVE’s success, with usage doubling on mobile apps and websites since 2012. While TVE has been successful for pay TV providers, there is room to grow. Consumers could understand what TVE services are available to them to start.
“Consumer education continues to be a critical missing piece of the puzzle for TV Everywhere,” said David Tice, senior vice president in Media and Entertainment for GfK. “With a notable proportion of people in pay TV homes already using TVE, greater awareness and understanding of the services could drive even higher adoption. Greater success of TV Everywhere could help pay TV services stave off becoming ‘dumb’ broadband pipes, and also assist TV networks in maintaining their status as the original aggregators of high quality video content.”
This will be key for wider adoption of TVE viewing among cord-cutters and “cord-nevers,” with young people flocking to TVE services in higher numbers.
A turning point could be looming in 2016. IPTV News indicates that 23 percent of authentications with TVE are happening with connected TV devices, with a majority (13 percent) being from Apple, followed by Roku (7 percent). With overall consumption growing a staggering 102 percent year-over-year, it’s going to become even more popular as consumers purchase new smart TV’s. That’s a great incentive for pay TV networks and providers to get the word out and good news for marketers who want more options to target consumers where ad completion is high. TV Everywhere ad views jumped 591 percent last year alone.
Back in September at Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit, Ted Zagat, head of ad product at Facebook, foretold a future in which the platform would be making a huge shift in emphasizing a particular type of content. “A year or two from now, we think Facebook will be mostly video, said Zagat. Since then, Facebook has rolled out some major changes, from an immersive video player to 360-degree video. Now, livestreaming video on the platform isn’t just for public figures anymore.
“With Live, sports teams, media companies, brands, and other verified Pages can make announcements, share breaking news updates, take fans behind the scenes, host Q&As, and more,” says the post.
“During your broadcast, you ll see the number of viewers, the names of other verified people or Pages who are tuning in, and a real-time stream of comments. When you end your broadcast, it will be published on your Timeline so that fans who missed it can watch the video at a later time, although you have the option to remove it just like any other post.”
Since the launch of ‘Live’ in August, Facebook says that thousands of public figures from athletes to politicians have engaged their fans with realtime video on the platform and has been “excited to see all the ways Live has been used so far.”
BROADCASTING LIVE: MLB on FOX & NFL on FOX broadcaster Kevin Burkhardt is here watching Game 5 with you & ready to answer your questions!
Consumers are using smartphones and tablets for entertainment and communication now more than ever.Â
Nielsen broke down the usage numbers for 2015, explaining how “digital was at the forefront of consumers’ (and marketers’) minds this year.” It looked at particular trends with the format, mainly with the popularity of smartphones.
First up, the company analyzed the top smartphone apps of 2015. Facebook had no trouble being the clear leader, with over 126,000,000 million users this year. That indicates an eight percent overall growth from last year. In addition, YouTube, Facebook Messenger and Google Search also did very well, coming in with over 90 million apiece and seeing increases. (Facebook Messenger saw the highest, with a 31 percent boost over last year’s numbers.)
In addition, the Nielsen report indicates that the smartphone has seen increased penetration for 2015, up to 80 percent for U.S. mobile subscribers by the end of September 2015. That’s a push of two percent from the 78 percent reported previously in the year.
The study also reveals the number smartphone owners running Android (53 percent) and iOS (43 percent). Meanwhile, in the lower digits, only three percent of consumers us a Microsoft Windows phone, while Blackberry registered even lower, by 0.7 percent.Â
There have been a lot of convenient options when it comes to Netflix’s streaming service, but thanks to the introduction of some new footwear from the company, the convenience just went a little bit further.
The streaming channel has partnered up with Pittsburgh-agency Deeplocal to introduce an innovative idea that works with its service in the form of a pair of socks, according to AdWeek. Not only are they sure to be comfortable, but they can detect when the viewer falls asleep, and automatically pause whatever program they’re watching.
How these socks work is explained below, as posted on Netflix’s “Make It” website. (Yes, customers have to make the socks.)
We’ve based our sleep detection system on a popular method called actigraphy. An accelerometer detects when you’ve stopped moving for a prolonged period of time and triggers a signal to your TV that pauses Netflix. When it detects that you’ve dozed off, an LED light in the cuff of the sock flashes red, warning that the pause signal is about to be sent to your TV. Any motion will stop it from firing.
The accelerometer is very sensitive to little movements, so it’s good at detecting when you’re just sitting still, raptly watching Netflix, and when you’ve actually fallen asleep.
Full instructions on how to make the socks can be found on its official page. It does require a bit of handiwork, but Netflix explains that “if knitting isn’t your thing, you can always enlist the help of a knitting-savvy friend.” It also advises that “to build the sensor, you’ll need an understanding of electronics and microcontroller programming, and be comfortable around a soldering iron.”
It feels like a bit of a missed opportunity that Netflix isn’t making the socks themselves, but considering the hard work it’s already putting into its programming (like the Marvel show deal, the forthcoming Fuller House series and the forthcoming premiere of its first original movie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny), it’s easily forgivable. 2016 looks to be even better, with the promise of over 30 original programs.
On the bright side, it sure beats an ugly Netflix Christmas sweater, right
It may have started off as a joke, spoofing Destiny‘s cross-promotional campaign with Red Bull, but Dying Light‘s #DrinkForDLC campaign exploded into a social media phenomenon over the summer. At its conclusion, over 15,000 fans showed their support for the game by Tweeting a picture of themselves drinking water using the #DrinkForDLC hashtag. The developers rewarded this showing of support, and the benefits of staying hydrated, with free water-themed content pack that will release on February 9th along with the recently announced Dying Light: The Following – Enhanced Edition.
As an added bonus, the Enhanced Edition will feature a number of graphical and gameplay upgrades (free for current Dying Light owners), along with all the add-on content and updates.
[a]listdaily talks to Techland’s Social Media Manager, Michal Napora (left) and Creative Copy Writer, Krzysiek Janicki (right) — the minds behind the campaign — to discuss the campaign’s success and the importance of staying hydrated during a zombie outbreak.
Tell us about how the #DrinkForDLC campaign started and grew.
Krzysiek: It probably won’t surprise you when I say it all started as an internal joke about a certain video game campaign. You know which one specifically… We realized most gamers shared our sentiment, so we talked about it a bit with the team and then decided to go public with it.
Despite it being a joke, it was thought out really well. We took a blatantly commercial idea and made it about every one’s gain. After all, there’s nothing more obviously good for you than drinking water.
Then it all went better than expected. Our Twitter was flooded (*wink wink*) with pictures of our fans drinking water in most bizarre situations and disguises. We had hours of fun at the office just scrolling through them all.
Michal: When we launched our first post with that poster, it got picked up organically – no paid boosting. It was just a single tweet that spread like wildfire. The press got notified and then some social influencers, and most importantly our fans, all jumped on it. As soon as the photos of people drinking water started coming through, we started retweeting them, filling our Twitter profile with hilarious snaps. We went a bit silly with it, and people saw that we are having as much fun as they are. It helped to boost our fans engagement with the campaign.
What were some of the most memorable #DrinkForDLC photos
Michal: There was tons of awesome photos that came through! Some of the most memorable ones included a guy going nuts in a morphsuit, heaps photos of people drinking from their toilet bowls (not advisable), someone giving water to their cats, and Major Nelson sending through his Vine. It was awesome to see those entries coming through! Â
Do you think there will be similar social campaigns in the future
Michal: Most definitely! We’re always looking at trying to break the internet. We’re actually working on something now that we will show in January. Hope our fans will like what we have in store for them.
What prompted you to develop an Enhanced Edition of Dying Light, instead of a straightforward Game of the Year Edition
Krzysiek: A Game of the Year Edition is often just the old DLC of a game that gets slapped onto a new box and resold. What we’ve created here is a lot more than just that, especially since a big part of it is being developed right now. It’s not just about reselling what’s already out there. The expansion pack plus the enhancements are almost a year in the making alone. It’s mainly there to get new players on-board with a cool one-stop package. As for our existing fans we’ve made it that the enhancements update is free for all existing fans while the expansion is free to all season pass holders.
Last year’s Super Bowl ad game was on fleek. Between unique promotions like Bud Light’s life-sized Pac-Man game and a number of mobile companies advertising their wares including Supercell’s Clash of Clans brands proved to be clutch just like game MVP Tom Brady. While hopeful NFL franchises are chasing the coveted Lombardi Trophy, advertisers are in “championship or bust” mode too chasing elusive eyeballs and dollars.
For Super Bowl 50 in February, companies will again bring their A-game. With ads both broadcasting on TV and streaming online simultaneously, CBS expects major exposure from its audience, and they’re charging accordingly for commercials. A 30-second ad spot for the big game is going for $5 million a pop and, according to CBS president Les Moonves, spots have almost sold out, indicating that companies aren’t shying away from reaching a record breaking audience. Last year, the game was the most watched show in U.S. TV history.
Though some companies still have yet to be revealed and others like GoDaddy have already bowed out we do have a rough idea of some that will be taking part in the yearly proceedings. Of course, there are some obvious ones that will make a return, like Bud Light and CBS, hawking its own programming. But here are some that might surprise you:
Pokemon
With the Pokemon franchise celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, The Pokemon Company has opted to set up a Super Bowl 50 ad to celebrate it.
While details about the ad haven’t been revealed as of yet (it’s not certain how long it will even be), it is meant to encourage fans to “Train On,” referring to the consistent battles that the Pokemon games are known for.
It’s going to be a big year for the franchise, between special Nintendo 3DS systems being released in February, three classic Pokemon games coming to digital download for 3DS handhelds, and Pokken Tournament, a new fighting game, launching for the Wii U this spring.
SunTrust Bank
Atlanta’s based bank chain will soon be ready to tackle the Super Bowl, as it has announced its intention to air a 30 second ad during the big game.
Instead of going with a fancy approach, the ad will stick with the basics, focusing on consumer encouragement and financial confidence. “We believe that financial stress is a significant social concern, one that merits national attention,” bank Chairman/CEO William H. Rogers Jr. said in a written statement. “We’re investing in this ad because the Super Bowl is a unique and proven forum to launch a national conversation. We want to be the spark that motivates people to take action, and give them tools and access to information to move closer to financial confidence.”
Taco Bell
The popular restaurant chain will return to the Super Bowl with another 30-second spot, although it withheld details on what viewers can expect from it. However, it’s been promising its “biggest launch to date” with a number of recent events, so it could easily tie in with it.
“We aren’t revealing details of our spot until the big game, but we will have ways for our fans to engage with us in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl 50, said Chris Brandt, chief concept and brand officer for Taco Bell. “This build up will pay off with one of the most exciting announcements from the Taco Bell brand to date.
BMW
It’s been a few years since we’ve seen BMW’s Mini brand make an appearance in the Super Bowl (2011, to be exact), but it’ll come roaring back this year with a new 30-second ad during the third quarter.
The ad will feature various models from the Mini line-up, including the new Clubman wagon, and while no other details have been revealed, it should be just as innovative as the 2011 piece, which featured Katie Couric and Bryant Gumble in a piece titled “Cram It In the Boot”, with a game show-based format.
Doritos
Once again, the chip brand from Frito-Lay looks to “Crash the Super Bowl” with a trio of consumer-generated ads that have made the finals, and the winner will air during the game.
These ads have been a hit in the past, ranging from a man trying to save a seat on an airline with all kinds of excuses (only to settle for a beautiful woman and her child) to a kid that actually turns his pet pig into a flying rocket.
The three finalists were selected from a pool of over 4,500 submissions across over 25 different countries, and fans will be able to flock to Doritos.com to vote for their favorite before the Super Bowl. The three finalists are below:
TurboTax
TurboTax is no stranger to Super Bowl advertising, and it’s going all out with this year’s game, with seven new 30-second spots airing during the big game.
The focus on the campaign will be “It doesn’t take a genius to do your taxes,” reminding consumers that using TurboTax software is less of a burden when it comes to adding up numbers and submitting forms.
“This year’s campaign is the next step in our multi-year journey to reposition the TurboTax brand and to build meaningful, emotional connections with consumers,” Greg Johnson, senior VP-marketing for Intuit’s Consumer Tax Group, said in a statement.
An example of what TurboTax has in mind with the campaign, featuring professor of theoretical physics Michio Kaku, can be found below.
Colgate
Instead of relying on a savvy campaign or a superstar to promote its product, will instead have a simple message: “save water.”
The 30 second spot will discuss how millions of gallons of water are wasted every year from people leaving water running while they brush their teeth. It’s a remake of a 60-second ad that originally aired in Latin America last year (see below), one that points out how four gallons of water are wasted daily amongst Americans. It’ll tie in with an #EveryDropCounts social campaign that’s set to kick off during the popular event.
Adidas
Even though Adidas’ specific Super Bowl plans haven’t been revealed yet, it’s picked up a major star to headline a football-related series that ties in with the big event. Turf’d Up featuring rapper Snoop Dogg discusses the sport with many guests, including ex-NFL players, celebrities and other sports personalities. The episodes will be available on Snoop’s WestFestTV YouTube channel.
“We have a long-standing relationship with Coach Snoop, which includes everything from working with him to design signature footwear, apparel and uniforms, to the sponsoring the SYFL his grassroots football program,” said Mark Daniels, vice president of team sports for Adidas. “Turf’d Up is the natural extension of our partnership and provides the perfect platform to showcase Coach Snoop’s talent, his knowledge of the game and how Adidas Football is the only brand that fuses sports and culture.”
Honda
The vehicle company confirmed that it will have a Super Bowl spot to highlight its new Ridgeline pickup, a car that made its debut at the North American International Auto Show this year. The 60-second spot will highlight the performance of the vehicle, as part of a multiplatform campaign leading up to its availability. “Super Bowl 50 is the right time and the right venue to communicate Honda’s continued leadership in light trucks,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager for Honda’s motor division. “The multiplatform approach will enable Ridgeline to come out of the gate strong in 2016.”
LG
The TV manufacturer is already busy prepping for the CES show. However, the company is hard at work on a Super Bowl ad that will highlight its popular OLED TV technology. The ad will be produced by Ridley Scott’s production company, RSA Films, and will be directed by Jake Scott. Expect some cinematic flair when this ad makes its debut.
Paypal
Each year, “rookie” advertisers try their luck on a Super Bowl ad, like uCool with its mobile game Heroes Charge. For this go-around, Paypal, the online currency handling company, will try its hand with a Super Bowl ad, though it hasn’t divulged details on what fans can expect from its commercial. Other first-timers are likely to join the advertising game as well for the game, but Paypal is easily the most noteworthy thus far.
Butterfinger
The popular candy bar is no stranger to great advertising, and for this year’s Super Bowl, it’s already begun hyping its #BolderThanBold campaign. With it, the company will host a special event that will be broadcast on Periscope live during the game, featuring professional sky-diver Carson Schram. It should no doubt have great reception, just like 2014’s Butterfinger Cups ad did.
Wix and Dreamworks
Last year, Wix.com scored a big win with its Super Bowl ad, featuring Brett Favre and other former NFL superstars trying their hand at new business ventures. For this year’s Super Bowl, however, the site-building company has teamed up with Dreamworks to help promote the forthcoming animated film Kung Fu Panda 3. The ad will feature characters Po and Mei Mei attempting to use Wix’s software platform to create websites. This promotion looks like a win-win for both companies, as Wix gains more superstar exposure, and Dreamworks hypes Kung Fu for its release right before the game, on January 29th. The trailer is below.
Weathertech
The car floor mat marketer has had two Super Bowl commercials with a “made in America” theme. It’ll be returning for a third go-around, with a 30-second spot that’s likely to follow a similar set-up.
Squarespace
Squarespace made an impactful debut on the Super Bowl advertising front in 2014, before continuing on with a much more subtle ad for 2015 featuring Jeff Bridges and his custom-made DreamingwithJeff.com website. We’re unsure what the company has planned for next year, but here’s hoping for a return of Jeff, man.
Snickers
Yes, the popular candy bar will be back for another go-around in the Super Bowl, but it’s going to take a lot to top last year’s, in which Danny “Machete” Trejo and Steve Buscemi appeared in a classic episode of The Brady Bunch.
Skittles
Considering that Mars is an official NFL sponsor, we should see another Skittles ad come around in time for the Super Bowl. Last year, the company scored big with its “Settle It” ad, featuring a number of strong-armed folks battling for supremacy via arm wrestling. This year, we have a strong feeling it will feature Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.
Pepsi
Considering that Pepsi is the sponsor of the Super Bowl halftime show (featuring the band Coldplay this year), we should see at least a couple of superstar ads from the soda company, either with Pepsi or Mountain Dew.
Kia
The car manufacturer will return to Super Bowl territory once again with a new 60-second ad, though the tone of the ad is not yet known. Expect a new Kia model to be featured in it, at least.
Intuit
This company hosted a competition for small businesses, one that would offer ad time for a specific one during the Super Bowl. The winner should be featured in its latest 30-second ad.
Hyundai
Look for not one but two commercial from Hyundia this year, making this the seventh straight year it’s participated with the big game.
Coca-Cola
The soft drink manufacturer’s plans for advertising aren’t yet known, but with its string of popular ads from the previous years, it’s got something big up its sleeve for Super Bowl 50.
Avocados from Mexico
Yes, avocados have become more of a popular snack, thanks to a variety of ads featuring a number of stars hawking them. A new 30-second ad is in the works for Super Bowl 50, and is likely to feature a similar, humorous approach.
Acura
Acura hasn’t been in Super Bowl advertising since 2012, but it’s opting to come back full steam with a new spot that highlights one of its upcoming car models for 2016. No word yet on whether Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno, who appeared in the company’s ad a few years ago, will make a return.
More partners are likely to be announced in the weeks ahead, so be sure to check back to see who’s ready to tackle the big game.
Vine has joined the leagues of social channels like Instagram and Facebook with their announcement today adding content discovery to the mix. In a blog posted by Vine API Engineer Luis Tandalla, the network is turning it up a notch with your own “personalized channel filled with Vines you won’t want to miss.”
“The world of entertainment on Vine extends far beyond our home feeds. There’s a ton of great content created by accounts you may not follow, and we’re bringing those posts to you.”
The functionality has been rolled out to iOS users today and the company says it will be available for Android users soon. You can navigate the content Vine thinks you’ll like by clicking on the “For You” section at the top of the app.
It doesn’t appear yet that Vine is using this recommended content feature to include branded content, but we did see some recommended content from some publications. Vine continues to be an interesting platform for marketers, but one that is tough to crack with its emphasis on extremely short-form content that loops. Just check out Vine’s top gaming brands.
Glu should be no stranger to this form of expansion, as its major investor is the Hong Kong-based Tencent Holdings. Tencent, which recently purchased 
This kind of reach could prompt, Netease, Tencent’s chief rival in China, to become more aggressive with its own investments, which this year has included a 
[a]listdaily talks to Techland’s Social Media Manager, Michal Napora (left) and Creative Copy Writer, Krzysiek Janicki (right) — the minds behind the campaign — to discuss the campaign’s success and the importance of staying hydrated during a zombie outbreak.
It doesn’t appear yet that Vine is using this recommended content feature to include branded content, but we did see some recommended content from some publications. Vine continues to be an interesting platform for marketers, but one that is tough to crack with its emphasis on extremely short-form content that loops. Just check out 
