Heinz ‘Mayochup’ Is Igniting A Fierce Debate On Twitter

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Heinz continues its marketing strategy of stirring debate among consumers, this time on whether Mayochup—a blend of ketchup and mayonnaise—should be released in US stores.

Mayochup is currently a real product, although sold only in the Middle East.

Heinz took to Twitter on Thursday to ask consumers if they would like the product distributed in the US. If at least 500,000 votes point to “yes,” Heinz will offer Mayochup in American retailers. The poll remains open through April 15.

To measure user engagement with the Mayochup campaign thus far, we calculated the earned media value from Heinz’ Twitter poll from April 11-13.

“Earned media” is the value of engagements a brand receives across channels as a result of their marketing efforts. To help quantify what the value of those engagements is worth, Ayzenberg Group established the Ayzenberg Earned Media Value Index (AEMVI) and assigned a quantifiable dollar amount for marketing gains a brand receives from a campaign or individual engagement that includes social media networks and similar digital properties.

Based on the latest AEMVI rates for Twitter interactions, the below tweet generated $68,512.94 in earned media value. This figure was based on values assigned to likes, comments and retweets.

The debate also received some ire from Utahns, who felt their use of “fry sauce” had been ignored.

This isn’t the first time Heinz used consumer opinion—and the Internet’s notorious penchant for arguments—to drive awareness for its products.

Last week, the Kraft brand asked consumers to vote on whether the tomato is a fruit or vegetable. The poll ended April 8, but Heinz is still encouraging people to weigh in through the official microsite. Depending on the outcome, Heinz will sell a limited quantity of ketchup bottles that either read “Heinz Ketchup: Made from Tomato Fruits” or “Heinz Ketchup: Made from Tomato Vegetables.”

The Mayochup campaign is part of a promotion for new Heinz Real Mayonnaise that will span across TV, digital, print, sampling and PR. Commercials introduce the new condiment as Cousin Mayo, a member of the Heinz family that opens a shop in Sandwich, USA.

The name “Mayochup” will also be up for debate later on, the company said in an official release.

NASCAR Names Jill Gregory SVP And CMO, And Other Hires

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NASCAR announced several executive changes this week, beginning with Jill Gregory‘s promotion to senior vice president and chief marketing officer. In her new role, Gregory will oversee all of NASCAR’s marketing operations and head up the Charlotte, North Carolina, office.

Brian Herbst has been promoted to vice president of global media strategy and distribution. Herbst will continue to develop new media distribution opportunities and digital content partnerships for NASCAR as the media landscape evolves.

Pete Jung has been promoted to vice president of brand marketing. Jung is responsible for all brand and consumer marketing efforts, including the implementation of key industry marketing initiatives.

Warner Bros. Pictures has appointed Michelle Slavich executive vice president of global publicity and strategy. Slavich will oversee domestic and international publicity, which includes heading a team to develop global publicity strategies on all Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema releases. She will also work alongside the marketing group’s senior management team on PR campaign design and strategy for indie and AAA franchises.

Most recently, Slavich served as head of entertainment communications for YouTube, where she oversaw the platform’s entertainment and music PR initiatives, as well as corporate and creator communications.

South Korean mobile game giant Netmarble Corporation is moving their US headquarters to Downtown Los Angeles, in the newly built Wilshire Grand building. Netmarble US will occupy the 11th floor at 600 Wilshire and joins companies like Spotify, Adidas and Warner Music that have recently located to the area.

The Economist Group has combined its sales and circulation divisions, which aims to solve “joint marketing challenges.”

Michal Brunt, currently managing director and chief marketing officer of circulation, will lead the new publisher team in his new position as chief operating officer.

Mark Cripps, currently executive vice president, brand and digital marketing, has been promoted to executive vice president, chief marketing officer.

The Rest Of The C-Suite

(Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, April 13. Have a new hire tip? We’re looking for senior executive role changes in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com)

RealSelf, a community and resource for cosmetic surgery, has appointed Tanja Omeze as its first chief marketing officer. In her new position, Omeze leads global marketing to increase awareness, engagement and connections among and between consumers and medical aesthetic professionals.

Omeze brings 20 years of experience and most recently, served as head of marketing for the Amazon Video store. She also held various marketing leadership positions at  Weight Watchers, Scholastic and Verizon Wireless.

Mary Ward has been named chief marketing officer for content cloud provider ScribbleLive. Ward joined ScribbleLead in September 2017 with the acquisition of ion interactive. In her new role, Ward will lead ScribbleLive’s global marketing organization and continue to build the company’s brand as it integrates its product portfolio and expands into new regions.

Avaya has appointed Becky Carr as head of global marketing. In this role, she will be responsible for leading a worldwide marketing strategy to engage and attract customers. In addition, Carr is expected to ensure broad worldwide awareness of Avaya’s unified communications and contact center solutions and services.

Carr joins Avaya brings several years of technology and service marketing experience. Most recently, she served as chief marketing officer at CoStar Group.

Polaris Industries Inc. announced that it has hired Julie Gilbert as chief customer engagement and growth officer, a newly created position at the company. Gilbert will be responsible for developing and implementing marketing solutions and growth strategies that introduce new consumers to the powersports industry, including segments outside of the company’s traditional core target market.

In addition, Gilbert will provide oversight for Polaris’ corporate marketing, sponsorships and communication efforts, and will help cultivate and launch programs aimed at further engaging RZR owners through the development of rider groups.

Karyn Abrahamson has been promoted to chief marketing officer of Essentia. Abraham joined the company in 2015 as vice president of marketing and brand innovation. In this role, Abrahamson will continue to oversee all of the brand’s marketing efforts that include marketing, finance, business strategy, operations and sales.

Casey’s General Stores has appointed Chris Jones to the role of chief marketing officer. Jones brings 27 years of marketing experience to the hardware store chain, having served in leadership or executive roles at Mars, Inc., Athene, USA and Kum & Go.

In his CMO role, Mr. Jones will oversee the Marketing, Advertising, Food Service and Digital activities at Casey’s, among other responsibilities.

Process mining technology firm Celonis has named Anthony Deighton its new chief marketing officer. Deighton will lead the global marketing and communication strategy and will head the team responsible for driving the rapid market adoption of Celonis’ process mining software.

Deighton previously served as chief technology officer and SVP of Products at Qlik, as well as general manager of Siebel ERM.

Learfield has created a new position of vice president and market director to serve its collegiate relationships across the country.

Britt Oligschlaeger, Landon Day and Tony Soares were promoted to this new role within the regional structure, having served with Learfield for 12, 11 and seven years respectively. Mike Haake, new to Learfield, will hold the same position and brings 30 years of media and sales experience to the collegiate marketer.

Larry Gelfand has been appointed senior vice president of brand partnerships, East at mitú. Gelfand will lead mitú’s eastern territory client portfolio and partner with associated agencies to lead the proposal, negotiation and execution of branded partnerships across the telecommunications, sports, QSR and auto industry categories. Gelfand will directly manage a team of dedicated sales directors.

Johan Buse has been appointed CMO for iflix and will head the company’s centralized operations. Buse joins the SVOD service after serving as chief commercial officer for Ooredoo.

The hire comes just as iflix is centralizing all its marketing operations to Kuala Lumpur. Last month, iflix also launched Studio2:15, a creative production business for short-form video content. The new studio aims to create engaging and experimental snackable and short-form content for the iflix platform.

TriNet has named Michael Mendenhall senior VP, chief marketing officer and chief communications officer. In his new position, Mendenhall will lead all the company’s marketing and communications efforts including messaging, branding, advertising, product marketing and corporate communications.

Mendenhall joins the company after less than a year with IBM as CMO, CCO for IBM Watson and IBM Cloud.

African epayments company Interswitch has appointed Cherry Eromosele as its group chief product and marketing officer. In her new role, Eremosele will provide “leadership and strategic direction for the end-to-end product innovation, product development, customer value management and product marketing functions, while continuing to champion the Group’s brand management, corporate communications and corporate social responsibility functions” across the entire Interswitch portfolio.

Ian Partilla has joined GumGum Sports as vice president of sales to lead global sports revenue efforts. Ian brings 20 years of experience in sports marketing, having worked with companies like NBC and ESPN.

“GumGum Sports has created something unique, thoughtful, thorough, and complete,” said Partilla. “I know teams, leagues and brands will be excited. Joining the team was too good of an opportunity to pass up.”

Albert Cheng has been named Amazon Studio’s new co-head of television as part of a series development team shake-up. Cheng previously led the company as interim chief after the departure of former executive Roy Price. A former ABC digital exec, Cheng had previously served as COO of Amazon’s entertainment division, a role he will continue in going forward.

Sharon Tal Yguado, who had been named head of scripted development, will serve in the new structure as head of genre series.

Turner’s Bleacher Report has named Ed Romaine senior vice president and chief brand officer. This newly created role coincides with Turner’s unveiling of Bleacher Report Live, a new streaming sports service that features live programming from NBA, UEFA, NCAA and others, available on a per-event and subscription basis.

As reported by Variety, Romaine will oversee Bleacher Report‘s entire marketing organization, heading up sales marketing to support revenue-based efforts and brand marketing.

“Having Ed on board means we’ll have an experienced leader in place to further articulate and spread the incredible power of B/R’s platforms for our advertising and brand partners,” said Dave Finocchio, CEO and co-founder of Bleacher Report.

Gerald Purgay has joined Oasis Outsourcing as chief marketing officer. Purgay will be focused on driving growth via innovative and customer-centric marketing strategies. He recently served as CMO of Talent at Mercer.

“As Oasis continues to grow, it is critically important that we keep building our management team with experienced, talented professionals who will help drive our culture of values, collaboration and excellence,” said Kelley Castell, chief operating officer. “I’m confident that Gerald’s vast experience and track record of success will be invaluable to Oasis as we continue our focus on providing best-in-class HR solutions and experiences to our clients and worksite employees.”

Job Vacancies 

Events Producer AList Pasadena, CA
Director of Marketing Operations and Creative Services Banana Republic San Francisco, CA
Associate Director of Brand Marketing Condé Nast New York, NY
Manager of Automotive Marketing Sirius New York, NY
Senior Content Strategy Manager Clio Burnaby, Canada
Director of Marketing Paramount Pictures Los Angeles, CA

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

With Interactive Theater Experience, Bacardi Stakes Claim To Authenticity

BY

The ongoing brand battle between spirits conglomerates Bacardi and Pernod Ricard continues to escalate. The sticking point between the two companies is the Havana Club brand name. Both companies produce rum under the name—French-based Pernod Ricard does so globally and in Cuba, while Bacardi maintains the Havana Club name in the United States.

Amparo, an interactive theater experience from Bacardi, is just the latest piece in a situation that further heightened when Bacardi launched its “Forever Cuban” integrated campaign. The experience recounts the Arechabala family’s exile from Cuba following the country’s revolution in the 1950s—during which the government seized the family’s assets, including the Havana Club distillery. By telling the Havana Club story, Bacardi aims to establish an emotional connection between audiences and the brand’s history.

The double-name fight is unique in that it was created as a result of the US opening its Cuban embargo, and then in 2016 approving Pernod’s trademark for the Havana Club brand in the US for 10 years, sparking a legal battle between the two companies. But what began as a trademark dispute has grown into an issue that has, at times, become highly emotional for the two companies, with both claiming to have the truly authentic Cuban brand of rum.

Ramon Arechabala sold the rum recipe and production techniques to Bacardi in 1994, and the embargo against Cuban imports allowed it to sell its brand of Havana Club in the US.

Meanwhile, Pernod Ricard has been distributing its version in countries around the world since 1993 in partnership with CubaExport’s Cuba Ron, an agency owned by the Cuban government. Pernod Ricard’s Havana Club has since become an iconic brand in Cuba itself, with its logo adorning parts of its namesake city, as many see rum as part of the nation’s culture.

“[Amparo can help] educate the public about the wrongdoings of the Cuban government and their business partners, Pernod Ricard, against the Arechabala family, the original owners of Havana Club rum,” Bacardi Rum’s marketing director Roberto Ramirez explained to AListDaily. “In telling the story of the Arechabala family, we hope to end the confusion as to which Havana Club is the real, authentic version and reinforce that it does not matter where Havana Club rum is produced.”

Bacardi’s Havana Club is produced in Puerto Rico, but Ramirez asserts that “Forever Cuban” is taking a stand against its competitors by upholding the authenticity of the rum’s heritage. The campaign launched in advance of the 59th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution on January 1, featuring a 60-second commercial starring Cuban-American actor Raul Esparza, who recites the poem “Island Body.” The poem is written by Cuban poet Richard Blanco, and the commercial is written, produced and directed by Cuban exiles in Miami.

Additionally, Bacardi claims that Pernod and the Cuban government have been profiting from a stolen trademark, generating millions of dollars by selling an “imposter rum poured into a bottle and marketed under a stolen name.”

Pernod Ricard responded to Bacardi’s accusations by doubling down on its own message of Cuban heritage. A Pernod Ricard representative told AListDaily that its two production facilities, one located in Santa Cruz and the other in San José, were built during the post-revolution. Therefore, it is not profiting from stolen property. Pernod claims that a truly Cuban brand is one that is created in Cuba, since rum is “tightly entwined in the history, culture, celebrations and daily life of the Cuban people.”

It is a sentiment that is echoed in an emotional statement by Maestro del Ron Cubano (Rum Master) Asbel Morales, who argues that the Cuban soul is linked to the country, its lands, culture and environment. Pernod claims that the “Forever Cuban” campaign is misleading the consumer public, asserting that for a rum brand to be authentically Cuban, it must be created from cane to glass in Cuba.

“Pernod Ricard and the Cuban dictatorship have perpetuated a lie since they began their collusion in 1993, and continue to do so today,” said Ramirez. “Since Pernod will not share the true story of Havana Club Rum with their consumers and with the world, we will.

“Unlike Pernod Ricard, the Bacardi and Arechabala families are not misleading consumers. Our Havana Club Rum is now proudly made in Puerto Rico. It is based on the original recipe and techniques that were used by the Arechabalas to make Havana Club in Cuba prior to the Cuban Revolution.”

Pernod, which says that the legal battle should be left to the courts, not the media, is ready to bring its Havana Club to the US even though its consumers currently see it as a Bacardi brand.

“We intend to use the Havana Club brand in the US as we have been doing everywhere else in the world for decades, across 120 markets,” said Pernod Ricard.

“We’re confident in our position, and look forward to proving our case at trial,” said Ramirez. “We expect our court system to once again follow well-respected US and international principles that do not legitimize illegal confiscations.”

Ramirez added that, as the case is in litigation, Bacardi will continue to “focus on raising brand awareness by leveraging the Arechabala family story and origins, as well as continuing to educate the public on the truth behind the real Havana Club rum.”

Bacardi will expand Amparo into a more permanent theatrical experience for consumer audiences in Miami, then New York, with other cities to follow based on demand.

Jaguar Land Rover To Display ‘007’ Cars Atop 10,000-Foot Mountain

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Jaguar Land Rover has partnered with Alpine ski resort Sölden to showcase its cars from the James Bond films.

Normally when a brand showcases its products, the installation is purposely easy to find—but Jaguar Land Rover is putting its interactive exhibit atop the 10,000 foot (3,050m) Gaislachkogl peak in Austria.

The hard-to-reach location is no coincidence. The installation is part of 007 Elements, a new, permanent James Bond installation located next to the Ice Q restaurant in Sölden. The restaurant and surrounding areas were used as a filming location in Spectre.

The 007 Elements installation was announced in December and will open in July of this year. With the announcement of Jaguar’s three-year partnership deal, however, James Bond fans finally get an idea of what they’ll find inside.

Visitors atop the mountain will be able to interact with displays and learn about Jaguar Land Rover specifications, including its artificial intelligence systems.

The Land Rover Defender and Range Rover Sport SVR used for filming Spectre will be on display, as well as a 90kWh lithium-ion battery used to power the C-X75 concept car from the film’s car chase through Rome.

Jaguar has a long-standing association with James Bond films, beginning with a Range Rover Classic featured in Octopussy in 1983. Since then, Jaguar Land Rovers have appeared in nine Bond films.

Spectre was the last Bond film which was released in 2015. Jaguar Land Rover’s three-year partnership with 007 Elements is a good sign that Jaguar will return in the next film, which will star Daniel Craig as 007.

Jaguar did not immediately respond for comment.

According to the official website, the idea behind 007 Elements is to “tell the story of the making of 007 films through an ultra-modern, emotive and engaging experience while using the incredible location to place guests in Bond’s environment and bring the stories to life in a unique and unforgettable way.”

Agencies Band Together To Form Advertiser Protection Bureau

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A newly formed Advertiser Protection Bureau (APB) was unveiled by 4A’s, calling on media agencies to put competition aside in the name of brand safety.

The APB initiative is designed to be a “united community” of media agencies, each playing watchdog online and notifying one another if their respective clients’ ads appear in an unsafe environment. Agencies who join the APB initiative will share the collective responsibility of reporting brand safety concerns. The initiative would also notify brands of safety incidents that could affect them, too, such as fraud.

The initiative was unveiled during the 4A’s Accelerate conference on Wednesday.

“When it comes to brand and consumer safety, media agencies have to put competition aside,” said Louis Jones, EVP, media & data at the 4A’s in a statement. “Brand safety and the negative impact it has on consumer trust is an issue that affects everyone.”

With the formation of APB, 4A’s outlined a series of next steps, with the goal of reaching a safe environment for both brands and consumers, referred to as “advertising assurance.”

These next steps include developing a risk management module that measures risk fom “safe” to “least safe.” Advertisers will be able to choose a safe level of risk based on preference—for example, if a brand wants to maintain a wholesome persona online vs. ads that are purposely controversial.

APB will also create a code of decency, working with the Media Rating Council. Ground rules will be established with the help of agencies inside the APB.

An industry playbook will be developed by APB that will include new standards, metrics, methodologies and tools to combat unsafe environments. The playbook will be designed to educate the advertising ecosystem about safety for both brands and consumers.

Marla Kaplowitz, 4A’s president and CEO, said that advertising assurance requires a holistic approach of responsibility to consumers, brands and each other.

“Advertising assurance can’t happen if we’re not communicating with each other and working together,” she said.

App Revenue Jumped 22 Percent To Record Numbers In Q1 2018

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Global app downloads grew more than 10 percent year-over-year to 27.5 billion, making the first quarter of 2018 the industry’s best yet.

Combining worldwide revenue stemming from Google Play and iOS, AppAnnie reports that consumer spend grew 22 percent YoY to $18.4 billion. The company noted that additional money flows through third-party app stores, mobile commerce and in-app advertising, so the first quarter’s record numbers only scratch the surface.

Google Play led in app installation, exceeding 19.2 billion downloads in the first quarter. While iOS downloads trailed behind with an excess of 8.2 billion, Apple is closing the gap 10 percent quarter over quarter.

In addition, iOS had 85 percent higher sales than Android, despite the lower number of app downloads. App Annie attributes this gap to the number of free apps available in Google Play.

Consumer spend on Google Play grew 25 percent YoY in the first quarter, while iOS grew 20 percent YoY.

Growth in both app installation and revenue was driven across a number of categories including shopping, games, music & audio and entertainment.

On Google Play, Music & Audio and Entertainment apps experienced the largest market share growth of global consumer spending, both quarter over quarter and year over year.

“This speaks to the larger trend of consumers choosing to sign-up and pay for music streaming and video streaming subscriptions in apps,” Lexi Sydow, market insights manager for App Annie wrote with the findings.

The battle royale genre of mobile games, fueled by Playerunknown’s Underground, helped drive quarter-over-quarter growth across both Google Play and iOS stores.

The US saw the largest growth in market share of any country both quarter-over-quarter and YoY, App Annie observed. After the US, Japan and the Philippines saw the largest quarter-over-quarter market share growth of Google Play consumer spend.

For iOS downloads, India, Indonesia and Brazil saw the largest market share growth—a trend App Annie says they have seen play out in the last two years. The US, Russia and Turkey experienced large year-over-year growth in market share, as well.

Heinz Reignites Tomato ‘Fruit Or Vegetable’ Debate

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Heinz is inviting conversation by asking consumers to vote on whether they believe tomatoes are a fruit or vegetable.

April 6 is National Tomato Day, the latest in an ongoing string of internet holidays, but are we celebrating a fruit or vegetable? Heinz is using the day as a platform to continue its “Grown Not Made” campaign by igniting the longstanding debate on Twitter and Instagram.

The campaign includes an online poll through April 8. Consumers can vote on their choice of fruit or vegetable through a dedicated microsite, a poll on Heinz’ official Twitter account or by posting on social media with the hashtag #tomatoedebate.

Heinz will also be selling a limited quantity of ketchup bottles that either read, “Heinz Ketchup: Made from Tomato Fruits” or “Heinz Ketchup: Made from Tomato Vegetables.” Depending to the results of its online poll, Heinz will change its website to either heinzfruitketchup.com or heinzvegetableketchup.com. The winning bottle label will also be sold as an ongoing Heinz product.

The Twitter poll yielded over 27,000 responses as of Friday, and dozens of posts followed with users weighing in on the tomato’s preferred classification. An official Instagram post announcing the poll has also received numerous replies on what a tomato is, with users adding their own hashtag #teamvegetable or #teamfruit.

Heinz also sponsored an Instagram post by Elliot Tebele, aka FuckJerry—known for his polarizing sense of humor—which gained over 102,500 likes in a matter of hours.

The tomato debate has been raging for centuries. In the 1893 United States Supreme Court case Nix. v. Hedden, the court ruled unanimously that an imported tomato should be taxed as a vegetable, rather than as a fruit.

Scientists define a fruit as a seed-bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant. As tomatoes develop from individual flowers, it has been deemed a fruit. However, in culinary terms, a more savory albeit seed-bearing structure such as tomatoes and bell peppers are considered a vegetable.

Humanscale Names Leena Jain CMO, And Other Hires

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Leena Jain has been named Humanscale’s first chief marketing officer. Jain joins the ergonomic furniture manufacturer with 12 years of experience as L’Oréal’s vice president of marketing.

Schneider Electric has appointed Shonodeep Modak as chief marketing officer for North America. In his new role, Modak will be responsible for the development and implementation of the brand and marketing strategy in the United States, CanaCanada and Mexico.

“We’re confident Shonodeep will take our North America marketing effort to a new level, helping to more clearly deliver our message and simplifying the value proposition we bring to our customers and their operations,” Annette Clayton, CEO of Schneider Electric said in a statement.

Campbell Soup Company has announced a strategic reorganization that has resulted in multiple hires. Luca Mignini president of Global Buscuits and Snacks, has been given the additional title of chief operating officer, where she will be responsible for Core Soup, Simple Meals, Shelf-Stable Beverages, and Global Biscuits and Snacks businesses.

Ana Dominguez has been named president of Campbell Fresh, which is now part of the Accelerator Unit. The unit is in charge of long-term innovation, small brand incubation, future consumer experiences, ecommerce and new distribution models.

Emily Waldorf has been promoted to senior vice president of corporate strategy, where she will lead strategy for the Accelerator Unit in addition to her roles that include enterprise strategy development, planning and measurement.

Carlos Barroso, senior vice resident of global research and development, will move to a strategic advisory role within the Campbell Snacks business.

Senior vice president of integrated global services Bethmara Kessler has exited the company to pursue other opportunities. As a result, senior vice president and chief financial officer Anthony DiSilvestro will now oversee many of Campbell’s integrated global services division, including financial planning and analysis and information technology.

 

The Rest Of The C-Suite

(Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, April 6. Have a new hire tip? Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com)

Jim Ensell joins Platform9 as chief marketing officer, bringing with him over 20 years’ experience in leading cloud-based marketing strategies.

“Jim is a proven marketing executive who has an impressive breadth and depth of experience in architecting hard-hitting marketing campaigns. I am thrilled to welcome Jim to our leadership team as we scale Platform9,” said Sirish Raghuram, co-founder and CEO at Platform9.

DataCore Software has appointed Gerardo A. Dada its new chief media officer. Most recently, Dada served as vice president of product marketing and strategy at SolarWinds.

In addition, Dave Zabrowski joins DataCore as chief executive officer. Zabrowski was the founder and CEO of Cloud Cruiser, a company recently acquired by HPE. Former CEO and original founder George Teixeira transitions to the role of executive chairman, where he will work with the management team on key strategic initiatives for DataCore.

Pinterest’s consumer product and ads product teams are now combined into one integrated product team, led by SVP of Product Lawrence Ripsher. As a result of these internal changes, Pinterest SVP of ads and commerce Jon Alferness has exited the company after less than a year.

Sukhinder Singh Cassidy will become the president of StubHub, a division of eBay Inc., effective May 2. She will report to eBay Inc. CEO Devin Wenig and become a member of eBay’s executive leadership team. Cassidy succeeds Scott Cutler at StubHub, who recently became SVP and head of eBay’s Americas business unit.

Rena Liu joins Warner Bros. OTT service DramaFever as general manager. Liu previously served in a number of roles at NBCUniversal. She will report to Warner Bros. Digital Labs GM Patty Hirsch in her new position.

Julie Nester joins eBay Australia as chief marketing officer, bringing over 20 years of marketing experience to the brand. In her new role, Nester will focus on loyalty, personalization and partnerships.

“Retail, especially online, is in an extremely dynamic period and I am looking forward to working closely with the eBay leadership team to help 40,000 Australian retailers to grow their businesses,” said Nester.

Steven Phelps has been promoted to chief operating officer of NASCAR from his position as senior vice president and chief of global sales and marketing. Phelps will oversee all of NASCAR’s commercial and media operations.

“Steve has worked passionately over the years to lead the sport and it’s clear his impact is felt in all corners of the industry,” said NASCAR President Brent Dewar.

Jeremy Burton, chief marketing officer of Dell Technologies, will exit the company effective April 13. After nearly two years with the company, Burton is looking forward to taking a break, but plans to stay in the technology industry. Allison Dew, vice president of Dell, will take over Burton’s duties upon his departure.

Popsockets has named Becky Gebhardt chief marketing officer, where she will oversee both marketing and creative teams. Gebhardt previously served as executive vice president and CMO of Lands’ End.

John Kieselhorst also joins Popsockets as VP of creative. He will be working both nationally and internationally creating collateral across a range of platforms, envisioning broad initiatives for the brand and heading up the creative team.

Pluto TV has named Rich Calacci as its first chief revenue officer. Calacci joins the OTT company with experience as senior VP of sales for Turner Sports and CRO of Bleacher Report.

“We were looking for someone who knows both the TV business and the digital video marketplace, in addition to having an entrepreneurial spirit. With Rich, we found that triple combination,” said CEO and co-founder Tom Ryan.

Google’s former head of artificial intelligence and search, John Giannandrea, has been appointed Apple’s first senior vice president of AI. Giannandrea will run its machine learning and AI strategy, reporting to Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook.

J. J. Abram’s Bad Robot has hired Rachel Rusch as senior vice president of television, where she will help produce existing projects like Hulu’s Castle Rock and HBO’s Lovecraft Country, in addition to developing new programming.

“I look forward to seeing just how far we can all go together in telling stories that spark the same kind of inspiration and excitement in our audiences that we feel in making it,” said Rusch.

Cory Long has been appointed vice president of footwear for DC Shoes, Inc. In his new marketing position, Long will oversee the brand’s global product creation strategy, including footwear marketplace positioning, storytelling and overall design aesthetic. He returns to DC Shoes, Inc. in this new position, having served as a global merchandising director for the brand earlier in his career.

“DC’s brand momentum is building speed and we are committed to fortifying our global business by investing in top talent,” Mike Jensen, global GM for DC Shoes, Inc. said regarding the hire. “Cory’s pedigree and track record of success in the industry is unmatched and we’re looking forward to his contribution and leadership in evolving our brand position in the global marketplace.”

After two years with the company, ELeague general manager and Turner VP of esports Christina Alejandre has departed, per a Twitter post made on her personal account on Monday. She has not publicly shared future employment plans, nor has ELeague announced a replacement.

Volkswagon has promoted Bishwajeet Samal to head of marketing for passenger cars in India, effective June 1. Samal joined Volkswagon in 2008 and is currently responsible for regional marketing and international communications at Volkswagen AG, Germany. He returns to his homeland of India following the departure of Kamal Basu, who moved to Nissan Motor India recently.

“At Volkswagen, nurturing in-house talent and offering a diverse platform of enhanced learning is at the core of our brand philosophy,” wrote Steffen Knapp, director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. “We are confident that Bishwajeet’s extensive experience in Marketing shall contribute to our growth in India.”

Grindr VP of global marketing Peter Sloterdyk has exited the company and is now the director of marketing for North America, Australia and New Zealand for Netflix. Grindr is planning to promote from within to fill Sloterdyk’s responsibilities as marketing head, a person familiar with the matter told PR Week.

Gameloft has appointed Damien Marchi as its new vice president of marketing. Marchi joines the Vivendi-owned mobile game publisher from Havas, where he served as global head of content. Marchi will be responsible for marketing and communications strategies and will collaborate with local teams in the 40 countries that the company operates in.

Paramount Home Media Distribution has named Vincent Marçais its new exec VP, worldwide marketing. In his new position, Marçais will oversee the creative advertising, media, brand and market research for all of the studio’s home entertainment releases across physical and digital platforms.

Marçais joins Paramount having previously served as exec VP of worldwide brand and customer marketing for 20th Century Fox Digital Home Media. There, he oversaw the release campaigns for all transactional businesses (Video-on-Demand, DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD) and also managed joint consumer marketing efforts with digital retailers and US and international operators.

Job Vacancies 

Events Producer AList Pasadena, CA
Associate Director of Marketing Services Mondelēz International East Hanover, NJ
Sr. Director & VP of Marketing & Communications  adMarketplace New York, NY
Marketing Director, Cheetos Brand Equity PepsiCo Plano, TX
Head of Marketing Amazon Seattle, WA
Paid Marketing Manager Omaze Los Angeles, CA

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Dove Partners With ‘Steven Universe’ For Self-Esteem Project

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Dove continues its Self-Esteem Project by signing a three-year partnership with Cartoon Network and animated show Steven Universe.

Steven Universe—Cartoon Network’s first animated series created by a woman—is known for its themes of inclusivity. Dove hopes that young people will be positively impacted by sending body positive messages through the popular show.

On Thursday, the first of six animated short films will air that focus on self-esteem and body confidence, each directed by Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar. According to Dove, all the films’ content is based on scientific evidence by body image expert Dr. Phillippa Diedrichs at the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England.

An original song featuring the cast of the show will be released later this year, along with a music video and an educational eBook.

“It has always been important to us that our content resonates with our audience and empowers them,” Christina Miller, president of Cartoon Network said in a statement. “This partnership is unprecedented in its scale, reach and ambition to make a difference in kids lives around the world.”

Dove’s Self-Esteem Project began in 2004 and includes resources for parents, teachers and youth leaders about body confidence, self-esteem and bullying.

There has been a noticeable shift in the beauty industry, moving away from ideal beauty standards and reaching consumers through body-positive messaging.

In January, CVC announced that it would no longer airbrush photos to promote its beauty products in stores. Later this year, photos that have not been significantly retouched will bear the “CVS Beauty Mark” label.

“The connection between the propagation of unrealistic body images and negative health effects, especially in girls and young women, has been established,” Helena Foulkes, the president of CVS Pharmacy and executive vice president of CVS Health, said in a statement. “As a purpose-led company, we strive to do our best to assure all of the messages we are sending to our customers reflect our purpose of helping people on their path to better health.”

Beauty brand Glossier made headlines last September with its Body Hero campaign. The print and digital ads featured five different models in the nude, each with a different skin color and body type ranging from thin to plus-sized and pregnant.

Dove came under fire for a campaign recently that featured women with different skin tones removing their shirts and transforming into one another. A black woman “transforming” into a white woman with Dove body wash was perceived as racist, and the ad was promptly removed with a formal apology.

Werther’s Creates Life-Sized ‘Candy Land’ Game Board For #CaramelDay

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Werther’s is bringing a life-sized Candy Land game board to the Santa Monica Pier for National Caramel Day.

Candy Land: The Werther’s Caramel Edition Game is a pop-up experiential marketing campaign organized in partnership with Hasbro. The one-day event is designed to spread brand awareness for Werther’s candies on National Caramel Day—an internet holiday that occurs each year on April 5. The game is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, and a digital version of the game will also be posted on CaramelDay.com.

Mario Lopez, who not-so-coincidentally hosts the Candy Crush game show, will be on-site with his family.

Visitors are invited to follow the game board through four “kingdoms” with photo opportunities, facts about the company and candy throughout. The areas are called Caramel Popcorn Mountains, Werther’s Woods, Caramel Creme Lagoon and Werther’s Caramel Castle. A digital version will be available online for 30 days following the event that includes a 360-degree video of the pop-up.

The experiential pop-up taps into nostalgia around the classic Candy Land Board board game, which was first published in 1949, as well as the fear of missing out (FOMO) for fans with a sweet tooth.

Werther’s has partnered with a number of brands over the years—including Walt Disney World, where it has a dedicated shop. In 2017, the brand promoted its new caramel popcorn through an official sponsorship of the People’s Choice Awards.

As far as last year’s National Caramel Day, Werther’s commissioned a study to determine how consumers in the US pronounce the word “caramel.” A study of 1,000 US consumers found that 57 percent pronounce the treat “ker-uh-muhl.” The confectioner released its survey findings along with a celebration in Carmel, IN where they changed the name to Caramel, IN for the day and provided games, prizes and candy at a special event.

Werther’s Original was the second top-selling hard candy in the US last year, earning $86.1 million. Sales of the caramel treat were second only to Jolly Rancher.