September 2018 | Page 4 of 7

Samsung Celebrates Issa Rae’s Emmy Nod With ‘Made It’ Campaign

September 17, 2018, 01:45PM

Samsung will debut a new ad called “Made It” during the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards that celebrates the achievements of its spokeswoman, Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae.

The ad highlights Samsung’s products during the creative process while subtly promoting the Samsung Galaxy Note9.

“Made It” follows Rae’s seven-year journey from uploading her first episode of Awkward Black Girl on YouTube to watching it go viral, signing her first contract, appearing on magazine covers and onto the set of her hit HBO series Insecure. The spot features every moment of the journey being aided by technology, i.e. Rae’s Samsung phone, ending with a Galaxy Note9.

“Issa is proof that with the right technology in hand, brilliant minds are forces to be reckoned with,” said Jesse Coulter, chief creative officer for Samsung Electronics America.

Rae, along with other creators including Taiki Waititi, starred in a March spot called “Make It Yours.” This new ad, Samsung explained, is a spiritual successor.

Samsung says its goal is not only to celebrate Rae’s Emmy nomination but to “inspire makers at large.”

The technology brand references a “Do What You Can’t” spirit, encouraging creators to get out there and try regardless of the consequences, saying “make it until you make it.”

A behind-the-scenes look at the new spot appeared on Samsung’s website and the video itself debuted on YouTube Monday morning. Within its first few hours, “Made It” had been viewed over 11,000 times.

Samsung reported a drop in profits for the second quarter, citing slow sales of the Samsung Galaxy S9. To combat a “challenging” second half of the year, the company said it would respond through the early introduction of the Galaxy Note and competitive mid- and low-end models with new features.

While the “Made It” spot highlights the benefits of technology for creative consumers, Samsung may experience even more challenges in the years to come. The company is being sued for a Note9 that allegedly exploded in a woman’s purse, resurrecting the PR nightmare of exploding Note7 units.

Marketing Science Trends Changing The Game

BY Chris Younger

September 17, 2018, 05:00AM

For the world at large 1961 was a big year. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space, the US established the Peace Corps and Disney released its first live-action musical film, “Babes in Toyland.” Yet among these accomplishments, one event should stand out to marketers in particular: the introduction of the term “marketing science.”

Marketing science is the use of data, analytics and scientific processes to fuel marketing decisions, combining quantitative metrics with a qualitative, human-powered approach to marketing. The term was first established in 1961 through the founding of the Marketing Science Institute, a nonprofit that funds academic research in the field.

Since that time, marketing science has evolved to incorporate new technologies and practical uses, such as pulling data from social speech to understand consumer interests and using browser history to map out a clear customer journey. With these insights at their fingertips, marketers can more accurately target consumers and build more personalized messaging at scale.

Still, the question remains: How will marketing science continue to grow, especially now that technologies are advancing at a rapid rate and data is more accessible than ever before?

Here are three marketing science innovations that are expected to change the game for marketers going forward.

Location Intelligence

Location intelligence, gathered from geocodes in mobile and desktop devices, can help brands better understand consumers’ interests and behaviors based on their current and past locations. They can then use these insights to more precisely target users as they research products and make their purchasing decisions. For example, if a restaurant brand sees that a consumer leaves home during dinner time, the brand can target them with an ad for their establishment.

Take location data provider Skyhook Wireless. The company used location intelligence to gather unique insights into the behaviors of Patriots and Falcons fans during Super Bowl LI. They found clear distinctions in dining, shopping, and even gasoline preferences for each fan group. For instance, Falcons fans ate at Arby’s and fueled up at BP and Shell. Meanwhile, Patriots fans got their grub at Chipotle and Dunkin’ Donuts and pumped gas at ExxonMobil. With these insights, brands can build fan-targeted ad campaigns and increase engagement.

Location intelligence is growing. Spending on this strategy is expected to reach $16.34 billion by 2021—nearly doubling from $8.20 billion in 2016. In fact, at the end of 2017 three location data providers (CARTO, Blis and Factual) announced third-party integrations with advertising and analytics platforms—all within one week.

Image Source: Dresner Advisory Services 2018 Location Intelligence Market Study

Breaking interest down by industry, Dresner Advisory Services’ 2018 Location Intelligence Market Study found that manufacturing and retail companies are most eager to gather intelligence at the province and state levels, financial and government organizations want to gather intelligence by postal code and telecommunications companies are focused on country-based insights.

Location intelligence can provide value for brands across industries, whether they want to connect offline behavior with online behavior or send targeted messaging at just the right place and time.

Motion Targeting

What if you could gauge when someone is driving a car, stopped at a light, lying down, on an exercise bike at the gym, or walking in a hurry—based just on their mobile device?

That’s where motion targeting comes into play.

It’s no secret that mobile usage is on the rise. There are over 4.5 billion mobile phone users across the world and many are actually addicted to their mobile devices. According to comScore, the average person spends almost three hours each day on mobile.

As a result, marketers are increasing their mobile ad spend at a rapid rate: Mobile ad spend is expected to surpass TV ad spend this year and drive 75 percent of all digital ad spend. The problem is that without precise targeting based on consumer behaviors, a great deal of those mobile budgets could go to waste.

Consider this. Brands may send targeted ads to mobile users, but what if mobile users aren’t actually on their phones when the ad arrives? They could be targeting devices when they’re idle on the table. It would be more efficient and cost-effective to activate ads when a user picks up their phone, goes for a walk or is already active on their device.

Motion sensor technology can determine when a device is in motion, opening up a whole new world of data for marketers and fleshing out an even more comprehensive picture of each customer. If brands can know when someone is viewing their ad in real time and where they are (using location intelligence), they can gauge the best times to deliver ads and follow up with retargeted messaging.

For example, motion-based analytics company Velocity provides this capacity.

“Velocity uses motion sensors in smartphones to identify a user’s movement and gauge the type of activity they might be engaged in,” an announcement stated. “Using this real-time data, the firm can determine if a user is standing in a line, lying on a couch, a passenger in a car or train, or any number of other activities, enabling advertisers to reach their targets at precisely the right moment of receptivity.”

Publishers have already begun selling ads based on time spent on page, and they can determine whether a reader is idle or not based on mouse and keyboard movements. Marketers must now take a similar approach to gathering mobile data if they want to spend and target more efficiently.

Personality Marketing

You’d think personality would be too arbitrary or subjective to measure. It’s not as concrete a data point as age, location or interests. But new technology enables marketers to analyze nuances in social speech, which can be direct indicators of personality.

From these social cues, brands can extract actionable insights into consumers’ personalities and preferences. They can then cluster and target users based on their personality type. For example, if social speech indicates that a customer is compulsive, the brand can push an expiring coupon to that user and trigger a purchase.

Brands across the world are beginning to use personality marketing to build more engaging campaigns and drive measurable results. Just look at New Balance. The shoe brand launched targeted ads to consumers who exhibited pre-set emotional receptivity signals. As a result, their campaign drove a 135 percent increase in awareness.

The Future Of Marketing Science

“Marketing” and “science” may seem like polar opposites. One is associated with the Don Draper era of whiskey-fueled, off-the-cuff campaign slogans and the other with hard facts, test results and sterilized laboratories.

But the truth is that they go hand-in-hand, each feeding the other to get to the heart of what people want and how they behave.

As Byron Sharp, Professor of Marketing Science at the University of South Australia, said: “This idea that marketing can’t be science, as if marketing can’t work in the real world … It’s an important part of the real world so we can study it just like physicists, geologists and anyone else by simply getting out of our ivory towers.”

In fact, he believes that science is crucial to creativity. Once marketers truly understand their customers based on data, they can use that data to build more innovative and engaging ads. And yet we’re only just seeing the beginning of this approach unfold. As new technologies emerge—such as location intelligence, motion sensors and personality targeting—marketing science should continue to grow as a discipline and change the industry in unprecedented ways.

‘OZY’ Ruffles Journalistic Feathers With Series Of Insult Ads

BY H.B. Duran

September 14, 2018, 04:31PM

It’s typical for brands to compare themselves to competitors in many industries, but not necessarily common practice in journalism. A series of ads from Ozymandias, aka OZY, spotted on Facebook feature members of the publisher’s staff calling their employer better than Vice, Vox, CNN, The Economist, The New York Times and BuzzFeed.

OZY‘s ads don’t just name names, but reasons as to why they feel superior. The publisher claims that it’s “cooler than Vice” because the latter was founded when Frank Sinatra was still releasing music.

While OZY claims to bring its readers news that “actually matters,” it implies that BuzzFeed writes “bull sh*t.”

The ads gained some momentum on Twitter when BuzzFeed tech writer Ryan Mac shared them on Friday. After all, when you insult a publication, you are insulting its writers.

Reactions from the journalists under attack ranged from self-depreciating humor to backhanded compliments toward OZY.

Folks, everywhere you go, people are talking about Ozy. It's a news outlet that's doing an amazing job that's being recognized more and more.

— ishmael n. daro (@iD4RO) September 14, 2018

“Joke’s on OZY,” tweeted Harry Cheadle, west coast editor of Vice. “Vice hasn’t been cool in years.”

Mother will be angry pic.twitter.com/a3ATjUEf4w

— Ryan Mac (@RMac18) September 14, 2018

Some journalists reminded OZY that Buzzfeed was a Pulitzer Prize finalist last year and a publication’s work should speak for itself.

Others were quick to remind Ozymandias of its namesake—a sonnet by Percy Bysshe Shelley that mused about the inevitable decline of rulers, consumed by hubris. The publication has apparently heard that one before because there’s an entire statement about it on the website.

“Most folks read that poem as a caution against big egos and the impermanence of power,” says OZY. “We read it differently. To us, the poem says ‘think big, but be humble, lest you end up ‘two vast and trunkless legs . . . in the desert.’”

The fledgling publication may be trying to “think big” by saying that it can and has been holding its own against legacy giants. One ad points out that in May, OZY profiled Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and CNN didn’t know who she was until three months later. This revelation, OZY claims, makes it “sharper than CNN.”

While the obvious demographic for this ad campaign is readers, the public “diss” may also appeal to advertisers. OZY claims a monthly readership of 40 million, thanks in part to its “terrific partners” that include NPR, The New York Times, USA Today, TED and iHEART. (Making the insult to NY Times even more curious.)

OZY received some bad press from BuzzFeed back in December for purchasing traffic views on a sponsored post by JP Morgan. Other sites were impacted by the invalid traffic, including Funny or Die and PC Mag.

Through a little controversy, the young website could be hoping to generate enough buzz to make advertisers forget about the BuzzFeed story. For BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith, however, a public insult was a great excuse to share the article again. To which, OZY shared a story about BuzzFeed layoffs.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger https://t.co/aK6mgG7PMK

— OZY | News for the Insatiable (@ozy) September 14, 2018

OZY did not respond to inquiries by press time.

CMO Council: Field Sales Skills Critical For Future Growth

BY H.B. Duran

September 14, 2018, 04:23PM

Marketing leaders consider themselves to be a driving force of revenue for their brands and are expanding their skill sets to meet the challenge, according to a new report by The CMO Council.

The CMO Council surveyed 191 marketing leaders during the first and second quarters of this year to see how attitudes have changed since they conducted a similar study in 2016. The findings, published in CMOs and the Spark to Drive Growth, outline the role of these marketers, their primary concerns and allies within the company.

Growth was defined by 95 percent of businesses as revenue, and 70 percent of marketers agreed. There appears to be some disconnect between what the business and marketing leaders believe is critical for growth, with wide gaps between opinions across the board on gross margin, market share and brand evaluation.

A majority (82 percent) of respondents indicated that they are the primary driver of functions like brand development and storytelling, followed by customer engagement and communications (75 percent).

When asked which skills were mandatory to shape and evolve the growth agenda, however, “Storytelling in a Digital World” was named by only 44 percent—less than “Data and Intelligence,” “Market Insights and Knowledge,” “Holistic View of the Customer Journey” and “Brand Building and development at 56, 50, 49 and 47 percents, respectively.

“As CMOs attempt to accelerate and evolve the growth agenda, they should hold their legacy of storytelling and brand closely, but they will likely also need to branch out to secure new tools and more business-focused skills to take growth from increases in revenue to transformations in success,” The CMO Council advises in the report.

Looking to the future, nearly a quarter of marketers said that field sales experience and knowledge would be a critical skill for driving tomorrow’s growth efforts.

Since businesses and marketers agree that growth is defined by revenue, it should come as no surprise that CMOs align themselves with executives that are tied to sales. The president/CEO topped the list of allies in the quest for growth, followed by the head of sales. Interestingly, while 60 percent of marketers said they influence service and support delivery, only 14 percent are connecting with heads of service and support.

“What is revealed by the marketers participating in this research is that the comfort zone of campaigns and communications continues to be a welcoming home base for many,” observed The CMO Council. “However, the leaders who have embraced their role as a growth driver and orchestrator of the customer experience can set a new course for lasting profitability and opportunity.”

Atari Partners With Foodgod For ‘RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch’ Update

BY H.B. Duran

September 14, 2018, 01:34PM

Atari has teamed up with Jonathan Cheban, aka Foodgod for the latest update to RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch. The TV personality and social media influencer appears in the game as a rendered character alongside his restaurant and other food-related items.

RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch, the mobile version of Atari’s popular amusement park management game, is using influencer marketing to engage exist players and attract new ones. A food-themed update was added to the game on Thursday, starring a rendered version of Foodgod, known for his appearances on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Celebrity Big Brother House and his culinary exploits on social media.

The Foodgod partnership with RollerCoaster Tycoon will allow for cross-promotion between the two brands and encourage in-game purchases, as the game is free-to-play (FTP).

The Foodgod update adds six new food stands and “FoodPalace,” a large food court restaurant themed after the influencer’s “signature gastronomic style and affinity for over-the-top foods and desserts.” Players can offer their guests treats such as tropical smoothies, donut waffles and hot dogs with ketchup, among others menu items.

In the game, players can customize their amusement parks to keep its virtual guests happy and spending money. Different add-ons can be obtained through cards which can be earned or purchased. Players can find Foodgod cards in the game’s standard card packs or purchase them in the store.

Atari chose Cheban as a brand partner because of his affinity for both food and games, CEO Fred Chesnais explained in a press release. His large social following doesn’t hurt either—the young foodie boasts over 2.8 million followers on Instagram. One video of Cheban eating a hamburger garnered over half a million views alone.

“RollerCoaster Tycoon was a favorite game growing up. Now, to be able to share my food experiences in RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch is surreal,” said Cheban in a statement.

This Week’s Exec Shifts: Spotify CMO Exits; Uber, Soft-Tex Pick New Chief Marketers

BY E. Ryan Ellis

September 14, 2018, 10:50AM

This week’s executive moves include the departure of Spotify’s chief marketing officer as well as US Sailing, Soft-Tex and Uber selecting CMOs and WineSociety tapping Sephora for an executive marketer.

Check out our careers section for executive job openings and to post your own staffing needs.

Spotify’s Chief Marketer Exits

Spotify announced its chief marketing officer, Seth Farbman, would be leaving the company. Farbman joined the company in 2015 and helped form the music streaming giant into a marketing force of equal measure—culminating, perhaps, in the team being named ‘Media Brand of the Year’ at Cannes Lions in June.

Uber Picks New CMO

Uber has announced the hire of Rebecca Messina as chief marketing officer—the first person to hold that title at the ridesharing company. Messina leaves her post at Beam Suntory where she was SVP and global chief marketing officer. Prior to that Messina held various marketing positions over 20 years with The Coca-Cola Company. With the appointment of Messina, Uber has concluded its search that began after the departure of Uber’s chief brand officer Bozoma Saint John for Endeavor in June.

BET Picks Diageo Marketer As Brand Officer

BET Networks has named veteran marketer Vince Hudson its chief brand officer. Hudson was previously head of marketing at Smirnoff US under Diageo and prior to that VP of marketing strategy at Samsung US.

Zip Co Brings On Head Marketer

Zip Co, an Australian payments company, has hired Katrina Ang to be its head of marketing. Ang previously worked at Westfield as group marketing manager.

FlightGlobal Appoints CMO

FlightGlobal, an aviation publication, has appointed Mike Malik to a newly created role chief marketing officer. Malik previously held roles as president at Aloha Air Cargo and chief information officer at Aloha Airlines.

US Sailing Hires Chief Marketing Officer

US Sailing, the national governing body for sailing, has appointed Peter Glass its chief marketing officer. Before taking his new post, Glass previously founded Boot Up Marketing And Production and prior to that worked seven years as director, marketing and multi-channel content production for US Ski & Snowboard.“Peter is the perfect addition to US Sailing as we implement our new strategic plan and address the opportunities to ensure a healthy future for sailing.” said Jack Gierhart, CEO of US Sailing.

USCHAG Picks Marketing Chief

Heather Logrippo has been appointed chief marketing officer at U.S. Consumer Healthcare Advocacy Group (USCHAG). Logrippo brings nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, public relations and sales, including six years at AutoTrader.com,

YogaBed CEO Decamps To Soft-Tex

Chris Marsh has been named the CMO of bedding products company Soft-Tex. The appointment is a part of Soft-Tex’s “strategic reorganization” and comes as the company battles against longtime competitors like Mattress Firm, and newcomers like Tuft & Needle and Casper. Marsh previously served as CEO of YogaBed and vice president at Mattress Firm. The bedding industry veteran will be tasked with Soft-Tex’s global marketing plans.

Telstra Cuts CMO Position

Australian telecommunications company, Telstra, has restructured its executive team and notably missing afterward was the chief marketing officer position. Marketing will be relegated from the top executive level. A Telstra spokesman told Business Insider, “Marketing will work in a more integrated way with teams who develop propositions or solutions for our customers.”

GYMGUYZ Hires CMO

Aptly-named mobile personal training company, GYMGUYZ has named Dawn Weiss chief marketing officer. Weiss comes to the company with much experience in the beauty and wellness industry, having worked as CMO at Amazing Lash Studio.

BET Picks Diageo Marketer As Brand Officer

WineSociety Announces CMO

WineSociety, a wine subscription service, has announced Lisa Perlmutter Kueffel as its chief marketing officer. Kueffel was previously the vice president of digital client experience at Sephora, and joins WineSociety as the company emphasizes it’s canned wine offerings. Kueffel will be involved in the young company’s revenue growth through various channels, events and brand marketing.

Mazda Head of Marketing Departs

Russell Wager, vice president of marketing for Mazda North America, has left his post at the car company. Wager was at Mazda for 6 years and departs as the company shifts its focus in North American. No word yet on where Wager will land or if Mazda plans on filling the position.

Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, September 14. Have a new hire tip? We’re looking for senior executive role changes in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.

Job Vacancies

VP, Marketing & Commercial	Coca-Cola	El Segundo, CA
Director of Brand Sponsorships & Experiential Marketing	Capital One	McLean, Virginia
VP, Originals Marketing	Starz	Los Angeles, CA
VP, Marketing, Brand & Customer Strategy	Banana Republic	San Francisco, CA
Head of Marketing, Stephen Curry	Under Armour	Baltimore, MD
VP, Marketing Strategy Operations	Paramount Pictures	Hollywood, CA

Make sure to check back for updates on our Careers page.

Facebook Hosts London Pop-Up To Answer Data Questions

BY H.B. Duran

September 14, 2018, 10:10AM

This week in social media news, Facebook takes in-person questions from London residents and YouTube Kids adds a new experience for older users.

Also, Instagram attracts massive TV engagement and fights the opioid crisis, LinkedIn offers classes on airplanes and YouTube ads go vertical. Facebook teaches its AI some new tricks and prepares advertisers for the holidays, while Europe votes on a law that could impact business models based on user-generated content. Meanwhile, Facebook tackles brand safety and revamps Canvas, LinkedIn redesigns Groups and Instagram plays with video tagging. Pinterest hits a milestone, Mark Zuckerberg explains himself, Twitter revamps desktop view and YouTube brings a new show to India.

London Pop-Up Lets Facebook Users Understand Data

A pop-up in London this weekend will invite users to come down and ask questions about how their data is being used by Facebook.

Why it matters: Facebook has had to answer for its data usage policies by answering questions from the media and government, but the conversation with users has largely been one-sided. The social media giant is giving local users the chance to have a dialogue about the situation and better understand things like privacy policies and how data is used.

Details: Facebook is hosting a pop-up at 3-4 Carnaby Street in London from 12:00 p.m. Friday, September 14 to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, September 16. The event is free and open to the public.

“Whether that’s how your data is being used, how to use Facebook’s privacy tools and controls or how to make the most of things like Groups and Stories. Now more than ever, we understand the importance of helping people build a Facebook experience that’s right for them,” Facebook said.

YouTube Kids Launches New Controls, Experience For Pre-Teens

Parents have been given new controls in YouTube Kids, allowing them to hand-select what content their children can access, as well as approve content designed for those 8-12.

Why it matters: There’s a significant difference between a 5-year-old and a 12-year-old in terms of what they enjoy online, and no two children are alike. Giving parents more options allows them to cater a YouTube experience for their individual child.

Details: YouTube is giving pre-teens a new experience that includes more music and gaming videos. Parents can select “Younger” or “Older” to grant access to the default content or this new line-up designed for more mature eyes. The “Older” experience is available in the US, with plans to expand globally. Meanwhile, the additional parental controls can prevent children from searching and restrict access to whichever channels or content Mom or Dad has pre-approved.

Instagram Hosts Fewer TV Posts, But Most Of The Engagement

Nielsen found that TV marketers gained the most social engagement on Instagram and with video/image posts.

Why it matters: TV marketers have to compete with other digital entertainment, and social media is an effective way to keep viewers engaged. Knowing what gets viewers most excited (or at least responding) on each platform will help marketers formulate a plan around key moments—premieres, finales, story twists, etc.

Details: Nielsen measured owned social content (posted by official accounts) across three weeks leading up to the fall TV season. On Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, TV marketers posted 142,000 pieces of content and earned 154 million engagements. Surprisingly, Instagram accounted for just eight percent of these social media posts but attracted 70 percent of the engagement.

LinkedIn Now Offers Training In-Transit Through Delta, Others

LinkedIn Learning courses offer training and insights for professionals in-transit that include thousands of interviews and courses, accessible through partnering transportation companies.

Why it matters: LinkedIn wants to build a reputation for nurturing professionals, and offering training on-the-go could be an effective way of accomplishing this. In addition to helping professionals learn new skills, LinkedIn has the potential to sell advertisements or sponsored content for brand exposure outside of the app.

Details: LinkedIn Learning courses are now available through in-flight entertainment on Delta Airlines, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines, select Alaska Airlines flights and with Eurostar rail service.

Instagram Tries To Help With Opioid Addiction

A new pop-up will appear when Instagram users search terms and hashtags related to opioids, offering resources for addiction recovery and education.

Why it matters: According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 115 people die each day from an opioid overdose in the US. The opioid crisis in America has spawned multiple lawsuits and a hard look at the pharmaceutical industry. Instagram has the opportunity to reach its millions of users with resources and help, even if they are privately searching the app.

Details: Instagram has rolled out a new pop-up message that will appear if users search for opioid-related terms. Users will be able to obtain support resources and advice for family and friends of substance abusers.

YouTube Adds Vertical Video Ad Format

Advertisers on YouTube can now create messages designed for the vertical video format.

Why it matters: With the rise of IGTV and other vertical video formats, YouTube is adapting to make sure it appeals to young audiences.

Details: During the Dmxco conference, YouTube announced a new vertical video ad format that works the same as horizontal ones. Hyundai is one of the first brands to test it out.

Facebook’s ‘Rosetta’ AI Searches Memes For Violating Policies

Rosetta, Facebook’s artificial intelligence platform, has been taught to analyze, translate and flag memes that may be in violation of the site’s policies.

Why it matters: Memes express everything from humor to social commentary, but since they are made up of embedded text on an image, they are harder to spot through machine learning. With Rosetta reviewing over a billion public images per day, Facebook is getting some much-needed assistance on the moderation front.

Details: In a blog post, Facebook’s engineers detailed the process in which it taught Rosetta to analyze images with text on them. In addition to policy enforcement, Facebook says that Rosetta is making image searches more relevant and can improve screen reading for the visually impaired.

European Parliament Approves New Copyright Law

Members of Parliament in France have approved a European Union law that requires tech giants to automatically filter copyrighted content or obtain licenses for news and other content.

Why it matters: Social media business models are based almost entirely by user-generated content, placing tech giants like Facebook and Google in a difficult (and potentially expensive) position. Under the new law, these companies would be required to pay for any copyrighted material posted on its site or implement a way to block the content automatically. Critics point out that fair use images, such as memes, would be unfairly removed and result in censorship. A final version of the law is still under negotiation.

Details: A law that would help musicians and other professionals seek compensation for their work may force sites like Facebook and Google to re-think their business models in Europe. The law, approved pending a final version, has tech giants and their associations understandably concerned.

“[EU lawmakers] decided to support the filtering of the internet to the benefit of big businesses in the music and publishing industries despite huge public outcry,” said Siada El Ramly, director general of Edima, an internet platform association that includes Facebook and Google. “We hope that governments of the EU will hear their citizens’ concerns in the next stage of negotiations.”

Holiday Ad Templates Now Available On Facebook

It’s not even Halloween, but businesses are already planning holiday content on social media.

Why it matters: Adding holiday-themed overlays to advertisements help brands stand out on the platform and attract consumers as they plan their holiday spending.

Details: In a Tuesday blog post, Facebook reminded brands about advertising features to help their campaigns stand out, including dynamic ads with image overlays, holiday templates and ads that feature a collection of goods.

Facebook Rolls Out Brand Safety Tools

Marketers on Facebook can now exclude certain publishers, apps and content categories from delivery.

Why it matters: In this time of political turmoil (especially as the US mid-term elections loom closer), brands do not want to display ads next to content they find offensive. As Facebook pushes more video content, the company is trying to avoid the brand safety pitfalls experienced by YouTube.

Details: Facebook announced new controls across Facebook in-stream videos, Instant Articles and Audience Network to give all advertisers more choices. Marketers can gain access to a list of publishers that monetize their content, for example, and that list has been extended to include Instant Articles and in-stream videos. Undesired publishers can be added to a block list to avoid association. Publisher delivery reports allow marketers to view where their ads have been shown once a campaign has been launched.

Instagram Tests Ability To Tag Friends In Video

Instagram is testing a feature that would allow users to tag others in a video, similar to how you can in a photo.

Why it matters: If the feature becomes standard, influencers may be able to tag brands in videos such as unboxings and product reviews. In addition, tagging one another in videos may encourage more sharing and engagement on the platform.

Details: As confirmed by TechCrunch, Instagram is testing the ability to tag users in a video. The test is available only on mobile devices at the moment, and visible to voluntary test participants. A button at the bottom of a video will display a list of users tagged in the post. Instagram declined to provide additional details.

LinkedIn Unveils New Groups Experience

On Monday, LinkedIn launched a new version of Groups that includes access through the mobile app, engagement notifications and multimedia sharing.

Why it matters: LinkedIn is nurturing professional communities and encouraging more engagement on the platform—making it more attractive to potential advertisers.

Details: The new LinkedIn Groups experience includes new features like the ability to edit comments and posts, as well as share multiple photos. Group members will receive notifications whenever someone comments with a post and access Group activity from a mobile device. New features will be added in the near future that includes recommended Groups, access to Group conversations from the LinkedIn feed and a navigation panel for easy access.

Facebook ‘Canvas’ Is Now ‘Instant Experience’

Two years after the launch of Canvas, Facebook has added new capabilities and reintroduced the serve as “Instant Experience.”

Why it matters: The new features make it easier for mobile advertisers to create and launch campaigns and drive purchases.

Details: Canvas has been reborn as Instant Experience, complete with new templates and Facebook Pixel integration. Templates include Storefront, Lookback, Customer Acquisition, Storytelling and Forms.

Pinterest Hits 250 Million Monthly Users

In a blog post, Pinterest announced that it has reached 250 million MAU.

Why it matters: Pinterest’s unique visual format taps into consumers’ desire for inspiration and discovery over hard sales pushes. The site is especially popular outside of the US, with half of its user base and 80 percent of new sign-ups hailing from elsewhere in the world. Pinterest translates this affinity into business opportunities, saying that 78 percent of its users find brand content to be useful.

Details: Pinterest has announced the milestone of 250 million MAU on its platform. In addition, the site reported over 175 billion Pins, an increase of 75 percent over last year.

Mark Zuckerberg Begins Series Of Explanatory ‘Notes’

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that he will publish a series of notes that outline what he’s doing to make the site better.

Why it matters: Zuckerberg is taking personal responsibility for the issues surrounding Facebook. In a series of notes to the public, he hopes to explain how they are fixing problems with the site, as well as the challenges thereof. Embracing an attitude of transparency could help Facebook garner favor during this time of constant scrutiny.

Details: In a Facebook post, Mark Zuckerberg said he will start publishing a series of letters he calls “notes.” Beginning with election interference, Zuckerberg will address the issues his company is facing, while outlining the steps they are taking to solve problems. He warns that the process of fixing these problems could take years but expects to “end the year on a better trajectory” than when Facebook entered it.

Twitter Tests New Desktop Interface

A new desktop interface would allow Twitter users to access mobile features.

Why it matters: Bringing Bookmarks and Explore tabs to the desktop would encourage interactions normally reserved for the mobile app.

Details: In a Twitter post, the company announced that it is testing a new desktop interface that includes mobile features like Bookmarks and Explore. Users with access to the test reported faster load times, as well.

YouTube Launches Original Programming In India

YouTube Originals has launched in India with the debut of a new show called AR Rahman’s ARRived.

Why it matters: YouTube claims to be the biggest digital video platform in India with 245 million unique users per month, putting the brand in a unique position against streaming giants like Netflix.

“With our growing reach and highly engaged audience, brands have an incredible opportunity to engage with the audience,” YouTube India head of Entertainment Satya Raghavan told the Press Trust of India. “Our goal is to further boost the ecosystem and supercharge the growth.”

Details: YouTube has invested in original streaming content for the Indian region, beginning with AR Rahman’s ARRived in the coming weeks. YouTube tested the market by piloting two cricket-based talk shows.

Editor’s Note: Our weekly social media news post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, September 14. Have a news tip? We’re looking for changes to and news surrounding social media platforms as they relate to marketing. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.

CMO Club Reveals List Of Finalists For 2018 CMO Awards

BY H.B. Duran

September 13, 2018, 08:47PM

The CMO Club has announced the 2018 finalists for its annual CMO Club Awards, which will take place on November 13 in NYC. The annual celebration is the first and only award ceremony organized by and presented to marketing peers.

Over 100 marketing executives attend the CMO Club Awards each year. The fact that so many come out to honor their peers, CMO Club Founder and CEO Pete Krainik said, “is a true testament to the pride and esteem the executives have for one another.”

Finalists include 80 senior marketing executives across 10 different categories and a variety of industries from retail to entertainment, food and spirits to insurance and technology. The award categories are Leadership, Innovation, Transformation, Rising Star, Growth, Social Responsibility, Content Engagement, Creativity and Storytelling, Customer Experience and the CMO President’s Circle Award.

Eligibility does not hinge on CMO Club membership, but nominees must currently hold the title of CMO or be serving as a senior marketing executive for a major company, brand or organization.

One CMO will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Last year, the honor was bestowed upon John Costello, former president of global marketing and innovation at Dunkin’ Brands.

While nine of the award categories honor the individual accomplishments of marketing professionals, The CMO President’s Circle Award recognizes CMO Club members that help others succeed. This “dedication to the club’s mission” includes building relationships with peer members, collaborating and sharing with members and helping new CMOs to benefit from the peer-based community conversations.

The CMO Social Responsibility Award finalists are:

Chris Capossela, CMO, Microsoft
David Gitter, CMO, World Poker Tour
Mark Hanna, CMO, Richline Group, Inc.
Rich Honiball, EVP, Global Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer, NEXCOM
Jason Levine, CMO, North America, Mondelēz International
Sharon MacLeod, Global VP, Dove Men+Care, Unilever
Jennifer Sey, CMO Global Brands, Levi Strauss & Co.
David Stever, CMO, Ben & Jerry’s

Winners will be determined by October 17, but everyone will be invited to participate in “All-Star” Thought Leadership Roundtable ahead of the awards ceremony. Winners and nominees will also be invited to participate in the development of a 2018 CMO Awards Winners Insights Report for CMO Club members.

All 2018 Finalists can be viewed here.

Smartphone Adoption Nears Peak; Mobile-Only Internet Is Next, Says GSMA

BY H.B. Duran

September 13, 2018, 08:38PM

Emerging mobile markets are being driven by low-cost Android devices and falling data prices, according to the 2018 GSMA Mobile Trends Report. Alongside new technology like IoT and 5G, brands now face the challenge of a mobile-only consumer and those in non-English, low-income areas.

Lower Cost Fuels Mobile Adoption

Global smartphone adoption will reach 80 percent by the year 2025, GSMA predicts, with the highest concentrations in North America and Europe.

GSMA notes that a range of Chinese OEMs, mostly running Android, are driving lower data costs. In developing countries where fixed broadband is not an option, the high price of mobile access has prevented widespread adoption. Nigeria has experienced the most significant drop in monthly data bundle costs, from nearly four percent of a consumer’s monthly income in 2012 to just under one percent in 2017.

Mobile-Only Is The New Norm

As mobile usage reaches its peak worldwide, growth will shift away from adoption to internet access. By 2025, GSMA predicts that nearly three-quarters of the global internet base will be mobile-only, meaning that they do not access the internet from PC or any other device.

The GSMA predicts an increase in the attachment rate—mobile users also using the internet—from 65 percent in 2017 to 86 percent in 2025.

Half of that growth will originate from just five countries: China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan, with the rest clustered in Sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia.

“The more nuanced challenge,” GSMA says in the report, “will be how to engage and retain customers that are mostly young, lower income, non-English speaking, and lack access to services taken for granted in western countries (banking, health, education).”

Make Way For 5G

An estimated 1.36 billion 5G consumer mobile connections will exist by 2025, driven by a small number of countries. China will represent the largest 5G penetration, more than double that of the US, and has already been a test bed for applications in automotive, drones and high-tech manufacturing.

The key issue will not be whether 5G works, GSMA warns, but whether consumers and B2B clients understand how it solves a problem.

Faster speeds will certainly be a selling point, but the real opportunity lies in AR/VR immersion—the technology of which is “not there yet,” the report points out, with monetization also in question.

Despite the hype surrounding 5G, LTE will remain the foundation for operators for at least the next decade. In fact, GSMA predicts that LTE will increase to 57 percent of total connections in 2025.