This week in marketing leadership moves, Dunkin’ Brands promotes international marketing executives, a new CMO arrives at Paris Baguette, Netflix plans to let go of 15 marketing staffers and Mondelēz loses its European CMO role.
Facebook Picks Eventbrite CMO As Global AR/VR Marketer
Adweekreports that Brian Irving will join Facebook’s global AR/VR marketing team. Irving will report to Rebecca Van Dyck, Facebook’s CMO for AR and VR projects.
Irving previously served as CMO at Eventbrite, where he joined as chief brand officer in 2018. He also held marketing positions at Airbnb, Google and Levi’s. His appointment becomes effective in March.
Dunkin’ Brands Boosts International Marketing Team
Dunkin’ Brands released a statement today announcing two executive promotions, including that of Tom Manchester who will be leading integrated marketing for Dunkin’ U.S. and the hiring of Rick Gestring as VP of operating systems and restaurant experience for the Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins parent company.
On the marketing side, Tom Manchester was promoted to SVP of integrated marketing for Dunkin’ U.S. operations. The press release announcing the appointment outlined Manchester’s new duties, noting, “In his new role, Mr. Manchester will have responsibility for culinary innovation, consumer insights, brand marketing and field marketing. He will continue to report directly to Tony Weisman, Chief Marketing Officer, Dunkin’ U.S. Over his 17-year career at Dunkin’, Mr. Manchester has led the brand’s sports marketing initiatives and developed its sports strategy built on engaging storytelling and innovative partnerships.”
Paris Baguette Names New CMO
Franchisingreports that international bakery-cafe Paris Baguette has named Pete Bell as chief marketing officer.
Bell previously served as CMO at Twin Peaks Restaurants, Specialty Brands Holding Corp. and Smokey Bones Restaurants. Global CEO of Paris Baguette, Jack Moran, welcomed Bell to the marketing leadership fold. “He is a progressive and consumer data driven marketer who understands how to create effective and targeted campaigns that drive sales and awareness,” noted Moran.
Netflix To Lay Off 15 Marketing Staffers
Variety reports that Netflix is set to dismiss 15 members of its marketing team.
The report indicates that these shifts will affect a small percentage of the total marketing division and are part of marketing leadership changes that have been rippling throughout the streaming service since last year.
Mondelēz Does Away With CMO Role In Europe
Marketing Weekreports that Mondelēz, the multinational confectionery, food and beverage holding company, is cutting its chief marketing officer role in Europe as part of ongoing leadership restructures.
VP of marketing and strategy Peter Seymour will lead both marketing and corporate strategy moving forward. His responsibilities include building brands like Oreo, Milka, TUC and Belvita.
Debora Koyama, former CMO for Mondelēz in Europe, has left for Unilever as global growth operations officer.
Editor’s Note:Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment is updated until Friday, January 31. Have a new hire tip? We’re looking for senior executive role changes in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.
(Editor’s note: AList is published by a.network. To get up to speed on the rapid changes affecting the influencer marketing landscape, click here.)
Celebrities have long been the stars of Super Bowl ads. This year, however, many brands opted for influencers. Sabra included cast members from The Real Housewives of New Jerseyand from RuPaul’s Drag Race in its teasers. Comedian Lilly Singh played a part in Olay’s purpose-driven #MakeSpaceForWomen ad campaign. And Pop-Tarts promoted its new pretzel Pop-Tart with a game day teaser featuring the Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness. We explore how brands incorporated influencers into their Super Bowl activations and the pros and cons of doing so.
Hummus brand Sabra used an unexpected cast for its first Super Bowl ad, teasers for which include The Real Housewives of New Jersey foes Teresa Giudice and Caroline Manzo, T-Pain and RuPaul Drag Race contestants Miz Cracker and Kim Chi. Colorful characters may demonstrate the brand’s messaging—the versatility of hummus—but will Sabra’s choice of influencer resonate with its audience?
“In order to maximize ROI, brands should try to appeal to as broad an audience as possible during the Super Bowl. However, a downside of influencers is that they often appeal to a niche audience. As we’ve seen with some of the teasers so far, influencers and their quirks aren’t always common knowledge and therefore can be misunderstood among a general audience,” says Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix.
To cover all bases, Sabra also extended its Super Bowl activations to social media via over a dozen nano- and micro-influencers. Lifestyle blogger Erika James Carder and professional triathlete Rebecca Wassner, who both respectively have about 12,000 followers, posted Instagram photos of themselves holding or eating Sabra hummus, referring to it as the “MVD,” or most valuable dip. Also on Instagram, mom and travel blogger Danielle Greco, who has 19,000 followers, showed her and her son’s favorite way of snacking with Sabra. All three Sabra partners’ captions mention the brand’s “DIP. WATCH. WIN.” sweepstakes, which will award five $100,000 prizes and a “riDIPulous” amount of free hummus. To enter, fans who buy specially marked packages of Sabra’s hummus flavors can scan a quick response code to unlock game pieces, with the winning combination revealed during Sabra’s Super Bowl spot.
“One advantage of working with an influencer is cost versus engagement. The authenticity and approachability of smaller influencers can really pay off. What they lack in reach compared to multi-million follower celebrities they more than make up for in engagement,” says Yuval Ben-Itzhak, CEO of Socialbakers.
Socialbakers data shows that influencer sponsored ads grew by more than 150 percent in the last year, while the use of #ad (sponsored social ads) more than doubled. Ben-Itzhak adds, “Since brands are seeing compelling results from working with influencers, it’s not surprising that we are seeing the same evolution with these all-important Super Bowl ads.”
Like most beauty brands, Procter & Gamble’s Olay has made influencers a regular part of its marketing. In 2018, the company launched its “Face Anything” campaign with a message of being true to yourself. Driving the message home was a 10-page Vogue spread featuring YouTube star and comedian Lilly Singh and eight others, as well as Instagram content created by influencers like plus-size model Hunter McGrady, who detailed her 28-day Olay skincare routine.
This year, Olay invited Lilly Singh to be in its Super Bowl ad where she portrays an astronaut alongside Busy Philipps, Nicole Stott, Taraji P. Henson and Katie Couric. The appeal of including Singh in Olay’s Super Bowl ad is that she has 15 million YouTube subscribers and 9 million Instagram followers. Additionally, the influencer will host her own late night show, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, premiering this fall on NBC.
Kellogg’s too, has taken the influencer route for game day. A teaser of what’s to come in its Pop-Tarts Super Bowl spot shows Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness freaking out over the snack selection on set, complaining they’re all dry, boring options. On why Kellogg’s used Van Ness to promote its new pretzel-flavored snack, the brand’s senior director of marketing Phil Schaffer said in a press release, “When it comes to ‘bringing out your best,’ nobody does it better than Jonathan Van Ness–so it was only natural for Pop-Tarts to enlist him to help ‘fix’ the classic pretzel and introduce Pop-Tarts Pretzel. Already a loyal brand advocate, Jonathan’s upbeat personality is a natural fit to help Pop-Tarts unveil our latest craveable flavors.”
When you think Pop-Tarts spokesperson, Van Ness may not immediately come to mind, but the grooming expert’s personality and role on Queer Eye align with the sweet-salty dichotomy that Pop-Tart’s new pretzel snack embodies.
Regardless of who you use for a campaign, it’s really about staying on message. “It’s not necessarily celebrity versus influencer that will impact ad performance. The key is how tightly the spokesperson fits into the storyline,” Daboll says.
Popeyes launched a limited-edition fashion collection inspired by the latest iteration of Beyoncé’s Ivy Park athleisure line, which the singer released in early January. Created in collaboration with Adidas, Beyoncé’s items sold out quickly and now Popeyes wants to give fans who missed their chance something nearly identical: branded streetwear in the fried chicken brand’s signature shades of maroon and orange.
When Beyoncé launched her collection, many tweeted saying the collection’s maroon-orange color scheme reminded them of Popeyes uniforms. So Popeyes acted fast and gave fans what they didn’t know they needed: Popeyes merch. The resemblance between both collections is fitting as Popeyes gave Beyonce a lifetime supply of chicken through a “Popeyes For Life” card.
The “That Look From Popeyes“ online shop is selling 10 different items including a uniform hooded jacket, tunic, khaki visor, short sleeve polo and crewneck T-shirt priced at $10-$40. Real Popeyes workers modeled the items for the digital lookbook and half the line has already sold out. Additionally, 100 percent of the proceeds are going to the Popeyes Foundation.
Popeyes swift reaction to its consumers’ tweets about Beyoncé’s athleisure line comes on the heels of the chicken sandwich wars. The social media showdown in summer 2019 between Chick-fil-A and Popeyes ended with Popeyes doubling its Twitter following.
Ever since, Popeyes has been quick to make pop culture-informed marketing plans at the drop of a hat. In December last year, the quick service restaurant (QSR) duct-taped its chicken sandwich to a canvas for a last-minute installation at Art Basel Miami Beach, which was listed at $120,003.99.
For its holiday push last year, Popeyes partnered withUglyChristmasSweater.com to sell an embroidered sweater featuring its popular chicken sandwich. According to Business Insider, after the sweater launched the page received more than six million visits and sold out in 14 hours.
During the 192nd episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Lina Shields, the chief media officer for Lilly USA. Starting in sales and eventually moving into marketing, she was named one of Ad Age‘s “Women to Watch in 2019.”
Shields originally majored in political science with the intent to work in global policy so she could “change the world.” She shares her thoughts on the importance of mentoring and advice on how to improve your career and advocate for yourself. She also gives insight into the “next-generation” of the consumer landscape.
Although Shields works in the commercial space now with Lilly, her job is to “give information that can help [people] lead healthier and longer lives.” Shields quickly learned that doctors and she “had something in common, which was that we were both motivated by the best interest of the patient.” She adds, “great marketing is when you understand the core intention of your targeted audience.”
Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:
Lina’s background in Italy and her journey to the US. (01:10)
Two pivotal twists that brought Leena to her current role with Lilly. (02:47)
Lina’s fascinating internship story: Internship, what is an internship? (06:58)
The experience of a new full-time position in sales. (11:35)
The importance of a breadth of the portfolio and key connections. (13:46)
Defining the chief media officer role. (15:53)
Three big buckets under the chief media officer role. (18:16)
The “next-generation” consumer landscape and focus of media in marketing. (20:41)
How Lilly is committed to its multi-cultural marketing vision. (25:18)
Lina’s approach to mentoring early-career professionals. (31:52)
Three pieces of advice for mentees and early-career professionals. (33:34)
Experiences of Lina’s past that defines her today. (36:35)
Advice Lina would give herself if she were starting over. (39:55)
Brands, companies or organizations to take notice of. (43:30)
The future of marketing, according to Lina Shields. (46:36)
Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.
Example of a successful influencer campaign from top to bottom
How influencers can work with commercial partners on projects that have wider, social impact whilst creating mutual benefit.
How your brand can use influencer marketing as part of its strategy
In an age where brand purpose is attracting both Millennial and Gen Z audiences, understanding the true effectiveness of YouTube influencer marketing for authentic, meaningful marketing, is a necessary ingredient for brand success. By analyzing a recent campaign that raised the bar for social impact, the #TeamTrees campaign, we will unpack exactly how your brand can harness the power of influencer marketing at its very best.
The YouTubers
Let’s first get into how this campaign started. The Arbor Day Foundation and many of YouTube’s largest personalities–Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast), Mark Rober, Destin Sandlin (aka SmarterEveryDay) and many others came together to start the campaign #TeamTrees with the goal of raising 20 million dollars to plant 20 million trees within two months. Born out of a Reddit meme, MrBeast, who is known for creative stunts like these, listened to his fans after asking how he should celebrate his 20 millionth YouTube subscriber. Across three coordinated videos, the #TeamTrees campaign was launched on October 25th.
As we unpack the campaign, it is important to note it’s not a celebrity endorsement piece. The audiences are very different to a traditional TV campaign.
The Effect
In addition to tens of millions of views, Mark Rober, SmarterEveryDay, and MrBeast’s videos received 600,000, 82,000 and 2.6M engagements (likes and comments) respectively. Supporters began popping up left, right and center including Toby Lütke, Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, Ninja, Verizon, YouTube itself and many others–all banded together to raise a combined total of $15 million. In less than a month.
As the campaign grows, these YouTubers continue to expand their own following. The more it spreads, the more talk there is, and the closer they get to their goal. Support is coming from everywhere, not just life-long fans. For any type of campaign (political, advocacy, media, brand) engagement is key. The power of influencers comes not just from views but from the energy they spread to their fans to speak up and advocate alongside them.
The Creative
Another key to the power of creators especially on YouTube, is their ability to tell stories. What were these videos exactly? And How was the creative designed?
Here’s the breakdown:
Hundreds of YouTubers posted on the same date, October 25th, to help generate buzz, but let’s focus on the three where the creative specifically coordinated with each other.
Mr.Beast’s video “Planting 20,000,000 Trees, My Biggest Project Ever!” is a humorous, documentary-style video where MrBeast and his friends learn exactly how to plant trees alongside The Arbor Foundation. MrBeast introduces fellow YouTuber, Mark Rober and sets the stage for the campaign by energizing his followers about the scale of the campaign, what it means for the entire YouTube community, and how to get involved–teamtrees.org.
Mark Rober, a former Nasa engineer and designer of Nasa’s Mars Rover, created a 13-minute video called “Using Drones to Plant 20,000,000 Trees.” He connects to MrBeast’s video seamlessly by showing the same tree-planting footage but in his own editing style, for his audience. As a science influencer he explains the science behind trees, and the process he underwent to design a drone that plants many trees at once. He seems to end the video after discussing the power his audience has to end the year on a high note and pushes them to go donate.
Destin Sandlin’s video “How to Plant 20 Million Trees” begins with the community theme, describing how many YouTubers are involved in this campaign. As the true scientist-family-man he is, he then cuts to his Dad who talks about his family’s history with trees. He dives into the science behind the species of trees in a highly educational concept for the majority of the 13-minute video. At the end, Destin and his dad cook a meal for Destin’s mom, as Destin mentions that his donation is sponsored by HelloFresh, a meal-kit company.
Influencer Marketing
So, what are the key takeaways from this campaign and how can your brand use influencer marketing to get involved in something like this in the future? The Outloud Group, the influencer-marketing agency involved in some of the brand sponsorships associated with these videos, has laid out the following guide:
1. In all three videos, the audience was immediately engaged. Why? Because they specifically asked for the idea and for the collaborations that occurred. Creators have special relationships with their audiences, and when they execute on audience feedback, the bond grows stronger, and so does the audience’s future engagement with the creator’s content.
Brand advice: Follow trends, and find influencers that are specifically involved or attached to them. Attach yourself to something that is growing, and your reach will follow.
2. Each creator stayed true to their style and unique creative voice in three videos about the same thing. This appealed to their audiences who subscribe to see the content they enjoy and identify with. Even when sponsorship was involved.
Brand advice: Let the creators stay creative. Separate your brand voice and let YouTubers advocate for you in their own way. This only makes you seem more authentic and gets you the “good humans that care about the earth” advocacy that Rober gave Wix. Now Wix is tied to social impact, commitment, and Rober’s humor. The same thing could happen to your brand if you’re willing to let go of the creative reigns.
3. YouTube influencer marketing takes time. This campaign was designed over many months, and the brands involved had to be patient as the creators worked their magic to design long videos that involved large groups.
Brand/Agency advice: Give creators time, stay on top of the logistics, and be flexible with anything that requires detail. To pull off a campaign at this scale you need to be patient and understand that this will be a huge time commitment for your company in order to reap the benefits that will impact your brand for its lifetime.
We were excited to be working with creators that are using their platforms to influence the planet in a positive way. The results of this campaign will literally continue to grow for years to come.
This year, the 35th annual Sundance Film Festival showcased 118 feature films from 27 countries and was accompanied by a number of activations celebrating multicultural storytelling, health and wellness and up-and-coming creators. See which brands became the talk of Park City, Utah, ahead.
Adobe Panels Highlight Next Generation Of Creators
As a longtime sponsor of Sundance, this year Adobe doubled down to highlight diverse voices and the up-and-coming next generation of creators via panels and discussions as well as a private screening of Some Kind of Heaven presented by Adobe and Sundance Ignite.
HBO, TNT And TBS Host Multicultural-Focused Panels
HBO, TNT and TBS held a pop-up called “Our Stories to Inform” across three days. The invite-only event reflects the brands’ dedication to multicultural storytelling and includes panels, exclusive dinners with casts and more interactive moments to highlight their ongoing initiatives engaging African American, Asian American, LGBTQ+ and Latinx audiences.
HBO also hosted an immersive pop-up experience at OP Rockwell in support of the six-part documentary series McMillion$, debuting on HBO on February 3. Through an interactive game, guests will experience the true story of the $24 million McDonald’s Monopoly scandal.
Kia Telluride Supper Suite Shuttles Celebrities
Taking over The Mustang restaurant once again, Kia Motors hosted a dining experience with Marbl Toronto, and with a fleet of its new Kia Telluride transported celebrities at the festival. The carmaker also hosted the annual Collider Portrait and Media Studio where interviews with filmmakers, actors and influencers were conducted and cast portraits were snapped. The Supper Suite’s official spirits sponsor is William Grant & Sons.
Wellhaus Hosts Multi-Location Pop-Ups
Wellhaus partnered with three local venues to create a host of health-focused experiential activities including spa treatment junkets, premiere parties and panel discussions on cannabis and other topics. Venues include the Wellhaus Spa Experience at the PuraVida Spa at Sky & Main Hotel, the Wellhaus Café experience at Main Street Deli featuring organic coffees and healthy snacks and the Wellhaus Lounge at Old Town Cellars.
Chase Sapphire Throws “Sound Check” Concert For Cardholders
Chase Sapphire tapped DJ Mark Ronson for its “Chase Sound Check” concert exclusive to cardholders, which was held at TAO Park City’s pop-up. The brand also served up panel discussions with the Los Angeles Times and cast parties for films including The Nest and Iron Bark in addition to a chef demo from Top Chef season 14 winner Brooke Williamson.
Barry’s Bootcamp Offers Free Workouts
Courtesy of Barry’s Bootcamp, festival-goers got to sweat it out at one of 60 workouts, some of which were led by the company’s founder Joey Gonzalez and top instructors from Los Angeles and New York.
Acura Festival Village Displays Full Car Lineup
A presenting sponsor for the last 10 years, Acura returned with a week of activations and daily live performances. Highlights include discussions led by Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic on the Acura Stage and transportation for filmmakers provided by Acura MDX SUVs. Acura also hosted the premiere party for Glenn Close and Mila Kunis’ Four Good Days and for Sylvie’s Love starring Eva Longoria. The brand displayed a full vehicle lineup to spotlight its hybrid car, the NSX. Inside the Acura Festival Village, celebrity interviews with the festival’s top talent were hosted by Kevin Smith.
This year, the Super Bowl LIV, airing February 2, sold all its in-game ad inventory early for the first time in five years, with pricing for units topping out at $5.6 million per 30-second spot. To accommodate brands that were late to the game, Fox Sports added an additional “floater” ad pod to the game resulting in an extra two minutes and 30 seconds and increasing Fox’s in-game ad revenue by more than $25 million. To see how brands are taking advantage of the popular screen time, we’re taking a look at the commercials and campaigns inspired by game day.
Mountain Dew Parodies The Shining With Tracee Ellis Ross
Mountain Dew released a six-second teaser inspired by the 1980 film The Shining. Starring Tracee Ellis Ross, the full ad will reimagine one of the movie’s famous scenes and will appear in-game for 30 seconds to promote the beverage brand’s new zero-sugar variety.
Olay Campaign Pays It Forward To Girls Who Code
Olay released two Super Bowl ad teasers featuring five celebrities including Busy Phillipps, Lilly Singh, Nicole Stott and Katie Couric. The space suit-clad group prepares to embark on their journey to space to convey the brand’s new message, which is: #MakeSpaceForWomen. For every tweet that mentions #MakeSpaceForWomen, Olay has pledged to donate $1 (up to $500,000) to Girls Who Code.
Hyundai Ad Stars Massachusetts-Born Actors
For its 12th Super Bowl presence, Hyundai will run a 60-second spot featuring Chris Evans, John Krasinki, Rachel Dratch and Boston Red Sox’s “Big Papi” Ortiz. The car maker posted a teaser video featuring Dratch coach Ortiz on nailing the Boston accent. For the first time in Hyundai’s Super Bowl history, the teaser centers on a female actress.
Anheuser-Busch InBev Celebrates Everyday American Heroes
Budweiser released its 60-second heartfelt spot a week before game day. The commercial is a compilation of Americans going about their everyday lives including a firefighter at work, a disabled woman running a marathon, people protesting and Olympians celebrating success.
Cheetos Returns To Super Bowl Screen After 11 Year Break
PepsiCo Inc.’s snack unit Frito-Lay confirmed it will run two 30-second spots for Cheetos and Doritos, respectively. The buys follow new product launches from both brands including Doritos’ Flamin’ Hot Limon and updated Cheetos Popcorn flavors, Cheddar and Flamin’ Hot.
Snickers Spot Honors 10th Anniversary Of “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry“
Snickers’ game day ad will celebrate a decade of its longtime campaign “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry,” which the brand first aired via a spot in 2010 featuring Betty White. This marks Snickers return to the Super Bowl after a two year hiatus—in 2017, its spot featured Adam Driver.
Toyota Ad Precedes Larger Highlander Campaign
Toyota will run a 60-second video spot featuring its new 2020 Highlander to kick off a larger campaign, which will run through mid-July. The automaker has a long history of using Super Bowls to launch new models. Its 2018 ad showcased Toyota’s shift to a mobility company and in 2019, its spot featured the 2019 RAV4.
Squarespace To Return After Year Break
Squarespace will air a 30-second spot that will be developed in-house between the first and second quarters.
Planters Celebrates Life Of Late Mr. Peanut
Planters’ Super Bowl ad will feature Wesley Snipe, Veep star Matt Walsh and the brand’s Mr. Peanut spokescharacter. A pre-game ad shows Mr. Peanut going to great lengths to save his friends from “snacking disappointment” resulting in a car crash in which Mr. Peanut dies. The brand’s 30-second spot, set to air during the third quarter, will broadcast Mr. Peanut’s funeral. Planters is giving commemorative Mr. Peanut pins to fans who can spot the NUTmobile on game day and encouraging them to show their condolences by sharing the black crying monocle and their favorite memory on social media using the hashtag #rippeanut.
Sabra Dipping Co. To Air First Super Bowl Ad
Hummus brand Sabra has tapped an unexpected cast to star in its first Super Bowl ad including The Real Housewives of New Jersey foes Teresa Giudice and Caroline Manzo, T-Pain and RuPaul Drag Race contestants. The brand rolled out teasers ahead of its 30-second commercial, which will demonstrate how versatile hummus is today.
Porsche To Air First Ad In 23 Years
Porsche is returning to the Super Bowl to debut its new electric car, Taycan, which the luxury carmaker released in December 2019. Porsche hasn’t produced any teasers.
Coca-Cola Returns To The Main Show
Coca-Cola purchased a 60-second in-game commercial after a one-year hiatus. According to Fox Sports’ reported asking price for Super Bowl ad windows, Coca-Cola paid at least $10 million. Last year, Coca-Cola ditches its standard spot for a pre-game animated commercial.
Pringles Partners With Rick And Morty For 30-Second Spot
For its third consecutive year at the Super Bowl, Pringles teamed up Adult Swim show Rick and Morty to create a 30-second spot set to air during the second quarter of the game. The spot will pay homage to the series’ viral hit episode “Pickle Rick” which inspired Pringles’ new special edition “Pickle Rick” Pringles.
Facebook Will Air Its First Super Bowl Ad
Facebook wants to show how its groups bring people together so it’s extending its “More Together” campaign to a Super Bowl spot with cameo appearances from Sylvester Stallone and Chris Rock. A company spokesperson told CNBC that the spot will show “how people from different backgrounds come together over shared interests and experiences, all through Facebook Groups.”
SodaStream Makes Comeback With Bill Nye
This year marks SodaStream’s first Super Bowl presence in six years. A 20-second teaser of the brand’s ad features Bill Nye questioning man’s ability to send humans to Mars, with an end hinting that “something big is bubbling.” In its quest to be the most talked about brand in Mars, Pennsylvania, SodaStream will also give fans a free SodaStream to residents of Mars who tweet at @SodaStream on game day.
Pop-Tarts Promotes New Pretzel Product With First Super Bowl Ad
Pop-Tarts has purchased a 30-second in-game slot to highlight the Pop-Tarts Pretzel unveiled in November 2019. The spot will feature Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness.
General Motors To Showcase All-Electric Hummer With Spot Featuring Lebron James
General Motors (GM) has called on Lebron James to promote its all-electric Hummer pickup truck in a spot set to air during the game. The Wall Street Journal reported that GM has plans to sell its revamped Hummer in early 2022.
Heinz To Air 30-Second Spot Focused On Ketchup
After a hiatus spanning from 2017-2019, Heinz is making its Super Bowl comeback with a spot that features its ketchup and new condiment, HoneyRacha. Heinz also announced on Twitter than it’s giving prizes to fans whose Heinz Matchup bottles match the game’s final score.
TurboTax To Extend New Integrated Campaign At Super Bowl
An official sponsor of the NFL, TurboTax will air a 45-second spot centered on the message that “all people are tax people.” An array of people described as “baby birthing” and “tattoo removing” are shown to show the fact that “People can be good at anything…even taxes.”
Pepsi To Debut Matte Black Pepsi Zero Sugar Can
To promote its new matte black finish can, Pepsi will give everyone in America free Pepsi Zero Sugar if the game ends in zero. Starting February 1, the new cans will be available on all JetBlue flights and this spring, all 546 Regal theaters will carry it.
Smartly.io’s study on social media ads indicates ad budget growth for 2020.
Why it matters: Despite concerns over campaign optimization on the platform, “almost all (96 percent) of survey respondents plan to increase their spending on Facebook in particular, making the social network the biggest priority for these marketing executives.”
Google has changed its SERP (search engine results page) again, introducing more subtlety between ads and organic results.
Why it matters: According to Ethan Hulbert, RPA’s SEO lead: “I think this trend is worth paying attention to, and expect it to have a muted effect over time.”
Laura Macdonald, head of consumer at Hotwire, shares study results on the best ways to connect to the increasingly influential “Generation Alpha,” or those born after 2010.
Why it matters: According to Macdonald’s research, she anticipates the important role in purchasing decision-making that this generational group will play. “For example, almost two out of three parents (65 percent) tell us that their children’s needs influence the tech purchases they make, while one in four (25 percent) actually ask their kids’ opinions before buying.”
“Marketing Week’s 2020 Career and Salary Survey reveals the marketing profession has an overall mean gender pay gap for full-time workers of 28 percent.”
Why it matters: Themarketing profession’s 28 percent gender pay gap is nearly four times that of the UK’s national average.
A new study from CivicScience shows gradual growth in the usage of digital payment programs.
Why it matters: It’s not just the current growth of programs like Affirm that’s worth noting; consumers are using these apps for low-priced items, showing that usage is similar to credit cards and could be a disruptive payment solution as they gain wider adoption by retailers.
The latest annual ranking from Canadian research firm Corporate Knights was revealed yesterday at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Why it matters: The ranking’s KPIs aren’t limited to environmental initiatives but cover “everything from energy and water use […] to the percentage of taxes paid, and women in executive management.”
More from Davos: Major brands unveiled the “first big initiative from the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM): the cross-industry working group founded by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) in 2019.”
Why it matters: Household brands as well as ad networks like Facebook and Google convened at Davos to unveil how they’ll attempt to identify “harmful content” while equipping media companies with tools for diverting funds from such content, as well as developing industry standards for combatting it.
“More luxury brands are […] attempting to ensure that every collaboration, retail experience and social media post feel like part of one cohesive whole.”
Why it matters: When it comes to brand integrity, consistency and coherence are key. Here’s a look at how the world of luxury fashion unifies global brand messaging.
As the main channels that DTC brands historically used for acquisition become crowded with competition, direct-to-consumer brands are investing in linear and addressable TV to achieve broad awareness.
Why it matters: “Not only are [multichannel, mid-funnel strategies] a next phase extension, but cross-channel strategies appear to be an imperative alternative to rising costs and scale challenges.”
Deloitte has released data indicating a slip in advertising revenue for metropolitan radio of 6.1 percent.
Why it matters: “The figures follow a trend across all media of weak revenue figures, with the last Standard Media Index (SMI) figures showing the 15th consecutive month of negative growth for the advertising market.”
Exploring the factors at play when forecasting TikTok’s 2020 growth.
Why it matters: TikTok became a short-form video darkhorse in 2019. Debra Aho Williamson discusses how privacy concerns and competition could impact this growth in 2020.
Two factors are driving the growth in U.S. advertising spend, according to Winterberry’s media spending forecast.
Why it matters: Understanding the U.S. ad spend forecast can help frame the broader shift we are witnessing as consumers switch their viewership from traditional media channels to digital channels.
Editor’s Note:Our weekly reading list is updated daily. This installment is updated until Friday, January 24. Have a tip? We’re looking for must-read articles related to trends and insights in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.
This week in marketing leadership moves: Chase hires a new CMO, Gap’s chief marketing officer exits, Uber hires ex-Google marketing head David Mogensen to lead its European marketing and more.
JPMorgan Chase Names New CMO
JPMorgan Chase has selected a new CMO to succeed Kristin Lemkau, who was named CEO of Chase’s new wealth management division last month.
Leslie Gillin, who was most recently the president of Chase’s co-brand credit cards business, will oversee Chase, JPMorgan and corporate brands. Prior to joining Chase, she was CMO of Citi’s Global Consumer Bank.
Gap CMO Exits
The Drumreports that embattled clothing retailer Gap has announced the redefinition of their CMO position amid the exit of Alegra O’Hare, who served in the role since last September.
Uber Hires New Lead Marketer For European Region
Uber has found a replacement to lead its European marketing after the departure of Patrick Stal earlier this month, reports The Drum.
Stal has been succeeded by David Mogensen, who most recently served as lead marketer for Google in Northern Europe. Prior to Google, Mogensen oversaw US advertising for BMW in North America.
ViacomCBS Reshuffles Leadership Responsibilities
With the departure of Amy Doyle, former GM for ViacomCBS Music Group (MTV, VH1. CMT and Logo), several management shifts are taking place. Notably, Jacqueline Parkes has been made chief marketing officer in addition to her role as EVP of Digital Studios.
Additionally, Josh Line, EVP of marketing and creative at Comedy Central, Paramount Network and TV Land is departing to another role within ViacomCBS.
ANA’s SeeHer Names New President
SeeHer, an initiative by ANA to increase accurate portrayals of women in advertising, has named marketing executive Nadine Karp McHugh president, according to Campaign US.
Karp McHugh’s most recent role saw her in the position of SVP of omnimedia strategy, data-driven media and creative solutions at L’Oréal. She previously held the position of VP of global integrated media communications at Colgate-Palmolive.
Camus Cognac Loses CMO After Two Years
Jean-Dominique Andreu will be leaving his role as CMO at Camus Cognac at the end of January.
Andreu will continue to act as an adviser to the company, where he has been for two years. Global brand manager Pier Paolo Catucci will take over branding responsibilities.
Former PepsiCo Marketing Leader To Replace Retiring Kruger NA CMO
Nancy Marcus is set to retire from her role as North American chief marketing officer at Kruger Products.
Susan Irving, formerly of PepsiCo, will replace Marcus as CMO. Irving, who spent 15 years with the brand, most recently served as senior marketing director for the Quaker Nutrition portfolio.
Editor’s Note:Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment is updated until Friday, January 24. Have a new hire tip? We’re looking for senior executive role changes in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.
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Consumers were on track to spend $44 billion on new vehicles in December 2019, down $2.2 billion from December 2018. With global car sales also expected to decline by about 3.1 million in 2019 and companies like GM, Ford and Mercedes-Benz cutting thousands of jobs and restructuring operations, there’s never been a better time for carmakers to embrace influencer marketing. And that they are. Ahead we’re exploring why auto brands have it harder than most verticals when it comes to leveraging influencers and the best practices they follow to make these partnerships effective.
Automakers have a long history of collaborating with fashion brands and influencers to sell consumers on the idea that a car can enhance their daily lives. In 2017, Volvo teamed up with fashion and lifestyle influencer Aimee Song, who has 5.5 million followers, for an Instagram ad campaign. The deliverables included three in-feed posts featuring Aimee and her Volvo, and a story, all of which together created over $5 million worth of exposure for Volvo, according to AdWeek.
In 2018, Maserati took a similar approach when it tapped fashion designer Jenny Walton. With 232,000 followers, the microinfluencer created content while at Maserati’s activation in Italian ski resort town Courmayeur.
Outdoor influencers and car lovers are also important players in a carmaker’s strategy. Honda, for example, has seen great success leveraging microinfluencers in the consideration phase of vehicle shopping and driving audiences to Honda.com for more information. To create awareness around its new Passport SUV in 2019, Honda launched an activation called the #300ftChallenge. The collaboration tapped multiple outdoor influencers, challenging each to complete an adventure equivalent to 300 feet— climbing a 300-foot rock face or mountain biking an extreme 300-foot trail. Adventure photographer and mega influencer Chris Burkard generated the campaign launch creative and additional adventure microinfluencers including pro climber Sasha Digiulian and kayaking pro Rafa Ortiz created in-feed and Instagram story videos for the challenge.
Inviting influencers to experience a car first-hand is another piece of the pie. In 2018, Honda invited microinfluencer Troy Sowers, a car detailing and motorsports aficionado on YouTube, to the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. There, Sowers rode in the two-seat Indy car, which he posted about both on his Instagram and his YouTube with the hashtag #HondaPartner. Sowers’ channel has 114,000 subscribers and nearly 7 million views.
Although traditional auto influencer activations, like sponsored social media content and attending interactive events, can be executed easily, when it comes to asking influencers to review a car, auto brands may have it harder than most consumer verticals.
“Utilizing influencers in the automotive space can be a bit more challenging at times because the product being marketed has a longer purchase cycle than in beauty or quick service restaurant (QSR) verticals. Providing a vehicle to an influencer can also be more challenging in getting into the hands of influencers versus some beauty or QSR products. Not only do we have less product that we launch in a calendar year, but it can be very difficult to ship a car or light truck to an influencer, where a beauty product can be sent in a small package. There is also a significant price point differential between auto, beauty and QSR products,” said Jessica Fini, social media manager, American Honda.
What’s more, carmakers have a limited pool of influencers to choose from, because they’re required to work with influencers who are old enough to drive and have a driver’s license. To get the most out of an auto influencer partnership, Fini says marketers should study and pinpoint the skills of their prospective influencers. Knowing if they’re strong in video or photography is important as vehicles can be a difficult product to capture content around.
