National TV Ad Revenue Flattened By NFL Losses; Digital Growth Continues

The national advertising marketing experienced modest growth for the month of October, according to data provided by Standard Media Index (SMI). While digital continues to lead in terms of ad spend, TV ad revenue was dragged down by the NFL.

SMI reports that national advertising grew seven percent YoY in October. Unsurprisingly, digital was the strongest performer with growth of 17 percent, followed by out-of-home at 10 percent. Marketers invested in radio ads in October at a growth rate of seven percent while print continued its downward slope in terms of popularity, dropping 27 percent YoY.

NFL Losses Drag TV Ad Growth

National Television ad revenue was flat in October despite single-digit increases in cable and primetime spots and a drop in make-goods.

The reason? Live sporting events experienced a decline in television revenue last month. The NFL had 27 games in October compared to 31 games in October 2017, which didn’t help matters, either. NFL revenue fell 19 percent and the number of 30-second commercial spots fell six percent.

“The effects of the lower audiences last year are spilling into this season, as NFL revenue is down,” said James Fennessy, CEO of Standard Media Index. “Nevertheless, as the market reports improving viewership, we will see how these trends change over the remaining months of the season.”

Where the NFL fumbled, the 2018 World Series hit a Home Run and earned FOX $121.6 million in ad revenue. Even with fewer games—five compared to seven last year—the average revenue per game was up 27 percent.

Upfront On The (Slow) Upswing

The upfront market grew a modest two percent in October. Meanwhile, the scatter market fell four percent YoY. This drop was attributed to more upfront buys as marketers tried to avoid scatter premiums, SMI reports.

“The linear television season has started sluggishly as expectations of robust demand haven’t yet materialized in the market,” said Fennessy. “Demand from marketers continues to outpace audience erosion even if that is due to more limited digital video advertising options due to ad-free delivery.”

Primetime Remains Premium

The 2018-2019 season is upon us, resulting in a three percent revenue increase for primetime original programming. (SMI notes that primetime, by their definition, is on-syndicated, new episodes for comedy, drama, and reality subgenres.)

Average prices for a 30-second commercial remained flat during primetime. Still, advertisers paid an average premium of 158 percent to advertise during a season premiere. Among the highest grossing shows were ABC’s A Million Little Things, FOX’s 9-1-1, and NBC’s Manifest and New Amsterdam.

SMI observed a highly consolidated market where the top eight media owners account for 86 percent of Entertainment ad revenue. In fact, the top 12 media owners account for 94 percent of ad revenue. Comcast Corp. was the largest TV network group by Entertainment revenue in October at 18 percent.

Cards Against Humanity Hosts Bizarre Black Friday Sale

Cards Against Humanity continued its Black Friday tradition of weird promotions and fundraising with a sale of items as random as what you might find on its cards. Scattered throughout were the brand’s usual brand of humor and criticism of public figures, especially Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

Every 10 minutes, a new item appeared on a special Black Friday website for 99 percent off and quickly sold out. Items ranged from a poncho you can poop in, to 500 lbs of garbanzo beans.

Item descriptions are just as strange and comedic as fans have come to expect from the brand, like this one for an eight-foot gummy snake: “Weighs 27 pounds. Longest recorded gummy snake. Sticky. Guaranteed diarrhea.”

Other items were more, shall we say normal, such as a trip for two to Fiji or movie memorabilia from Independence Day. Each of the strange products was modeled by a man in a red full-body skin suit, which was the last to be sold for $999 (the suit, not the man.) Proceeds from the “lightly used” suit were donated to Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Cards Against Humanity included an FAQ about the event, saying that the sale is in no way profitable, but that they don’t care. Also, the items are 100 percent real and will be shipped to the purchaser.

“We might be losing a little money now, but in the long run, we hope to make it up in volume,” reads the FAQ. “We like to think we’re following in the footsteps of our hero, Jeff Bezos.”

An animated text banner moves around the site with statements like, “Let the savings wash over you,” “Ascend the Crystalline Cathedral of Savings,” “Death is The Ultimate Savings,” “The Prophecy Is Upon Us” and “Fuck you, Jeff Bezos.”

The event drew around 50,000 website visitors on Friday, according to Jenn Bane, Cards Against Humanity communications manager. “We like to do pulling weird stunts on Black Friday. We don’t know if they will always work, but it’s fun to try. We think of our stunts like an improv scene: we start the joke, and then our fans take it and run off with it. In this case, we found the weirdest, head-scratching stuff we could find, and then let fans have at it.”

Cards Against Humanity has gained a reputation for being controversial and outlandish in its marketing efforts. This game of matching politically incorrect or risque cards to complete statements was born of a 2011 Kickstarter campaign and quickly rose to fame especially—and ironically—on Amazon.

“We think of our stunts like an improv scene: we start the joke, and then our fans take it and run off with it. In this case, we found the weirdest, head-scratching stuff we could find, and then let fans have at it.”

Each Black Friday, the brand hosts a strange event that fans can’t seem to get enough of. Last year, they pretended to rebrand as a potato chip company called Prangles and even sold physical product inside Target stores.

“Yeah, that didn’t work out. We did a 360 pivot,” the brand joked on its website.

In 2013, they raised the price of their game in an “anti-sale,” but still managed to maintain its best-selling status on Amazon, according to Business Insider.

In fact, it seems that the more outlandish the promotion, the more successful it becomes. In 2014, Cards Against Humanity replaced all games and expansion packs with sterilized bull feces and still managed to sell 30,000 units. For Black Friday 2015, the company simply asked people to send them $5 for nothing in return… they raised over $71,000, much of which was given to charity.

The Best Holiday Marketing Campaigns Of 2018 So Far

Holiday marketing campaigns can inspire, entertain or simply highlight the latest deals. Every so often, there are a few that rise above the noise to surprise and delight—and this year, the UK is killing it. From hungry reindeer to celebrity tear jerkers, here are our picks for the top 2018 holiday campaigns so far.

John Lewis & Partners: The Boy and the Piano

Inside a lovely home decorated for Christmas, Sir Elton John sits alone at an upright piano. After a moment, he begins to play “Your Song.” The film works its way backward in time throughout the performer’s long career as he plays the music for adoring fans and friends throughout the decades. Finally, we land in the humble living room of a British family where a young boy receives a piano for Christmas. Eyes filled with wonder, the boy touches the ivory keys for the first time. As Elton John looks up from the piano, we realize that it is the same one.

Viewers are left with the message, “Some gifts are more than just a gift.”

Why it was chosen: John Lewis & Partners executed a touching story that ends with a thought-provoking message. The call to action is subtle, reminding audiences that a gift can change someone’s life. It does not, however, feature items for sale or the latest discounts.

The Boy and the Piano resonated with audiences worldwide and quickly became viral. On YouTube, the spot earned nearly 10 million YouTube views in its first week.


Twitter UK: #NotARetailStore

As one of the most popular retailers in the UK, John Lewis & Partners gets a lot of social media interaction. There’s just one problem—Twitter user @JohnLewis is not a retail store. For years, this teacher from Virginia has received countless messages from customers with everything from complaints to asking if an item is in stock. This engagement increases each holiday when John Lewis & Partners releases its Christmas ad.

Lewis has taken it all in stride, providing witty responses and tagging the retail store to make sure they don’t get ignored. For the past few years, John Lewis & Partners has rewarded the teacher with holiday gifts to thank him for his time and patience. This holiday, Twitter UK recognized Lewis’ role and gave him his very own ad.

Why it was chosen: Sometimes the success of an ad can be attributed to some very clever timing. Twitter UK capitalized on the trending John Lewis & Partners ad to encourage conversation—even if it’s by mistake—and it worked, garnering over 70,000 likes and 21,000 retweets in just two days. For his part, the “other” John Lewis received praise for the ad (both his and that of the retail store) and even received tickets to Elton John’s Farewell Tour.


Apple: Share Your Gifts

Apple released an animated spot on Wednesday that reminds people to share not just presents, but talents with others. The video features a young woman that tirelessly creates, but hides her work inside a box. Even as she goes through her life (at work, on the bus, etc.), the woman’s creativity shines, but she quickly hides it so no one can see. When her ideas float out the window, she runs desperately into the night to retrieve them but it’s too late. People are beginning to discover the woman’s work—and to her surprise, she made people happy.

Why it was chosen: Like John Lewis & Partners, Apple focused on an idea rather than a product. Aside from the woman typing on an Apple laptop, the brand didn’t push sales or products to holiday shoppers. Instead, Apple sent a message to all those creators out there who are afraid to share their work. The heartwarming ad quickly rose to the top 10 trending list on YouTube in just one day.


McDonald’s UK: #ReindeerReady

Nothing says Christmas tradition like Santa Claus, but why should he get all the snacks when his reindeer work so hard too? McDonald’s UK continued its #ReindeerReady campaign for 2018 with a new spot and a few new surprises.

In the new commercial, Santa makes his rounds on Christmas Eve, enjoying the cookies and mince pies left for him. House after house, his poor reindeer go hungry as no one leaves carrots. When the reindeer get too tired to continue, Santa finds the solution at a nearby McDonald’s and brings back a large supply of “Reindeer Snacks,” i.e. baby carrots.

Why it was chosen: McDonald’s has traditionally used the “Santa visiting a restaurant” motif, but this year includes new, interactive elements like an ebook and Snapchat Lens and filters. Snapchat users can engage with the campaign with a game that makes them look like a reindeer, tasked with catching as many falling carrots as possible. Honestly, just seeing reindeer flash their big, sad eyes may be enough to make a lot of people run out and stock up on carrots.

Krazy Glue Enlists World’s Strongest Man To Prove Its Muscle

Krazy Glue has partnered with World’s Strongest Man and actor Hafþór Björnsson (Game of Thrones) to see how much weight its adhesive can really handle. Consumers are invited to suggest outlandish weightlifting challenges for Björnsson to attempt during a live event in December.

“Man vs. Glue” seeks to prove Krazy Glue’s declaration that its adhesive can hold up to 1,000 lbs. with a single drop. Björnsson holds the title of World’s Strongest Man and was happy to test this first-hand.

Consumers are invited to suggest weird and wacky challenges for Björnsson, such as a motorcycle or “70-gallon fish tank filled with electric eels.” Each item has to weigh at least 500 lbs. And will be suspended from a barbell using only Krazy Glue. Suggestions can be made through Krazy Glue’s social channels with the hashtag #ManVsGlue. Fans can also suggest them directly to Björnsson himself, whose video announcement has garnered nearly 300,000 views in its first day.

Curious fans can watch the challenge live on December 5 from Krazy Glue’s Facebook page or in-person at Center415 in NYC from 6:15-8:00 p.m. The “Man vs. Glue” event is free and open to the public.

In a statement announcing the partnership, Newell Brands (parent of Krazy Glue) said they are always looking for fun and extreme ways to showcase the glue’s strength.

Last December, Krazy Glue hosted a pop-up in Manhattan that hung heavy items from the ceiling and shelves. Consumers who visited the pop-up or followed Krazy Glue’s social media pages could guess the weight of each item for a chance to win it. Dangling items included a 263 lb. Pool table, a 130 lb. home gym, a TV and an Xbox console, among others.

Newell Brands includes other familiar names like Paper Mate, Sharpie, Prismacolor, Elmer’s, First Alert and Yankee Candle. The company reported a 7.7 percent drop in revenue for Q3, citing a new revenue recognition standard and the loss of business from Toys ‘R’ Us. The company predicts total net revenue to reach $9 billion for 2018.

LinkedIn Tests Stories Feature; Snapchat Launches Holiday Shopping Channel

This week in social media news, LinkedIn tries its hand at the popular Stories feature and Snap’s new glasses will have two cameras for AR and 3D effects. Also, Twitter makes follower counts seem less important, Snapchat helps brands connect with AR creators and launches a shopping channel, Instagram cracks down on fake engagement and Facebook invests in local UK reporters.

LinkedIn Tests Video-Only Stories Feature

LinkedIn is testing a disappearing video feature. While it is planned for different user groups, the initial test is with US college students only.

Why it matters: Stories began with Snapchat and were subsequently cloned by just about every social network out there. LinkedIn is toying with the idea as well, although the feature will highlight videos only. The only problem with this idea is that students are used to using Stories as a way to post off-the-cuff moments or photos with the knowledge that they disappear. LinkedIn’s version will disappear from feeds, but remain permanent on a user’s profile, so users need to be careful about what they share if they don’t want a potential employer to see it.

Details: “Student Voices” is a test for college students on LinkedIn to post videos about shared experiences on campus. When users post to Student Stories, they’ll have their university’s logo overlaid as a sticker they can move around.


New Snapchat Spectacles Will Feature Two Cameras

A report from Cheddar suggests that the new glasses will be released by the end of the year.

Why it matters: Snap has a goal of becoming profitable by 2019 and a fun new gadget may be a way to reach affluent young users. Two cameras would allow the Spectacles to gauge depth and therefore open the creative doors for AR lenses, 3D photo effects and more.

Details: The latest Spectacles will be called “Newport,” sources told Cheddar. At a price point of $350, the new glasses will feature more powerful hardware and two cameras.


Twitter De-emphasizes Follower Counts In iOS Update

A new update to the iOS Twitter app adds a subtle but notable change—follower counts are presented in a smaller font.

Why it matters: Font size may not seem all that important, but it’s all part of a plan to make Twitter interactions more “meaningful.” This meaning, according to CEO Jack Dorsey, was unintentionally placed on follower count by displaying it in a larger font from the get-go. Dorsey has repeatedly said that he wants to rethink the app’s design, citing follower counts as a motivator for polarizing content.

Details: Twitter has changed the font size in an iOS app redesign that impacts follower counts but also locations, birthdays, join dates, mutual follows, and following counts. According to a spokesperson, this change is meant to prioritize other elements of a user profile.


Snapchat Launches ‘Lens Creative Partners’

Snap has begun certifying augmented reality creators, giving brands someone to turn to when they want a new AR Lens.

Why it matters: More than one in three of Snap’s 186 million active users engage with AR Lenses on a daily basis, averaging three-minutes of play-time, according to the brand. As demand for augmented reality engagement rises, finding an experienced and approved Snapchat Lens creator may help streamline the process for marketers while encouraging creators to become certified.

Details: Snap unveiled a new program on Monday called Lens Creative Partners. To be certified, creators have to be “experienced in developing quality AR and complete a rigorous course about the development process, creative best practices, ad policies and buy models of sponsored AR Lenses on Snapchat.” More than 30 creators have already become certified and the company plans to have more than 100 in the program.


Instagram Removes, Condemns Fake Follower Apps

Instagram announced that it will remove fake likes, comments and follows that artificially boost an account’s popularity.

Why it matters: Social media interaction is influential to purchase decisions and potentially, a user’s mental health. Instagram, like its parent company, Facebook, is cracking down on this false behavior to create a more authentic experience for both users and advertisers. After all, you wouldn’t want to partner with a social media star only to find out that most of their followers are fake.

Details: Instagram is removing fake likes, comments and follows beginning on Monday. In addition, the site is warning users that they may have unwittingly contributed to this behavior by signing into third-party apps. Giving a username and password to some apps has allowed them to impersonate that user and engage with content. Those impacted by fake engagement apps will receive a private message and be asked to change their passwords, preventing the apps from accessing their accounts further.


‘Shop And Cop’ Channel Adds Holiday Ecommerce To Snapchat

Snapchat has added a new channel to its Discovery section called “Shop and Cop” that offers deals and shopping directly from the app (as handled by Shopify).

Why it matters: Black Friday is just over a week away, and the new shopping channel will allow brands to reach young consumers where they hang out. Based on the resulting engagement, Snapchat will be able to use metrics to inform future ecommerce integration.

Details: Snapchat added the “Shop and Cop” channel on Friday, just in time for the holidays. Current partners include Kylie Cosmetics, Gymshark, Chinatown Market, TourLife and Coco Breezy. There will be a total of around 20 brands systematically rolling out discounts and special offers into the holiday season.


Facebook Invests In Local UK Reporters

Facebook has set up a £4.5 million ($6 million) fund to train around 80 new local journalists in the UK as part of a new “Community News Project.”

Why it matters: Many publishers, especially local papers, are struggling to keep up or shutting their doors as advertisers turn to Facebook and video. Facebook says its program is designed to support local towns in the UK that have lost their reporters and papers. Facebook may be trying to undo some of the collateral damage it has caused on its quest for world ad revenue domination.

Details: This new program is part of Facebook’s Journalism Project, launched early in 2017. The money will be divided among local publishers in order to recruit trainees via the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).


Editor’s Note: Our weekly social media news post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Wednesday, November 21. 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.

Niantic Partners With UNWTO To Encourage Sustainable Tourism

Niantic has partnered with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to promote responsible tourism with augmented reality. The partnership will include “new adventures” inside Niantic’s popular games and a campaign around playing safely.

UNWTO will work together with Niantic to create a “variety” of ways to combine tourism and AR technology using Niantic’s mobile games. According to Niantic, each activation will be built to “inspire and support exploration, build awareness around UNWTO’s Travel.Enjoy.Respect campaign, and promote good practices to play games safely and responsibly.”

Niantic launched augmented reality adventure game Ingress in 2012, but it wasn’t until Pokémon GO in 2016 when the developer achieved worldwide fame. The overnight sensation paved the way for augmented reality adoption, development and advancements across the mobile ecosystem. The AR gaming market is estimated to reach $284.93 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 152.7 percent between 2017-2023, according to Reuters.

Now, Niantic wants to positively impact the tourism and environmental ecosystem through its partnership with UNTWO. For the past several months, the brand has worked with UNWTO to encourage global tourism and worldwide civic engagement in a fun, friendly, and novel way for travelers.

Although the partnership announcement doesn’t indicate which games will receive new content, Pokémon GO is a safe bet, as is the upcoming AR Harry Potter title.

UNTWO launched its Travel.Enjoy.Respect program in August. Sustainable tourism is the practice of enjoying a new place without negatively impacting the local culture or damaging the environment. This term is often interchanged with “responsible tourism.”

As the world becomes more connected, tourist spots are feeling the pressure to attract new guests without sacrificing the environment around them. Urging tourists to be respectful doesn’t have to be a negative experience, however. In fact, games like Pokémon GO already encourage players to explore new places, so the battle is partly won, so to speak.

Other organizations are getting creative with how they promote responsible tourism. Last year, the Palau Legacy Project earned two Grand Prix Lions for its sustainable tourism campaign, “Palau Pledge.” The campaign required visitors to sign a promise that they will respect the island, which quickly spread to other mediums and gained worldwide acclaim.

Lyft, Uber Announce Competing Loyalty Programs As Both Companies Prepare For IPOs

Uber and Lyft announced their customer reward programs last week—two days apart. The competition for consumers preference continues, while both ridesharing giants also plan to go public next year.

On November 12, Lyft disclosed whenever a customer uses their app they get points for every dollar they spend. If a customer earns enough points, they can unlock rewards like an upgrade to Lyft Lux or savings on future rides. It’s expected to begin next month.

Uber’s program already kicked-off in nine cities. The loyalty program is similar in concept to Lyft. However, Uber’s program gives one point for every dollar spent on Uber Pool rides and Uber Eats orders. It also gives two points for ordering an UberX, UberXL, Select, or WAV ride, and three points for ordering Black and Black SUV rides.

There are four membership levels: Blue, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. The higher the rank, the better the perks.

This announcement came shortly after with Uber announced its Q3 earnings report. In self-reported financials, the company lost just over $1 billion due to investment and business diversification inbikes, scooters and its food delivery service. However, revenue rose 38% from the same quarter last year. Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO has claimed that in 10 years, only 50% of the company’s business will be from ridesharing.

As Uber heads into 2019 for its anticipated IPO, bankers estimate it is worth up to $120 billion, doubling from its last valuation of $62 billion. Lyft recently got JPMorgan Chase to lead its own public offering in hopes that it will set its market capitalization to over $15 billion.

Uber does not self-report market share data, and thus it is imperfect, but, according to the analytics platform Second Measure, in March Uber held 73% of the market for ridesharing. Lyft disclosed in May that it currently holds 35% of the market.

According to a Certify SpendSmart report, Uber was the most expensed vendor in Q3. They consisted of 11 percent of over 10 million T&E transactions the report processed for Q3. Lyft joined them on the top 10 list ranking sixth with 3 percent of transactions.

This Week’s Exec Shifts: Target CEO Joins Yum! Brands Board; Nielsen Names CEO

This week’s executive moves include the addition of Target’s CEO to Yum! Brands’ board of directors, UPC Switzerland promotes its CMO after just two months, ForEyes names a CMO, there’s a new VP of marketing for Big Loud Records and Big Label Records names a director of Northeast promotion and marketing.

Also, this week saw Tom Dixon appoint a Swarovski marketer as CEO, new marketing director for retailer C&A, McDonald’s UK loses its marketing vice president and J.Crew’s CMO exits on the tail of its departing CEO.

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

Yum! Brands Adds Target CEO To The Board

Brian Cornell, CEO of Target, has joined the Yum! Brands board as a non-executive chairman. Cornell has over 30 years of experience in retail and food leadership. Prior to joining Target, he served as CEO of PepsiCo Americas Food, CEO of Sam’s Club, CEO of Michael’s Stores, Inc. and EVP and CMO for Safeway.

“I’m thrilled that Brian Cornell has agreed to become Non-Executive Chairman of Yum! Brands, ensuring a seamless transition of the Board’s leadership,” Greg Creed, CEO of Yum! Brands said in a statement.


UPC Switzerland Promotes For Chief Marketing Officer

Stefan Fuchs has been appointed chief marketing officer for cable operator UPC Switzerland. The promotion comes just two months after Fuchs joined UPC as vice president of marketing. His experience spans over a decade, holding executive marketing positions at Unitymedia, Virgin Media and Liberty Global.

In this new role, Fuchs will oversee customer value proposition, experience and value management as well as products, content, business intelligence, brand and marcom.


For Eyes Appoints New CMO

Optical retailer For Eyes has named Lauren Macleod chief marketing officer. Macleod brings over 20 years of business leadership to the role and recently served as VP of digital experience and the Retail Lab at Starboard Cruise Services, a division of LVMH.


Nielsen Names CEO, Board Member

David Kenny will join Nielsen as its chief executive officer, effective December 3. He will also join the company’s board of directors. Kenny most recently served senior vice president of cognitive solutions at IBM, where he led IBM’s AI platform and portfolio. Prior to that, he was chairman and chief executive of The Weather Company before it was acquired by IBM. Kenny also served as president of Akamai and chairman and CEO of Digitas.


Big Loud Records Names VP Of Marketing

Big Loud Records has named Candice Watkins its new vice president of marketing. Watkins most recently served as Universal Music Group’s senior director of marketing and artist development. In addition to marketing, Watkins brings a wealth of talent management experience that she earned working with Red Light Management, Mozes, Inc., Borman Entertainment, Martingale Entertainment and her own company, First22


Tom Dixon Finds CEO In Former Swarovski Marketer

Alessandro Vergano has been appointed the new CEO for luxury furniture and home decor brand Tom Dixon. Vergano joins Tom Dixon after serving in various marketing roles at Swarovski in Zurich, Switzerland. Most recently he held the post of executive vice president of marketing, serving much of Swarovski’s luxury portfolio including jewelry, watches, and home decor.

Prior to that, Vergano served eight years in brand direction and management for Procter and Gamble.


C&A Names Marketing Director

Aida Rizvo has been appointed the new marketing director of fashion retailer C&A for Europe and Germany. Rizvo previously ran her own consulting firm, Emerge Partners. Prior to that, she held a number of marketing and brand management roles for companies like Schwarzkopf, Henkel and Remington, where she was responsible for brands including Taft and got2b.

“I am very pleased that we have attracted an extremely competent and experienced persona for the position as Director of Marketing at C&A,” said Alain Caparros, CEO of C&A Europe in a statement.


McDonald’s UK Marketing VP Departs To Start Own Consultancy

McDonald’s vice president of marketing and food development Emily Somers has left the company after three years. During her time at the brand, she became the most senior marketer in the UK. Prior to her time at McDonald’s, Somers held a variety of marketing roles, including managing director at Havas London, client services lead at Leo Burnett (McDonald’s advertising agency in the UK) and just under a year as a consultant for the BBC.


J.Crew Chief Marketing Officer Exits

Vanessa Holden has relinquished her role as CMO for J.Crew. She had been with the company since July of 2017 and recently spearheaded J.Crew’s relaunch. Her departure comes as J.Crew CEO Jim Brett also exits.

Holden held previous positions at Williams Sonoma and Martha Stewart Living.


Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Wednesday, November 21. 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 

Global Head of Brand Marketing Uber Eats San Francisco, CA
VP, Marketing & Communications Boingo El Segundo, CA
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.

Macallan’s First Global Campaign Compares Life To A Leap Of Faith

The Macallan has launched its first global campaign in the distillery’s 194-year existence. “Make the Call” is a cinematic campaign that, for the moment, takes a step back from Macallan’s immersive marketing strategy in favor of emotional storytelling.

“Make the Call” tells the story of a man who takes a literal leap of faith off the top of a mountain. He falls for what seems like an eternity through clouds and storms before his arms transform into wings. Just before he hits the ground, the man soars into the air—validating the risky jump and frightening journey.

Macallan says that the man’s story is a visual metaphor. “Make the Call” was designed to offer encouragement to “a new generation of consumers who are faced with increasingly complex and often daunting life decisions.” Luckily for young consumers, trying single malt whisky won’t hold the same risks as leaping off a cliff.

While audiences will view the campaign without the aid of fancy gadgets, that’s not to say that this 90-second film isn’t high tech in itself. “Make the Call” used matte paintings created using VR headsets. In addition, the production was the first to use motion capture inside a wind tunnel. The campaign will roll out nationally across digital and social channels.

Macallan went all out for this campaign, enlisting Oscar-nominated cinematographer John Mathieson (Gladiator) and director Juriaan Booij, who works with RSA Films.

“The launch of our first ever global advertising campaign marks a new chapter in the long and illustrious history of The Macallan,” said Paul Condron, global brand controller for Macallan.

2018 has already been a big year for the legacy brand, having launched a new Distillery and Visitor Experience in June. An experiential marketing campaign was launched to commemorate the milestone that featured 4D group virtual reality.

“The Macallan Distillery Experience” was erected at Grand Central Station in New York City for two days in July. The installation allowed visitors aged 21+ to “visit” the new Speyside, Scotland location by stepping into a 15x15x15-foot booth. An in-person guide highlighted the new distillery and its estate as 360-degree videos were projected around the audience. Wind and scent diffusion were added to complement the footage. Guests could choose which part of the distillery they wanted to learn about by swiping in mid-air.

For those unable to attend in person, The Macallan offered a virtual experience as well. “The Macallan Distillery Experience” was available for viewing on mobile phones or desktops, through social media, or at select wine and liquor retail stores, bars and restaurants using a VR headset.

Macallan Manor was a similar multi-sensory, multi-room experience which toured nine cities across the U.S. The experience recently concluded in Los Angeles at the famous Greystone Mansion.

Report: Two-Thirds Of The World’s Digital Ad Trading Will Be Programmatic Next Year

Programmatic ad value will reach $84.9 billion in 2019, according to new forecasts by Zenith. Growing at an average rate of 21 percent a year, the company says it won’t be long before the global display market is fully programmatic.

Zenith has released its Programmatic Marketing Forecasts that examine the state of ad trading across the world. Two-thirds (67 percent) of the world’s digital display advertising will be traded programmatically by 2019, the company predicts, compared to 59 percent in 2017.

Canada, the US and the UK are hosts to the most advanced programmatic trading, Zenith observed. A majority of digital display advertising will be traded programmatically in these countries in 2019 at 81 percent, 78 percent and 77 percent, respectively.

The US has the largest programmatic market, accounting for 57 percent of the global total and valued at $32.6 billion. China is a distant second at $5.3 billion and accounts for 29 percent of programmatic digital display advertising worldwide.

This is a bit less than forecasts from eMarketer, which places total programmatic ad spend around $46 billion in the US this year. Emarketer also estimates that 82.5, not 78 percent, of digital ads in the US are purchased through automatic channels.

Programmatic ad spending is common among digital channels but predicted to reach $5.6 billion this year across television, radio, cinema outdoor in the US. This will represent six percent of the total ad expenditure but is expected to rise to $13 billion in 2019.

“We will be keeping a close eye on developments in the US as a guide to likely developments in the rest of the world,” noted Jonathan Barnard, Zenith’s head of forecasting and director of global intelligence.

Roku launched its Audience Marketplace in June, which quickly attracted media giants like Fox, Turner and Viacom. During the company’s Q2 earnings call, Roku CFO Steve Louden said that data-driven selling and programmatic are the future of TV, both OTT and traditional.

Native programmatic ad buying is helping to drive growth, but brands are still concerned about brand safety, i.e. where those ads appear. For this reason, many brands are taking programmatic in-house.

According to recent data by the IAB Data Center of Excellence, these reasons vary beyond safety. Forty-four percent of respondents hoped to improve ROI tracking and 34 percent wanting better cost efficiency. Additionally, 44 percent predicted both better audience targeting and more effective campaigns as rewards for bringing programmatic in-house.