Nintendo Appoints Devon Pritchard Executive Vice President Of Sales, Marketing And Comms

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This week in leadership updates, Nintendo names Devon Pritchard EVP of sales, marketing and communications, Burger King appoints Thibault Roux chief digital officer, Dave & Buster’s hires Ashley Zickefoose as chief marketing officer and more.

Nintendo Of America Appoints Devon Pritchard Executive Vice President Of Sales, Marketing And Comms

Nintendo has named Devon Pritchard executive vice president of sales, marketing and communications, according to Venture Beat.

This year marks Pritchard’s 16th year with Nintendo. She most recently served as the company’s executive vice president of business affairs and publisher relations.

Burger King Taps Thibault Roux As Chief Digital Officer

Burger King has hired Thibault Roux as chief digital officer of US and Canada, the company announced on its parent website.

Under his belt, Roux has years of experience in digital leadership roles such as senior vice president digital at Optum and vice president of product, experience and accessibility at UnitedHealthcare.

Dave & Buster’s Hires Ashley Zickefoose As Chief Marketing Officer

As part of a string of new executive leadership hires, Dave & Buster’s has appointed Ashley Zickefoose as chief marketing officer.

Zickefoose joins Dave & Buster’s from Main Event, where she was chief marketing officer. Prior to that, she served as CEC Entertainment’s chief marketing and concept officer.

Nickelodeon Names A New Marketing Chief

After a three-year stint as chief marketing officer of Nickelodeon, Jenny Wall is stepping down, reports Deadline. Sabrina Caluori—who has been promoted to executive vice president and head of marketing and brand strategy for Nickelodeon—will succeed Wall.

Previously, Caluori was president of a firm she founded, Theia Communications, and prior to that spent over 12 years at HBO in a variety of marketing executive roles.

St Kitts Tourism Authority Names Mia Lange Chief Marketing Officer

Mia Lange has been appointed to the newly created role of chief marketing officer for St Kitts Tourism Authority.

Lange has more than two decades of Caribbean destination marketing experience, most recently serving as executive director, global communications of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

Trend Set: Highsnobiety’s Gucci x Adidas, Twitch ‘Channel Switcher,’ McDonald’s x OfflineTV

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Ayzenberg Junior Strategist Ashley Otah recounts the past week’s most significant trends.

Twitch

Testing, testing. In a twist, Twitch tests out channel surfing. The company hopes to breathe new life into what seems like a pattern of the past. ‘Channel Switcher’ will allow users to check out different streamers quickly. Rolling out to a select group of users, Twitch intends to take stock of the success before expanding. In a bid to keep audiences captivated, brands must explore integrating features that meet the demands and expectations of consumers.

Highsnobiety, Gucci X Adidas

Ahead of its anticipated drop, Highsnobiety has released a spot highlighting the power of love and togetherness. Brands have been working overtime to create collaborations that resonate with audiences far and wide. Unfortunately, some miss the mark by casting a wide net and creating inconsistent storylines that are not meaningful to either niche. In a world full of half-baked takes and brand back-and-forth, the video solidifies that there is a way to uplift two brands at one time through proper partnership.

McDonald’s

Eyes on the price. With its sight set on expansion, McDonald’s is venturing into in-app experiences such as Camp McDonald’s, which includes merch drops, free food, and lower price points. Now, it is targeting gamers with OfflineTV creators. The franchise notes how big the gaming playing field is, especially as the 2022 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry states over 215 million people of all backgrounds play video games. Within those numbers, three-quarters of the players are over 18.

The Comeback Program With Danone North America’s Surbhi Martin

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Nearly 1 million women have left the workforce since the start of the pandemic in February 2020. This staggering statistic is why Surbhi Martin, vice president of greek yogurt and functional nutrition at Danone North America, and her team have launched The Comeback Program.

In this episode, Surbhi and I discuss Danone’s Light + Fit yogurt brand and their focus on helping women reacclimate to their careers after taking a break. Being one of the biggest B Corps in the world, purpose-driven marketing leads the charge for Danone’s marketing strategy. The Comeback program aligns not only with its purpose but with the mission and values of the company’s consumers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • All About Light + Fit’s ‘The Comeback’ program
  • What a B Corp is
  • The importance of purpose-driven marketing to connect the dots between company purpose, product, and consumer needs

Key Highlights

  • [01:35] Surbhi’s career path
  • [03:20] What is a B Corp?
  • [04:25] What Surbhi’s role entails
  • [05:16] Light + Fit’s The Comeback program
  • [06:47] Origination of the program
  • [08:11] Partnership with Women Back to Work
  • [10:10] Previous partnership with Dress for Success
  • [13:31] Impact and throughline of overall marketing efforts of Danone through purpose-driven marketing
  • [19:32] An experience that defines Surbhi
  • [23:06] Surbhi’s advice to her younger self
  • [23:41] What Surbhi as a marketer, is learning more about
  • [26:10] Books Surbhi is reading now
  • [30:13] The biggest opportunity or threat for marketers today

Resources Mentioned:

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Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart:

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 brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth opportunities. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine companies.

Trend Set: Yeat X Minions, Reels and Twitch

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Ayzenberg Junior Strategist Ashley Otah recounts the past week’s most significant trends.

Reels

The devil is in the data. Meta is testing making every video a reel. Much like TikTok, platforms have seen significant differences in usage after implementing short-term content, infinite scrolling, and similar app-like features. However, assuming users will enjoy one feature on an app to the next can prove to be a bust as some go to different platforms for different experiences. As the battle for attention continues, bidding on short-term vs. long-term content is becoming a gamble. However, sifting through data and sentiment can be the perfect setup for success.

Twitch

Talking heads. Twitch, the live video streaming platform, is announcing ‘Guest Star,’ a feature that allows creators to pull in guests in what feels like a talk show. Guest Star will allow anyone with a Twitch account to be looped in by creators. First, the feature will be launched with a select group, with future rollouts coming in the foreseeable future. Having multiple options to operate on platforms, whether through sound, visuals, the combination of the two, and more, gives creators a runway to get creative. Ultimately, this allows brands to connect with larger audiences and create more enjoyable experiences for all.

Yeat X Minions

Yeat on the beat. Yeat enters the Minion universe with his song “Rich Minion” for Minions: The Rise of Gru. Yeat, the American rapper, rose in popularity in 2021 and has not looked back since. With songs like “Sorry Bout That” and others that have since blown up on TikTok, the rapper has cemented his own lane. With the addition of the Minions franchise, the two make a very different duo most have seen. Unlikely partnerships and collaborations can make the mark and fuel collaborations people not only look forward to but accept with open arms.

Nationwide Building Society’s Top Marketer Sara Bennison Exits

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This week in leadership updates, the chief product and marketing officer for UK-based Nationwide Building Society departs, while Function of Beauty taps Marianna Trofimova as chief marketing officer, Nat Geo elevates Karen Greenfield to senior vice president of content, diversity and inclusion and more.

Nationwide Building Society’s Chief Product And Marketing Officer Steps Down

Nationwide Building Society’s top marketer since 2016, Sara Bennison, is exiting.

In a farewell post on LinkedIn, Bennison said:

“It took us 100 years to attract our first 1.5 million members but we grew our membership by that same number in the last 5 years. Proof positive, in my mind, that achieving success in the short term is best served by doing the right thing in the right way for your customers and for society in the long term.”

Bennison didn’t confirm her next move.

Prior to Nationwide Building Society, Bennison spent seven years at Barclays Bank, where she was chief marketing officer.

Function Of Beauty Names Marianna Trofimova Chief Marketing Officer

L’Oreal marketing veteran, Marianna Trofimova, has joined Function of Beauty as chief marketing officer, according to Global Cosmetics News.

Trofimova previously held various global leadership positions during a 20-year period at L’Oreal and its brands including Lancôme, Garnier and Biolage.

Nat Geo Elevates Karen Greenfield To SVP Of Content, Diversity And Inclusion

Karen Greenfield has accepted a promotion to the newly created role of senior vice president of content, diversity and inclusion at National Geographic Content.

Greenfield was most recently senior vice president of business operations as well as diversity and inclusion council chair.

Greenfield has worked at National Geographic since 2004 in a variety of business and product operation roles.

Pixelynx Hires Kimberly Knoller As Chief Marketing Officer

Pixelynx, the gaming and music metaverse company co-founded by deadmau5 and Richie Hawtin, has tapped Kimberly Knoller as chief marketing officer.

According to Music Business Worldwide, Knoller will oversee the company’s marketing strategy and execution, including its first game–ELYNXIR–which is slated to launch later this year.

Knoller joins Pixelynx from SongVest, where she was chief marketing officer.

ICYMI: Last week in job updates, Jenny Craig appointed Dan Hofmeister chief marketing officer, Amazon Prime Video and Studios chief marketing officer Ukonwa Ojo exited and more.

Amazon Prime Video and Studios Chief Marketing Officer Ukonwa Ojo Departs

Ukonwa Ojo, global chief marketing officer of Amazon Prime Video and Studios, is exiting after joining the company nearly two years ago.

According to her LinkedIn, during her time as chief marketing officer she launched eight of the top 10 shows in Prime Video’s 11-year history. She didn’t confirm what her next move would be.

Prior to Amazon, Ojo was global chief marketing officer at MAC Cosmetics and chief marketing officer of consumer beauty at Coty.

Jenny Craig Appoints Dan Hofmeister Chief Marketing Officer

Dan Hofmeister has joined Jenny Craig as chief marketing officer, according to a press release.

Hofmeister joins Jenny Craig from Bumble Bee Foods, where he held several marketing leadership roles, the most recent being senior vice president and general manager. Prior to Bumble Bee Foods, he spent eight years at Hormel Foods in customer business development and marketing positions.

Acne Studios Hires Isabella Burley As Chief Marketing Officer

Former Dazed magazine editor-in-chief Isabella Burley has been named Acne Studios’ chief marketing officer, reports Business of Fashion.

Burley, who led Dazed between 2015 and 2021, started working with Acne Studios last year when she was appointed to the newly created role of creative editor.

Trend Set: Reddit Cleans Up; Instagram Facial Analysis

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Ayzenberg Junior Strategist Ashley Otah recounts the past week’s most significant trends.

Reddit

Reddit is starting to clean up its act, so advertisers will want to come and play. A notorious hotbed for conspiracy theories, racism, sexism, homophobia, and porn (we’re also looking at you, Twitter) without any sort of real moderation for the past several years; Reddit is partnering with Brand Safety behemoth DoubleVerify to start implementing safeguards to help quell the worries of hesitant advertisers who still haven’t taken the plunge or never came back. If Reddit can get itself into a more palatable state, advertisers will have the opportunity to reach a very engaged and passionate group of consumers—which means $$$ for everyone!

Instagram, AI Facial Analysis

Instagram is now introducing new ways to verify age, says parent company, Meta. The new options allow age verification for age-appropriate experiences, asking others to vouch for their age, and confirming age based on video selfies. The brand is partnering with a company specializing in privacy-preserving methodology and aims to navigate complex situations with intricate solutions. Whether a step too far or a step in the right direction, brands must understand the line between protection and privacy.

TV Media Spend

We hinted at this trajectorya few weeks ago, but Streaming Platforms (Connected TV) are taking over TV Media Spend. With the network upfronts taking place in early June (where the networks usually preview all their new shows to advertisers to get them to provide ad dollars “upfront”), completely pivoting and focusing on Streaming Platforms like Disney+ instead of Disney Channel and ABC, the times are a-changing! Upfront Connected TV (CTV) ad spending will rise nearly 35% this year alone in the US which is what was spent on CTV in its entirety just three years ago. This is why Netflix and Disney+ will have ad-supported options this fall (which we also covered a few weeks ago).

Trend Set: Drake Drops Honestly, Nevermind

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Ayzenberg Junior Strategist Ashley Otah recounts the past week’s most significant trends.

Cheekbone – Unsellable Lipgloss

Cheekbone beauty releases a new line of lipgloss inspired by contaminated water that isn’t available for sale anywhere. In their #GlossedOver campaign, lipglosses titled E.coli Kiss, Mercury Shimmer, and Luscious Lead are displayed in recognition of Indigenous History Month. The campaign brings awareness to First Nation Communities in Canada that don’t have access to clean water. With a bold statement, “You wouldn’t put a contaminated gloss on your lips, so why should anyone put contaminated water to theirs?” in tandem with Sephora Canada donations, the campaign showcases how being a conduit for change can be creative too.  

Drake – Honestly, Nevermind

Started from the bottom, now we’re here. Six hours before its release, Drake announced the drop of his seventh studio album The album, “Honestly, Nevermind,” came as a surprise to many and was reminiscent of Beyonce’s latest drop for her new album “Renaissance” and her self-titled album “Beyonce,” which had no promo. The releases feel like a breath of fresh air in a world full of carefully curated moments at every marketing stage. However, brands must be mindful of the ramifications of “surprise” capsules, releases, and drops, as although the shoe fits for some, it does not fit for many. 

YouTube Shorts

Life’s too short. Earlier this week, YouTube announced that its Shorts tops 1.5 billion logged-in users every month. The statistic is actively being compared to TikTok’s announced 1 billion monthly users data point. The TikTok-like short-form videos are said to be a segue into creators’ longer formatted videos. Although previously stated to be off to a rocky start, the feature is gaining traction. Increasingly, platforms are implementing comparable features that other big brands utilize to their detriment or success. Of course, brands can have a mixture of new and old features, but being everything to everyone all the time, may not be the best answer.

Spotify Culture Next Report Shows Insights On Gen Z Culture

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Each year, Spotify’s Culture Next report checks in on the pulse of the music platform and how millennials and Gen Z are engaging with it. 

This year, Gen Z’s prevalence has noticeably risen, with 1 in 3 users globally belonging to the age group. On top of their heavy use of the platform, Spotify notes that the music industry is seeing some sea changes when it comes to how Gen Z relates to the artists they enjoy. Platforms like Discord, subreddits and Spotify have ushered in a new way for music lovers to engage with artists, creating more of a fan culture and community. Standoms are on the rise.

Overall, 39% of Gen Zs said they would call themselves a “fan,” with 20% of them taking it a step further and being “more than a fan.” What does this mean? According to Spotify, 55% of Gen Zs are actively seeking out bonus and behind-the-scenes content for their favorite performers and want to know more about the creative process behind the music.

This shift to being creator-centric within the music space is creating an environment where this bonus content, behind-the-scenes stuff and focusing on the fan experience is more than welcome.

While millennial culture has been strongly associated with the proliferation of podcasts, it appears that Gen Z is also furthering the content format’s use —75 percent of Gen Zs are using audio to understand themselves better compared to 60 percent of millennials, using podcasts as the means to do so. Spotify notes they have seen a 62 percent rise in podcast listenership among the ascendant age group, with 41 percent of 18-24 year-olds listening to podcasts on at least a weekly basis. 

Outside of standoms and podcasts, as anyone on TikTok can attest, Gen Z has a particular affinity for nostalgia, which has become a salve for many to deal with the numerous difficulties in present times. Because of this, 70 percent of Gen Zs in the United States are listening to music and watching media from earlier decades. 

“We don’t want to be in 2022, we want to be in a different time where something like the pandemic doesn’t exist,” said Samantha, 19 from Easton, Pennsylvania, who participated in the survey.

Hooters Names New CMO; Ulta CMO Shelley Haus Passes Away

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Marketers are making moves this week as we see new CMOs take on posts at Hooters and Zaxby’s, while Ulta says goodbye to Shelley Haus, who passed away this week at the age of 49.

Hooters Promotes Bruce Skala On As CMO

After 9 years with HOA Brands, operator of the Hooters chain of restaurants, the company is promoting Bruce Skala to the post of CMO, where Skala will oversee global marketing campaigns, as well as driving national campaigns, according to a press release.

Most recently, Skala held the position of VP of Marketing, but has had several roles at the company during his tenure, leading successful partnerships and collaborations with celebrities. 

“I am honored to be named Chief Marketing Officer and to further my stewardship of HOA Brands alongside a phenomenal team,” Skala said in the press release. “I am proud of what Hooters has accomplished in bolstering its standing as a prominent brand, and I’m eager to continue building on that success.”

Ulta CMO Shelley Haus Passes Away From Cancer

Ulta is mourning the passing of Shelley Haus, who at the age of 49, passed away from cancer this week. Haus had been CMO of the cosmetics store brand since 2019 and with the company since 2017.

In a post on LinkedIn, Ulta is celebrating her life as an “innovative marketer, creative storyteller and people-first leader.”

“The Ulta Beauty family is heartbroken by the loss of our colleague and friend. We’re forever grateful for the time we had with Shelley and the gifts she shared with us. She was one of a kind, made us better, and filled our world with so much love.”

Chicken Finger Chain Zaxby’s Coaxes Patrick Schwing From Arby’s

Zaxby’s, a chicken finger chain with over 900 locations across 18 different states, is naming Patrick Schwing as CMO. The past year has seen Zaxby’s completely reshape their executive team and bringing aboard fast-food veteran Schwing is another feather in their cap. Schwing previously held the CMO post at Arby’s for 2 years, and prior to that had various roles at Procter and Gamble where he spent over 16 years.

“As Zaxby’s focuses on brand and culinary differentiation, we are excited to add Patrick to our world-class executive team,” CEO Bernard Acoca said in a statement.

Trend Set: Week Of June 6th

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Ayzenberg Junior Strategist Ashley Otah recounts the past week’s most significant trends.

The Stranger Things Experience

The right side up. Netflix and Fever opened The Stranger Things Experience in New York and San Francisco, with eyes set on London next. The immersive showcase allows superfans and fans to enter a world dear to their hearts. After the long-awaited fourth season release, people were buzzing to talk about and dive deeper into the unknown. The fan-favorite hour-long performance underscores how participatory experiences directly engage consumers. As the world continues to reemerge, these experiences maintain a huge hold as people desire human connection and interaction. Curating timely immersive experiences garners brand awareness and affinity in a way that is often overlooked.

Snapchat Mindfulness Lens

Mindfulness matters. Snapchat entered the mindfulness augmented reality space with more accessible lenses alongside Modem and its research and development. The lens helps Snapchatters practice breathing exercises that are much needed. As more than half of the world uses social networks and more time is spent on the internet, curbing unhealthy habits and replacing them with useful tools and necessary breaks can cultivate a more meaningful and mindful social manner. Significant strides are being made to create accessible features and mediums across the board. First, however, brands must recognize and understand the difference between performance and true advocacy and implementation.

Instagram Pin Feature

Take it from the top. Instagram announces you can now pin three reels or posts to the top of user profiles. Like TikTok, this allows users to gain traction on trending posts, inform page viewers about content, and display their best work. Twitter has another feature that will enable users to pin top tweets to feeds. While some wage it’s a carbon copy of the TikTok feature to compete with the booming app, others assume it’s a sign of the times in a heavily curated landscape. Brands can use this feature across all platforms to bring an edge over the competition.