Facebook Co-Founder Andrew McCollum Shares His Plans For A New OTT Service

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Andrew McCollum, Philo CEO

“Cord cutters,” a.k.a. people who give up cable television for streaming services, are becoming increasingly common, especially among younger audiences. Digital television platforms such as Netflix and Hulu have been steadily growing to bring viewers content on practically any device, making it challenging for new services to enter the space. But the new digital TV service Philo—named after Philo Farnsworth, the founder of the all-electronic television—is taking up the task by not competing.

Philo launched its mainstream business in November, giving audiences access to channels and shows while connecting through an integrated social platform. But instead of positioning itself as a competitor to services like Hulu, the live TV streaming and DVR service is presenting itself as a complementary subscription.

“People love TV, but they don’t love the ways to watch TV,” Philo CEO Andrew McCollum, formerly a founding member of Facebook, told AListDaily. “If you use Philo and combine it with Netflix or other streaming services or a digital antenna, you can build your own content packages.”

Philo started six years ago, catering to the college market while it refined its technology and established relationships with content providers. The company is now entering the mainstream market with partners that include Viacom, AMC, A&E, Discovery and others, who have collectively given Philo a strategic investment of $25 million along with access to their channels.

College students are satisfied with the service, according to McCollum, who cited a survey that says of over 2,000 students, 90 percent indicated that they wanted to take Philo with them. The company is developing opportunities to migrate this existing audience over to the mainstream service. In the meantime, Philo is investing heavily in PR, social and word-of-mouth marketing before it considers a deeper marketing spend.

A considerable part of the word-of-mouth approach is likely tied into the service’s social features, as McCollum’s interest in bringing social design to products still remains from his time at Facebook. Viewers can recommend the shows that they’re watching to others, even if they’re not signed up with Philo yet. In those instances, the recommendation comes with an invitation to start a free trial. Once in, can immediately jump into the show and check out what their friends are watching. There are also some features for synchronized viewing experiences.

Philo differentiates itself from live TV services such as PlayStation Vue by not including broadcast network or sports channels that other subscriptions have, according to McCollum, thereby removing the high premium that comes with them.

“We wanted to create a different choice in the market with more flexibility in building the content they care about,” McCollum said. “Most of the other services have broadcast and sports-focused packages. We’ve tried to differentiate on the package side by offering entertainment, lifestyle and knowledge channels. We’re also differentiating by price and we’ve tried to innovate on product by making it easy to use with a social dimension added to the experience.”

Philo has no plans to compete with platforms such as Hulu or Netflix through original content, nor does the service offer access to premium channels such as HBO, but McCollum said that they’re currently in talks to have the latter added. For now, he’s comfortable with the idea of audiences using Philo to supplement other streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, which do offer these types of content.

“Some of these services aren’t really competitive to us—they’re largely complementary—so you can sign up for more than one,” McCollum said.

3 Things About TV Binge-Watching Every Marketer Should Know

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Binge-watching TV has become the new norm, and marketers are crafting their campaigns accordingly. Here are the three most important things marketers need to know about this dedicated—and probably sleep-deprived—audience.

Who’s Binge-Watching?

If you’ve ever seen the message, “Are you still watching?” chances are, you’re a binge-watcher.

Deloitte defines binge-watching as viewing at least three episodes of a show in a single sitting. According to its annual Digital Democracy Survey, 70 percent of US consumers do just that, led by those between the ages of 14 and 25.

It turns out that settling in to binge is a pastime enjoyed across generations. While 36 percent of millennials confess to binge watching at least once a week, 35 percent of all other generations do the same, with the exception of mature audiences over the age of 69.

Marketers are still adapting to this viewing behavior, so additional data is required to understand a target audience. For example, an ad impression has traditionally been counted in the same way as TV and PC—that is, by the screen.

The problem with this method is that it doesn’t account for those who watch streaming TV together. Nielsen has expanded its Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) Content Ratings service to include more insights into how this content performs at the episode and season level.

Watch Now, Or Binge Later? Audiences Say “Both”

Nearly half of US consumers subscribe to a streaming media service, but not all binge-worthy shows are the same. For example, some shows are released all at once, while others are spread out like traditional TV programming.

After a healthy dose of marketing, Hulu released a new episode of The Handmaid’s Tale each Wednesday and observed that, on average, 66 percent of viewers watched each installment within the first three days of availability.

Those who started The Handmaid’s Tale after the release of the season finale worked hard to catch up—watching nearly three episodes on average per viewing session, according to Hulu. About 60 percent of these new viewers finished all 10 episodes in one week and 30 percent completed the season in just three days.

Hulu Insights, a research arm of the OTT service devoted to providing insights into the streaming and advertising space, found that 60 percent of Hulu viewers like to watch multiple episodes of a series in one sitting. Eight percent will frequently binge an entire season or series in a single day. However, 32 percent still prefer to watch week-to-week.

So, how do you market to an audience that may or may not have watched the entire season already? Social media analytics firm TalkWalker says to plan ahead.

“If your brand or company wants to jump on a trending television event, plan for the marketing campaign to roll out well in advance of the air date,” TalkWalker said in a statement. “Let’s face it—the social media conversation for a show like House of Cards or Stranger Things tapers pretty soon after it’s released, so if you want to be part of the conversation, get ahead of it.”

Netflix doesn’t offer advertising, but it had no shortage of brand sponsors for the second season of Stranger Things. Both Netflix and brand partners like Eggo began promoting the show before its release but steered clear of spoilers.

Marketing across social media began with teasers and overall themes, such as the return of season one characters and how Eggo waffles will fuel your travels. Subsequent messages discouraged spoilers and the team held off on anything even remotely spoiler-like until several weeks after the premiere.

Understanding Binge-watching Behavior

It’s not enough to realize that viewers enjoy a streaming marathon. OTT services are learning how audiences make viewing decisions, as well as how often they repeat this behavior.

“What we’ve discovered is that viewers who exhibit a particular viewer behavior tend to retain that habit in subsequent seasons,” Hulu Insights wrote on its website. “In other words, if you watch weekly in one season, you’re more likely to do that for the next. Similarly, if you binge a season, you’re apt to do that again.”

The company found that among those who watched the latest season of Empire as new episodes were released, three out of four had done that for the prior season.

Marketers may also benefit from knowing how audiences react to certain genres. For example, six out of the 10 shows watched after The Handmaid’s Tale were comedies. So, if a brand wants to reach a comedy audience, timing a campaign with a stressful horror or drama may prove beneficial.

Google Announces New Detroit Office; IAB Expands Data Department

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Google has signed a lease for a new office in downtown Detroit, renting out more than 29,000 square feet of space. The office will open in spring 2018 with a starting team of around 100 members, joining the already 600-strong group of Google employees in Michigan.

“Our new space will not only provide room for future growth but will also give us the opportunity to contribute to the dynamic economic and community activity happening in Detroit,” reads a joint statement by Danielle Russell and Guy Schueller, co-site leads for Google Birmingham.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced the addition of Orchid Richardson as vice president and managing director for its online ad research arm, the IAV Data Center of Excellence. In the role, Richardson will work at developing industry benchmarks and best practices for online ad publishers, as well as expand education about “big data.”

“Orchid has expertise in managing complex data systems and audience exchanges, and has a deep appreciation for the complexities involved in today’s ‘big data’ landscape,” said Patrick Dolan, executive vice president and COO at IAB. “Her insights and guidance will help advance data operations and best practices, increasing the value of digital marketing for all parties involved.”

Before joining the IAB, Richardson served at 33Across as general manager of publisher and media solutions, and before that as head of digital sales operations for Hearst Magazines.

The Trade Desk, a digital ad-buying platform, has hired Susan Vobejda to the role of CMO.

“We are excited to add Susan’s perspective and experience to our executive team as we continue to build our brand globally,” said Jeff Green, CEO and co-founder at The Trade Desk. “Her digital and media expertise coupled with her perspective as an experienced CMO will help us better reach the brands and advertisers who can leverage our technology platform to achieve their marketing goals.”

Prior to her new position, Vobejda held the role of EVP and CMO for Tory Burch, and before that was a founding executive and GM at Bloomberg’s Media Distribution division.

Dana Walden has joined Hulu’s board of directors, becoming the third Fox executive to join the streaming service’s leadership team.

(Editor’s Note: This post will be updated until Wednesday, November 22. Have a new hire tip? Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.)

Job Vacancies 

Director, Global Levi’s Brand Marketing Levi Strauss & Co. San Francisco, CA
Director of Marketing, Consumer Products Activision Santa Monica, CA
Global Head of Product Marketing Eventbrite San Francisco, CA
VP, Creative Development, New Platforms Condé Nast Seattle, WA
Manager, Global Creative Marketing Netflix Los Angeles, CA
Director, Product Marketing Microsoft Redmond, WA

Make sure to check back for updates on our Jobs Page.

GameStop Appoints Interim CEO; Foxtel Marketing Exec Departs

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GameStop has appointed Daniel A. Dematteo to the role of interim CEO, as the current chief executive is stepping down to seek treatment for a medical condition. This is not the first time Dematteo has helmed the corporation, as he held the title of CEO back in 1996 as well.

“We continue to send our best wishes and strong support to Paul and his family,” DeMatteo said. “The Board of Directors has tremendous confidence in GameStop’s executives and the management team’s ability to effectively run the business with the Board’s support.”

Rob Farmer, marketing director for Foxtel, has departed the company after six years working there. This is just one of several recent departures, including the TV provider’s managing director of customer and retail and executive director of channel aggregation and wholesale, in the last few months.

Nate Hayden has joined Jukin Media its senior vice president of original content, a role in which Hayden will oversee video production for both web and television platforms.

“When you consider the fact that there are roughly 6 billion camera phones across the globe filming everything from music festivals to historic world events, I realized the endless potential of storytelling rooted in user-generated content,” Hayden said to Deadline. “I jumped at the chance to be a part of this new wave of content creation.”

Hayden joins the company from AOL Studios, where he led video content teams for The Huffington Post, TechCrunch and Engadget.

The Atlantic has created two new members of its leadership team, both vice presidents of advertising partnerships. Ryan McRae and Liz Lorenzoni will be joining the magazine’s New York and Chicago offices, respectively, and will spearhead efforts to bring in additional revenue through branded journalistic content.

“Ryan and Liz are both incredibly smart, strategic, passionate sales leaders and brand storytellers who bring a new level of energy and creativity to our talented team,” said Hayley Romer, publisher and senior vice president at The Atlantic. “With these two in place, we’re able to focus on planning for a formidable 2018.”

Lorenzoni has been with the company for four years, most recently as senior executive director of global advertising partnerships, selling The Atlantic‘s voice for us by Boeing, Emerson and Porsche. McRae joins from Business Insider, where he held the title of director of east coast sales.

Scholastic Education has announced hiring a new senior vice president of strategic marketing, Victoria Burwell. In the role, Burwell will seek to strengthen ties between the private company and public organizations, pushing business growth through literacy development.

Burwell joins Scholastic from McGraw-Hill Education, where she led the company’s efforts to rebrand and embrace digital business as senior vice president and chief marketing officer.

Sony Pictures TV has promoted Eric Berger to chief digital officer.

“During his tenure here at Sony, Eric has paved the way for us on the digital front, using a mix of business models and products, including AVOD, SVOD, TV Everywhere, games, virtual reality and more to guide the expansion of SPT Networks’ 100-plus linear international channels to on-demand, OTT, streaming services and other digital-first initiatives,” said Andy Kaplan, president of Sony Pictures TV, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Berger will continue his current role of GM for Crackle, the company’s foray into content streaming. He first joined Sony 11 years ago, becoming GM of Crackle in 2008.

Cheryll Idell has signed on with Snap as its newest head of entertainment measurement, a role in which she will assist the company in pitching its ad products to various multimedia networks.

Idell joins Snap after spending eight years at Nielsen. Most recently, she served as executive vice president of client solutions and oversaw the metrics provider’s relationship with Disney. Idell has also worked at 20th Century Fox and IAG Research over the years in leading executive roles.

Kevin Campbell has rejoined 20th Century Fox Film as co-president of worldwide theatrical marketing.

“Kevin has had extensive experience working with some of the best filmmakers in our business; and with some of Hollywood’s best studio marketing groups,” Stacey Snider, CEO of 20th Century Fox told Variety. “We are fortunate to take advantage of all of these many assets so that we can make sure that Twentieth Century Fox’s marketing prowess is future oriented for this century and beyond.”

Most recently, Campbell worked at Amblin Partners as head of marketing, and prior to that held other executive marketing positions at Fox from 2005 to 2008.

Metro-Goldwin-Mayer has appointed Michael Wright to fill the position of president of EPIX. Beginning Dec. 4, Wright will lead the company’s efforts to expand its original programming alongside overseeing marketing efforts.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael into the MGM family,” said Gary Barber, CEO of MGM. “His television industry experience and creative instincts are the perfect combination to help us execute on our original content strategy for EPIX and drive additional value creation for MGM overall.”

Previously, Wright helped launch Amblin Partners in 2015 and led as its CEO. Before that, he was president and head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies.

The NBA has tapped Amy Brooks for the role of chief innovation officer, an entirely new position at the league. Additionally, Brooks has been granted the title of president of team marketing and business operations.

“It is the opportunity to make changes around our game and the way we market our game and our players,” Brooks told Sports Business Daily. “This is a position that looks at the opportunities to grow and looks to make rapid changes to both develop our business and grow our game. We have several new opportunities to change the way we do things, and my role is to make sure I am interacting with all key stakeholders to properly assess all those decisions and when and if we should make them.”

Brooks will potentially head the development of a midseason NBA tournament and will lead a team of roughly a dozen members to develop new business initiatives for the league.

Troika has announced the hiring of Damon Haley as head of sports marketing, furthering the company’s push into team and athlete branding and marketing.

“Damon is an accomplished leader who has successfully bridged the sports and consumer products worlds,” said Kevin Aratari, head of business development at Troika. “Previously, as account director at Troika, Damon played an integral role in securing and leading initiatives for our foray into live sports with the Charlotte Hornets, Jacksonville Jaguars and UFC.”

Before his current role, Haley worked at Nike as a global brand consultant, working with athletes such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

McLaren has furthered its foray into the esports world, appointing Ben Payne as its first-ever director of esports. Payne will oversee the growth and development of McLaren’s esports strategy, including the company’s World’s Faster Gamer competition.

“Gaming and esports are two huge and exciting markets, and we believe that they’re essential elements of McLaren’s new marketing platform,” said Zak Brown, executive director at McLaren. “The growth and appeal of gaming and its close relationship to motorsport and Formula 1 makes this a natural area of expansion for us.”

Payne most recently worked at Microsoft, where he led third-party marketing divisions for Xbox and Windows. Additionally, he has held positions at SEGA and 2K Games.

Jaguar Land Rover has a new chief marketing officer in Felix Bräutigam, the company announced.

“The automotive business has many challenges,” Bräutigam said. “I am looking forward to getting our brands ready to face them and help take Jaguar Land Rover and the customer experience to the next level.”

Bräutigam joins the company from Porsche AG, where he served vice president for the European region, managing 51 different markets.

Toyo Tire USA is bringing on a new vice president of marketing in Tim Chaney.

“Chaney’s experience leading a challenger brand and out-of-the-box thinking is the perfect match for us at Toyo Tires as we continue on our mission to increase market share and brand awareness in the US,” said Roy Bromfield, president and CEO of Toyo Tires.

Chaney has worked in the marketing and automotive industries for three decades, including a 15-year stint at Kia Motors America, part of which he spent as vice president of marketing communications. At Kia, he oversaw the company’s famous hamster ads.

Hankook Tire has hired John Overing as its latest director of sales and marketing for the Canadian region.

“John’s proven track record of success throughout an extensive career in sales makes him the ideal candidate to take on the role of director of sales and marketing within our organization,” said Sen Yang, president of Hankook Tire. “He brings with him unparalleled knowledge and insights and we look forward to his success at Hankook Tire Canada.”

Overing has close to 20 years of experience working with tires, having held senior positions at both Yokohama Tire and Michelin North America.

Anheuser-Busch InBev announced that the head of its North America division, Joao Castro Neves, will be stepping down. The position will be filled by Michel Doukeris, who is currently the company’s chief sales officer.

“The US is our most important market and we recognize the need to continue to focus on driving topline growth across our portfolio,” said Carlos Brito, AB InBev’s CEO.

David O’Connor, CEO of Madison Square Garden, has quit the company. James Dolan, Madison Square Garden’s executive chairman, will take over as interim CEO.

VisitPay, an online healthcare billing platform, has hired Will Reilly to lead its client and consumer marketing team. Prior to joining the company, he worked at IBM as vice president of product marketing.

(Editor’s Note: This post will be updated daily until Friday, November 17. Have a new hire tip? Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.)

Job Vacancies 

Director, Global Levi’s Brand Marketing Levi Strauss & Co. San Francisco, CA
Director of Marketing, Consumer Products Activision Santa Monica, CA
Global Head of Product Marketing Eventbrite San Francisco, CA
VP, Creative Development, New Platforms Condé Nast Seattle, WA
Manager, Global Creative Marketing Netflix Los Angeles, CA
Director, Product Marketing Microsoft Redmond, WA

Make sure to check back for updates on our Jobs Page.

Social Media Drives Shopping; Consumers Talk Most About Underdog QSRs

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Social media has become the new storefront, a new survey by Curalate indicates. Among US consumers, 76 percent reported buying items they first saw in a brand’s social media post, and 40 percent shop online at least once per week.

Additionally, young people are significantly more affected by social media. Curalate’s data found that among 18-to-34-year-olds, 52 percent shop online weekly, and were 3.3 times more likely to discover products on social media than average US consumers.

“With billions of people inhabiting social networks, the content they thumb through has the potential of setting in motion a journey that leads from discovery to purchase,” said Curalate CEO Apu Gupta. “Creating those moments of discovery represents a massive opportunity for e-commerce to go beyond search and to introduce people to their next great find.”

Marketers can take advantage of this information by incorporating existing payment platforms. Eighty-five percent of daily online shoppers say that one-click payment options would make them more likely to buy directly on social media.

A new study by Engagement Labs tracking quick-service restaurants points to increasing relevance for underdog fast-food chains at the expense of previously strong coffee providers. Chipotle, Taco Bell, Wendy’s and In-N-Out all made the study’s top 10 rankings in terms of both on- and offline consumer conversations, while Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts fell from their places of prestige.

“In the case of Dunkin’ Donuts, the company saw a decline in its sentiment scores, which is a concern because our predictive analytics show that sentiment is an important driver of future sales,” said Ed Keller, CEO of Engagement Labs. “Meanwhile, Starbucks dropped in the ranking due to a decline in its brand sharing scores, demonstrating that consumers are sharing less of the coffee chain’s content online, while also talking less about its marketing or advertising in offline conversations.”

TVision Insights has released its “Q3 2017 Eyes-on-Screen TV Attention Report,” tracking the best television content in terms of capturing and maintaining consumer attention.

This quarter, ABC’s Modern Family and AMC’s Turn: Washington Spies scored highest for watcher attention, while Land Rover and P&G’s Bounce had the most engaging ads, according to the study.

 

The Interactive Advertising Bureau released a new report on OTT co-viewing, indicating that watching video content with others significantly increases engagement with and conversation about brand content.

More than 50 percent of co-viewers report regularly talking about brands and products they see on OTT channels, and more than 90 percent of Americans ages 13-to-64 co-watch TV programming.

“Watching TV has always had an important social component, and this has absolutely continued as OTT platforms become ever-more important parts of people’s viewing rituals,” said Chris Kuist, senior vice president of research and impact at IAB. “This social aspect of biggest screen in the house is powerful and is being amplified on OTT platforms in ways that can greatly benefit marketers.”

Netflix, one of the largest OTT providers, released similar research about accidental co-viewing. According to its data, 67 percent of global smartphone users are willing to stream content out of the home, and 45 percent of that group have caught someone else “backseat binging,” peeking at what they’re watching on their phone.

This growing trend leads to more conversation and potential for brands. Of those who stream content in public, 27 percent have been interrupted by a stranger asking about what they’re watching.

Mid-sized companies are finally embracing the emerging technologies they need to thrive in digital marketplaces, according to a report by Deloitte. Among middle-market companies, 36 percent are now spending more than 5 percent of their revenue on technology, up from 26 percent last year. Only 14 percent are spending less than 1 percent on technology, with the rest falling in the middle.

Additionally, the vast majority of mid-market companies plan to tap into cutting-edge technologies in the near future, with 77 percent reporting intent to invest in blockchain and 64 percent in mixed reality.

McAfee released its third annual “Most Hackable Holiday Gifts” list, identifying the most glaring security flaws in common consumer electronics and public opinion on them. Of the people McAfee surveyed, just 22 percent agreed that connected toys and appliances need to be secure, as compared to 69 percent for laptops, tablets and smartphones.

“We continue to see connected devices high on holiday wish lists, but it’s clear consumers don’t always understand the importance of protecting devices at every point of connection and within products themselves,” said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee. “In many cases, consumers are simply unaware that their devices need to be protected or how to protect them.”

More than 90 percent of consumers agree that security is important, but only 53 percent have taken the necessary steps to protect themselves.

Canalys released its research on the wearable band market in Q3 2017, revealing that interest in smartwatches and other such devices is waning, if slightly. Overall, the wearable band market fell by 2 percent this quarter, reaching 17.3 million units sold. Among individual players, Apple took the lead with its Apple Watch Series 3, claiming 23 percent of total market share.

“Strong demand for the LTE-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 has dispelled service providers’ doubts about the cellular smartwatch not appealing to customers,” said Canalys analyst Jason Low.

(Editor’s Note: This post will be updated daily until Friday, November 17.)

Deloitte: Mobile Trends Maturing, Addiction Gives Way To Etiquette

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Deloitte’s 2017 “Global Mobile Consumer Survey” has been released, and for the first time, several mobile trends are flattening out after years of consistent change.

A Maturing Market

The growth of mobile device ownership has slowed, increasing just five points from last year, which is down from 2016’s growth of seven points and 2015’s figure of 12. Saturation among the youngest consumers (18-to-24) is much higher at 93 percent, though adoption among those 55-and-older is growing more rapidly than any other group.

Common mobile-usage habits have crystallized into observable trends, the Deloitte report finds, with 89 percent of users checking their phones within an hour of waking up and 81 percent within an hour of going to sleep. These numbers are largely unchanged from 2016’s figures of 88 percent and 81 percent, respectively.

Similarly, the amount of times that users check their phones has plateaued at an average of 47 times per day, though the demographic aged 18-to-24 are a notable outlier. Such digital natives check their phone 86 times per day, up from 82 last year.

Mobile usage situations have likewise remained largely unchanged. The vast majority of consumers use phones while shopping, talking to family and friends, watching TV and eating. There is, however, one heartening change from last year—users are becoming more safety conscious, with 2 percent fewer reporting using their phone while crossing the road.

Device Etiquette

Mobile trends that are shifting are concern over mobile addiction and consumer efforts to combat it. Significant majorities among the youngest groups Deloitte surveyed reported the concern about overuse, with 75 percent of those aged 25-to-34 saying that they “definitely” or “probably” check their phone too much. By contrast, only 13 percent of those over the age of 55 expressed the same concern.

Beyond concerns, users are taking action to limit their usage. Thirty percent of all mobile users reported successfully reducing the time they spend on their phones, and 38 percent reported intending to in the future.

The most popular methods of fighting mobile addiction are keeping phones out of sight when meeting others (38 percent), silencing notifications (32 percent), keeping phones out of sight when alone (27 percent), deleting apps (26 percent) and shutting phones off at night (26 percent).

Furthermore, consumers are increasingly using their devices to communicate in more personal ways, with 86 percent making voice calls weekly, up from 77 percent last year. Voice calls are also on the rise, with 30 percent using such services weekly.

While worries about phone overuse are on the rise, so is consumer understanding of the value of their phones to others. The percentage of respondents reporting throwing their old phones away dropped by half, and the number who give old phones to family members almost doubled.

Changing Tech Trends

Consumer opinions on various mobile features are shifting, with users expressing a preference for Wi-Fi over 4G for the first time in the study’s history.

“Network statistic data indicates that this is in part being caused by an overall slowdown of 4G networks globally,” the Deloitte report reads.

Additionally, trust in mobile payments is rising as well. Almost 30 percent of users reported making an in-store payment via their phone this year, up 50 percent from 2016.

Interest in both connected devices in cars and wearable technology is increasing, too, with only 14 percent and 31 percent of users expressing disinterest, respectively. These numbers are down significantly from 2016’s of 25 percent and 38 percent.

To Reach Young, Digital Audiences, Creative And Marketing Renew Relationship

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John Baldecchi, Digital Riot Media CEO

Digital platforms are rapidly disrupting multiple industries—particularly television and movies. Studios that are part of these decades-old sectors must adapt to the changing environment to fit with how younger generations are consuming content. That means connecting the creative side of the entertainment business and marketing to develop content from the ground up to target specific demographics across digital platforms such as iTunes or Netflix instead of theaters.

John Baldecchi, a veteran of the film industry, is developing strategies for taking on the digital market. He is the CEO of Digital Riot Media, a global entertainment company that specializes in films that are specifically targeted at millennials and Gen Z audiences and focused around digital media platforms.

“We think of what we do as ‘tech-enabled,’ meaning that we’re looking at a lot of data to highly target audiences and adjust budgets based on who we think the audience is,” Baldecchi said. “We’re using data to figure out how we can be more efficient at marketing and focus on audiences. We’re in a world where data can work with the creative as opposed to stepping on it.”

The company’s first film was the direct-to-digital release FML, a comedy about an aging comedian who goes on a road trip with a social media star on a quest to gain a million followers and become relevant again. More recently, the studio released Happy Death Day on Friday the 13th in October with Universal Pictures. The horror movie is about a self-centered college student who keeps reliving her birthday as she tries to uncover her murderer.

Although both films are radically different in their distribution and marketing, they represent how Digital Riot is adapting to the changing shift in balance between theatrical and digital releases. Happy Death Day was originally meant for a digital release, but Universal decided it would be better to go with a theatrical one. Baldecchi said that theatrical releases and access to Universal’s worldwide distribution lends a lot of credibility to movies, and given budget considerations, he would rather make theatrical releases than digital ones. But the theater model doesn’t make sense for independently financed and distributed films.

“We like to keep our options open and remain flexible, [looking at] the distribution means and the technology that’s changing how we look at the world,” said Baldecchi.

Baldecchi said that the idea for Digital Riot’s approach came from observing his daughters and how they were fixed to their iPads, refusing to watch on larger TV screens. That led to creating content that is economically designed with platforms in mind first, with the marketing following accordingly. He says the goal is to deliver content to wherever they feel most comfortable, not necessarily to get them out to theaters. It’s the friction point of getting people out of their homes and spending extra money that’s causing many studios trouble.

According to Baldecchi, the first step is to talk to millennials, particularly those employed by the studio, to find out what content is relevant to them and their friends in order to “tap into the ideas that are in the zeitgeist.” The company then runs a sentiment analysis around different ideas to develop around them. Afterward, the data that was used to create the content goes into marketing toward specific audiences.

Baldecchi said that this collaboration between creation and marketing is different from the traditional approach because usually, “people want marketing dollars spent before you show up. Unless it’s premiering on a streaming platform, a lot of people like ad dollars spent before they get their hands on a movie.”

He also said that marketing needs to think about targeting demographic subcategories because “millennials and Gen Z” can be too big of a category to take on. Instead, he recommends looking to specific groups such as females between ages 15-and-20.

However, Baldecchi noted that there is a significant trade-off, in that the targeted audience is smaller than that of a theatrical release—and a smaller audience means a smaller budget. It’s the opposite approach of a theatrical releases, which aim to bring as many people as possible into theaters. Over time, said Baldecchi, targeting sub demographics means that digital platforms will increasingly grow to serve niche audiences.

Baldecchi believes, as many others do, that most people will eventually rely completely on streaming platforms for content and it will become increasingly harder to get people to theaters. But theaters will maintain a robust place in entertainment as events that feature specific directors, actors, ideas or IPs. Meanwhile, as platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Hulu continue to make original content, more studios will seek to fill the remaining niches in the market.

“I celebrate that there are mainstream platforms that are all about scale and are taking over the world, and then you have the more niche businesses,” said Baldecchi. “That feels right to me, and we want to do business with all of them.”

Another issue is that discovery becomes a major hurdle. With FML, Digital Riot relied on the cast and crew’s large social following and used them as marketing vehicles in addition to supporting the movie through ad dollars. The process of getting audiences to purchase the movie required even more pushing.

“It’s a combination of a straight ad buy—kids who are interested in ‘out there’ proselytizing—and a lot of marketing support,” said Baldecchi. “There’s no magic formula, it’s just more focused.”

“There’s no magic formula, it’s just more focused.” — John Baldecchi, CEO of Digital Riot Media

Baldecchi said that close attention needs to be paid to what sites and products customers are coming from and where they’re going to understand their tastes and preferences. Furthermore, he stated that having people generally like the movie may be beneficial to marketing, but more so on the traditional side than the digital one.

“Obviously, the more marketing money, the more luck you’re going to have,” Baldecchi added. “Marketing is always the hardest part, and clever campaigns will take into account dates and titles. They’re critical to the success of the project.”

Although Baldecchi supports the idea of day-and-date releases, where movies simultaneously launch in theaters and digitally, he sees it as a purely digital strategy than a compromise between theatrical and at-home releases. He stated that they mainly benefit smaller films where the theater numbers are less meaningful than the rental and purchase revenues.

In addition to making films, the company is also developing a digital episodic series, but the digital space isn’t limited to TV and film, as Digital Riot is finding opportunities in the app market. The company is advising entertainment company MSM Corporation International Limited (MSMCI) on the Megastar talent competition app, which features musician Usher Raymond as its creative lead and one of the judges.

Megastar is both a mobile app and months-long global talent competition, where singers, dancers and contestants of all types compete for a $1 million grand prize. Contestants submit videos through YouTube while app users vote, follow and tip them in hopes that they’ll make it to the livestreamed finale. Some of those contestants may end up in a Digital Riot project.

Although Digital Riot’s role is strictly advisory in helping to bring in talent and judges, Baldecchi observed that app marketing is very different from movie marketing. Megastar launched with prominent placing on the iTunes App Store, which was a major marketing move. Baldecchi sees some similarities between launching digital films and apps, in that audiences won’t come or stick around if the experience is bad. But that’s where the comparisons end, as apps can be improved post launch while most films cannot.

“[Megastar’s] version of marketing is our version of releasing,” said Baldecchi. “The parallels are that marketing in the App Store is akin to global marketing for a movie once it’s been released. The quality of the product is analogous to the quality of the movie.”

Exclusive: Steve Aoki Demystifies His Brand Approach

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Steve Aoki is no stranger to building brands.

His father Hiroaki Aoki is the founder of teppan chain Benihana, and as an understudy to the family business, Aoki learned the struggles of building a marque that resonates with the public firsthand with his own projects—beginning with Dim Mak, the record label he launched in his early twenties.

Steve’s career and personal brand didn’t officially take off until he worked his way toward becoming a globally recognized producer over the last decade. Now, the 39-year-old is one of the most active musicians on the planet dabbling in plenty of projects outside of making energetic synths.

His style for building a brand is simple, he says. All he has to do is sprinkle a strand of his DNA into it.

Earlier this year, the electro-entrepreneur launched the skater-inspired fashion line Dim Mak Collection to complement his record label. His portfolio also includes the esports Overwatch team Rogue, a skill-based video game gambling machine, a branded boot camp, and just last month, the launch of a brand ambassadorship with athletic apparel company Asics.

In an interview with AListDaily, the world’s most-travelled musician says he draws inspiration from the people around him to bring his own blend of energy to the personal and external brands that he maintains.

“One thing that carries you through and keeps you persistent—and most importantly consistent with your brand—is that you really believe in what you’re doing. Always be authentic to what you know and love,” Aoki said. “The great part about me traveling around the world is that I’m constantly influenced by all of the interesting people from different cultures that I meet—most importantly being a sponge and a student of life. I get to combine that spirit and build ideas with the teams I work with.”

Building a brand for Aoki means being able to bring his spirited persona and colorful vision to the forefront. It’s largely the reason the self-professed fitness fanatic became the central voice of Asics’ largest marketing revamp in the last quarter century, weighing in on the brand’s line of products, all while spotlighting his personal journey along the way. Owner of over a 400-pair, $100,000 shoe collection, the sneakerhead was also tapped to design his own line of Asics kicks as well.

“The world of athletics is something that’s actually a big part of my lifestyle, but now I have a platform to bring it out to the athletic world and do some exciting stuff,” Aoki said. “Whenever I get involved with partnerships, the first thing that I want to do is bring my creative energy to the table. I want to do what I’m good at by putting some of that Aoki DNA to the brand. I like to build bridges and have that common thread between all of the music, fashion and lifestyle worlds that I love so dearly and am involved in—and bring it all together.”

“I want to do what I’m good at by putting some of that Aoki DNA to the brand. I like to build bridges and have that common thread between all of the music, fashion and lifestyle worlds that I love so dearly and am involved in—and bring it all together.” —Steve Aoki

The two-time Grammy-nominated producer said that when a celebrity is designated to bring creative direction to a brand, they should never be constrained or limited to just slapping their name to Instagram posts. He instead prefers to be in the trenches offering direction and input on mood boards with creatives. When asked what the most important business lesson he’s learned as a brand owner and marketer, Aoki said that it all starts from oneself.

“First and foremost, you have to really believe in what you do,” Aoki said. “If you don’t believe in what you’re doing, you’re going to stop halfway and say, ‘I’m out!’ Everyone is watching you. If you’re leading a brand, people are going to be a part of that community. If you’re inauthentic, then they’re out too, and the community just dissolves.”

Aoki merged his entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm for community and gaming last year when he invested into the esports organization Rogue, one of the world’s most accomplished Overwatch teams. Being a lifelong gamer with longtime ties to E3 and an avid streamer on Twitch, it was a natural next step.

“I definitely did my research and development and looked at the entire space. I wanted an underground team with a do-it-yourself attitude with players and managers that really believed in the sport. I got in before it was too late,” said Aoki. “Just like anything, it’s difficult to navigate the early waters. But you have to believe in the sport. When I invested, I knew the risk that I’d lose everything that I’d put in. Before anything though, you have to really love and believe everything about the culture.”

As successful as Rogue had been, they failed to secure a spot in the inaugural 12-team Overwatch League, and the players have since disbanded. The series of events left Aoki frustrated with the powers that be.

“We jumped through every loophole, and we didn’t make it. It’s disappointing, sad and makes me sick with the system that these kinds of things happen,” Aoki said. “We showed more than enough to prove our spot in the league. We fought tooth and nail all the way to the end and they still didn’t give us a seat at the table. I’m not happy about that.”

On a more positive gaming-front note for Aoki, he furthered his passion in the space by lending his likeness to the skill-based casino game Steve Aoki’s Neon Dream. The first-person, musical-endless runner game for money debuted in September and is designed to draw younger groups of people who frequent casinos. Aoki lives in Las Vegas and frequently tours the Strip as a guest DJ at top nightclubs, making him instantly recognizable among millennials.

“Disruption is definitely a big part of how I love to do branding and marketing,” said Aoki, who earlier this year released “Kolony,” his first hip-hop collaboration album. He’s also working on his own album for 2018. “Now we’re disrupting the casino floor with something new. It’s not going to change the slot machine’s industry, but it’s going to add a different level of gameplay. It’s exciting to mix both worlds.”

According to Forbes, the private-jet travelling producer eponymous for wielding cakes at crowds during shows raked in $29.5 million for over 200 performances last year.

His Netflix documentary I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead and the tattoo with the same phrase on the back of his neck is evidence that although he’s globally first known as a musician, producer and DJ, the variety of side hustles he keeps makes up the course of his entire being and DNA.

“I’m a human being drawing from a lot of inspiration. I’m all about the neon future,” Aoki said. “We only have one life, and it’s extraordinary that we’re alive and talking right now. I’m not a five-year-plan kind of guy. You just have to follow your gut feeling. I’m never going to pigeonhole myself to one thing.”

AT&T, Volkswagen, Global Road Appoint New Marketing Executives

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AT&T has named Kirk McDonald as the chief marketing officer to its newly formed advertising and analytics company, in anticipation of its merger with Time Warner.

“Kirk brings invaluable experience in the media and advertising technology space,” said Brian Lesser, CEO of AT&T’s advertising and analytics company. “He is a transformational leader—one of many who will join AT&T as we invest in and build a new kind of advertising business.”

McDonald previously was president at PubMatic, an adtech company, and before that was Time, Inc. president of digital.

Volkswagen has tapped Jim Zabel for the role of senior vice president of marketing for its American division, beginning later this month.

“We are excited to welcome Jim at Volkswagen of America,” said Derrick Hatami, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Volkswagen of America. “His experience in building effective, integrated marketing campaigns and leading brand development in the automotive industry will serve as an asset for our growth strategy in the US market.”

Before joining the company, Zabel worked in automotive original equipment manufacturing, managing accounts for Hyundai and Honda.

Jack Pan has signed on with Global Road Entertainment as president of worldwide theatrical marketing to focus on international partnerships.

“I have known Jack for many years and he has proven time and again to be a savvy marketer that not only understands the strategy and building blocks necessary to launch an effective campaign, but he possesses the ability to successfully market to established and prospective audiences,” Rob Friedman, Global Road’s CEO, told Variety.

Pan most recently served as president of motion picture marketing at STX Entertainment, where he led marketing efforts on films such as The Gift and Bad Moms.

Panera Bread has re-acquired Au Bon Pain, reuniting the companies after 18 years apart. Additionally, Panera’s CEO, Ron Shaich, will be stepping down, appointing Blaine Hurst as his replacement.

“Blaine has been a key player in our efforts to transform Panera during the past half-decade,” said Shaich. “He is very well known and respected in our organization and in our industry for his innovative thinking, technological savvy and ability to drive change.”

Blaine has been with Panera since 2011, working under the title of senior vice president of technology and transformation, and led the company’s efforts to build its e-commerce platform.

Heidi Ueberroth, current president of investment firm Globicon, has joined Electronic Arts’ board of directors.

“At Electronic Arts, we continue to expand our global reach with our network, esports competitions and growing ecosystems of content engaging more players and driving new opportunities with partners, sponsors and media,” said Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA. “Heidi Ueberroth brings extensive executive experience across sports branding, entertainment and international growth.”

Ueberroth has also served at the NBA for almost 20 years, most recently as president of NBA International.

Megan Colligan, Paramount Pictures’ president of worldwide distribution and marketing, is departing the company, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. 

Colligan had been with the company for 11 years and held her current title since 2014.

Nick DiCarlo, vice president of immersive products strategy for Samsung, announced plans to leave the company.

“Samsung has a strong commitment to Immersive is mobile, PC & services. The teams working on them are amazing!” he wrote over several Tweets. “For the last 3yrs, I’ve been inspired by the knowledge, creativity and talent of this community.”

Shoneel Kolhatkar, current product management director at Samsung, will take over DiCarlo’s duties for the foreseeable future, leading the team behind the Gear VR headset.

MLB’s president of business and media, Bob Bowman, announced that he will not renew his employment contract when it expires next month.

“With the recent completion of the sale of a majority stake in BAMTech to The Walt Disney Company, and recognizing the enormous talent pool that exists at MLB and MLB.com, it is an ideal time for new leadership,” said Bowman.

Serving at the baseball league for 17 years, Bowman additionally held the title of CEO of MLB Advanced Media, where he led all aspects of the company’s digital strategy.

Marijuana tech start-up Leafly has filled its chief executive officer slot, hiring Chris Jeffery for the role.

“Building on Leafly’s established position as the world’s leading cannabis information resource, we are expanding our focus on providing consumers the tools they need to discover and purchase cannabis products,” said Jeffery. “With unprecedented momentum for legalization worldwide, we are uniquely positioned to help consumers navigate this new legal landscape with reliable information and a personalized experience that saves time and money when making purchasing decisions.”

Jeffery was a co-founder of OrderUp, a food delivery service that was acquired in 2015 by Groupon.

Steve Krenzer has joined Groupon as the company’s chief operating officer, where he will oversee the company’s global marketing and business operations.

“The opportunity to add a high-horsepower e-commerce leader like Steve doesn’t come along very often,” said Groupon CEO Rich Williams. “His combination of industry savvy, deep operational experience and intimate understanding of digital marketing is equally rare. Steve will immediately put those skills to work as we continue to advance our vast local marketplace.”

Krenzer most recently served as CEO of Core Digital Media, a digital direct-response advertiser.

Stock-photo provider Getty Images has brought on Bill Shapiro as editor and vice president of consumer media, another step in expanding the company’s B2B licensing business.

“Bill has unparalleled experience in building preeminent editorial destinations,” said Dawn Airey, CEO of Getty Images. “Combine that with his passion for imagery and brilliance as a wordsmith, and I know we have someone who will drive our early consumer content to a worldwide audience who will be surprised, delighted and engaged with imagery that moves the world.”

Shapiro signs on from Fast Company, where he held the position of director of editorial and new business enterprises. He has also held roles at LIFE magazine, and was a founding editor for LIFE.com.

ESPN has named Cary Meyers as its senior vice president of fan and media intelligence, a research and analytics role to build advertiser interest in non-traditional sports programming.

“Cary is a seasoned research executive with a proven history of media research excellence who also has a passion for the world of sports and its changing landscape for today’s sports fan,” said Wanda Young, ESPN’s senior vice president of marketing and consumer engagement in a statement made available to Variety. “He will bring his commitment and passion to ESPN to lead our talented team to further develop the fan intelligence required to drive our business forward.”

Before joining ESPN, Meyers worked at NBCUniversal as senior vice president of ad sales research and strategy, and before that as the NFL’s first-ever director of research.

Ecco, a Danish footwear manufacturer, has appointed Constanze van de Sand as its latest marketing director for central Europe, succeeding Matthias Schwarte, who departed the company in late August.

Before joining Ecco, van de Sand worked as regional marketing manager for Cartier’s fragrance and eyewear divisions in northern Europe since 2013.

(Editor’s Note: This post will be updated daily until Friday, November 10. Have a new hire tip? Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.)

Job Vacancies 

Director, Global Levi’s Brand Marketing Levi Strauss & Co. San Francisco, CA
Director of Marketing, Consumer Products Activision Santa Monica, CA
Global Head of Product Marketing Eventbrite San Francisco, CA
VP, Creative Development, New Platforms Condé Nast Seattle, WA
Manager, Global Creative Marketing Netflix Los Angeles, CA
Director, Product Marketing Microsoft Redmond, WA

Make sure to check back for updates on our Jobs Page.

Black Friday Shopper Habits Changing; CMOs Don’t Get Their Consumers

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As consumers prepare for Black Friday, their shopping habits are changing as well. Projections by the National Retail Foundation report that 59 percent of consumers plan to shop online during the holiday season, which for the first time in the survey’s history is higher than any other destination. Department stores came in second place with 57 percent, and in third were discount stores with 54 percent of customers planning to shop there.

A survey by Koski Research indicates that one third of US shoppers plan to make purchases from a foreign retailer during the holiday season, with 66 percent of that group seeking to buy something uniquely un-American.

Additionally, 71 percent of US Cyber Monday shoppers will search for deals on the day before, dubbed “Sofa Sunday.” Of those shoppers, 45 percent will spend two or more hours looking for the best deals, and will do so primarily on desktop and laptop computers (52 percent) as opposed to on mobile (36 percent).

“With so much attention focused on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, many retailers may overlook Sofa Sunday,” said Curtis Tingle, chief marketing officer at Valassis. “Brands and retailers that develop their holiday media strategies with the full consumer decision journey in mind are more likely to reach shoppers with relevant, timely messages and will ultimately secure a bigger piece of the retail pie during this critical shopping season.”

The vast majority of marketing executives are out touch, according to new research. Only one out of four every marketers surveyed claimed to understand their consumers well. Adobe’s information suggests that quickly changing consumer behavior is the largest factor driving CMO confusion.

Call of Duty: WWII has netted Activision more than half a billion dollars in its first three days, the company reports. This marks a turnaround for the franchise—the game is the first in several years to outsell the one before it.

“We challenged our players to get their squads back together and they answered the call, with the highest number of players we’ve ever seen on current-gen consoles and PC,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision. “Call of Duty: WWII returns the franchise to its roots and the results are incredible, selling twice as many units in its opening weekend as last year, and setting the day one record for full-game downloads on PlayStation 4.”

A new study has forecasted products such as Google Home and Amazon Echo becoming even more ubiquitous in the coming years. Juniper Research predicts that 55 percent of US households will install a smart speaker by 2022, totaling 175 million devices across the nation.

Furthermore, Juniper asserts that ad spending on zero-UI devices will reach $19 billion in 2022, though it warns that the platform is not for everybody.

“Voice-based interaction presents fewer options than other forms of advertising, meaning fewer adverts are possible,” said research author James Moar. “Not all voice interactions are product searches, meaning advertisers will need to adjust their strategies to build a brand’s voice strategy around information provision as well as sales.”

Fifty percent of Americans don’t pay full attention to TV programming, choosing instead to use a second screen. According to a report by eMarketer, 177.7 million adults in the US will digitally multitask while watching TV at least once per month, up 5 percent from 2016. EMarketer also predicts that by 2019, this figure will be as high as 193.5 million.

Unsurprisingly, mobile causes the majority of split attention, with smartphones distracting 91.5 percent of digital multitaskers. By comparison, only 62 percent of simultaneous users use either desktops or laptops.

AdColony’s 2017 mobile usage survey points to similar trends. Despite the portability offered by mobile phones, a significant majority of mobile usage occurs at home in the evening. Sixty-nine percent of ad requests come over wifi, and phone use peaks at 9 p.m., normalized for time zones.

Even with hype cycles and early adoption culture, many users opt to stick with phones as old as four years, AdColony’s data found. More ad requests originated from the iPhone 6s units, and the iPhone 7 lagged behind not just all models of the iPhone 6 but even the iPhone 5s. Android phones saw a smaller effect, with the Galaxy S7 being the most popular, followed by the S5 and then the S6.

Luxury fashion brands face major issues when it comes to digital presence, a study by L2 Inc. reveals.

“Luxury fashion continues to lag in digital sophistication behind other sectors,” said Brian Lee, L2 Inc.’s associate director. “As a result, luxury fashion brands have become susceptible to growing threats from disruptor brands.”

Of the 90 companies L2 studied, 38 percent did not own more than half of the search terms related to their brands. As high as 40 percent of paid search traffic went to resale sites, hurting direct customer sales.

Not all of L2’s findings were negative, however. Fashion brands saw significant growth in their Instagram followers, increasing by an average of 53 percent this year.

Adobe has released its predictions for the 2017 holiday season, forecasting groundbreaking revenue and budget-conscious shoppers. The company’s research suggests that online spending during the holiday season will break $100 billion, jumping 14 percent year over year. Their report, however, noted that this double-digit growth has been slowing by degrees since 2015.

Adobe’s study also found that for the first time, more consumers will visit retailer websites on mobile than on desktop, with a 54 percent–46 percent split.

Additionally, average-size retailers are likely to feel squeezed out in the coming months, Adobe’s research indicates. Both large and small companies achieve higher average conversion rates (3.2 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively) than mid-sized companies (2.4 percent). Additionally, small retailers, with a mobile conversion rate of 1.9 percent, are better at closing sales on phones than medium or even large companies.

Content marketing is set to explode in the next five years, a report by Technavio predicts. The global content marketing industry, worth $195 billion in 2016, will grow by 211 percent by 2021 to a total value of $412 billion.

“The effectiveness of traditional marketing is decreasing by the day,” said Ujjwal Doshi, lead analyst at Technavio. “Companies must adopt the latest marketing trends to enhance their business and increase their consumer base.”

Optimism about IoT is low, according to a massive survey undertaken by Mozilla. When asked what about the “connected future” they were most looking forward to, 27 percent, the largest group, answered “none of the above.” 

Privacy and mistrust of businesses remain the largest sources of fear for the future, with 45 percent of the survey’s 190,000 respondents reporting being afraid of losing their privacy. Among those who self-identified as “very tech savvy,” that number was even higher, at 54 percent.

Furthermore, respondents lack trust in private organizations to help them keep their privacy secure. Only 3 percent claimed to trust the media to help keep them safe online, and only 2 percent said the same about governments. A full 27 percent of the survey-takers said they didn’t know who, if anyone, to trust.

Lastly, the survey found that tech terminology is advancing faster than many can keep up. Only 26 percent of respondents said they would be comfortable explaining “IoT” to a friend. The only terms a majority of users could explain were “connected devices” and “VPN.”

A new survey by the Pew Research Center has revealed that more Americans are using social networks to keep up with the latest headlines. Twitter acts as a news source for 74 percent of those surveyed, up from 52 percent four years ago. Almost every platform saw an increase in news usage except for Reddit, whose figure dropped by 2 percent since 2016.

Google has released new research on AutoML, a machine-learning process that can creates neural networks without human design. Using AutoML, researchers built an image-parsing algorithm that was able to recognize objects in static images with 83 percent accuracy, a rate superior to most other human-made models.

This new tool bodes well for marketers, as superior image-recognition can lead to better tracking of users’ offline behavior and easily scalable information on behavior and purchases.

Pandora has become the top-grossing non-game app in the US in Q3 of 2017, claiming a spot that had been comfortably held by Netflix for several quarters before. This is likely due to the broad release of the app’s Premium service, competing with other paid-for offerings by Apple and Spotify. Worldwide, however, Netflix remains king, with Pandora in the number three spot.

(Editor’s Note: This post will be updated daily until Friday, November 10.)