Table of contents for September 23, 2019 in Adweek

MONDAY, SEPT. 23 THE GOOD DOCTOR (ABC); THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BOB HEARTS ABISHOLA, ALL RISE, BULL (CBS); 9-1-1, PRODIGAL SON (FOX); THE VOICE, BLUFF CITY LAW (NBC) TUESDAY, SEPT. 24 THE CONNERS, BLESS THIS MESS, MIXED-ISH, BLACK-ISH, EMERGENCE (ABC); NCIS, FBI, NCIS: NEW ORLEANS (CBS); THE RESIDENT, EMPIRE (FOX); THIS IS US, NEW AMSTERDAM (NBC) WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25 THE GOLDBERGS, SCHOOLED, MODERN FAMILY, SINGLE PARENTS, STUMPTOWN (ABC); SURVIVOR (CBS); THE MASKED SINGER (FOX); CHICAGO MED, CHICAGO FIRE, CHICAGO P.D, (NBC) THURSDAY, SEPT. 26 GREY’S ANATOMY, A MILLION LITTLE THINGS, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER (ABC); YOUNG SHELDON, THE UNICORN, MOM, CAROL’S SECOND ACT, EVIL (CBS); THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PREGAME SHOW, THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (FOX); SUPERSTORE, PERFECT HARMONY, THE GOOD PLACE, SUNNYSIDE, LAW & ORDER: SVU (NBC) FRIDAY, SEPT. 27 AMERICAN…

Mobile is a prime place to reach the elusive “gen-zennial” market. A recent eMarketer report found the lion’s share of 16–24-year-olds(74%) cited their mobile device as the primary gaming device. Among high income gamers, rewarded advertising is the way to go. Another eMarketer report surveying gamers that earned $75,000 or more annually found that nearly-three-fourths of the group prefer opt-in rewarded ads above other formats. According to a survey by app-monetization platform Fyber, 28% of agency professionals reported that playable ads were the most “effective” in-app format, followed closely by interactive ads at 23%. Native ads were the preferred format for 4% of the group.…

Today I work in two industries—tech and advertising—that care deeply about diversity, but where old habits have held back progress. We have made progress but, like many in the industry, the journey is ongoing. For instance, sitting in creative reviews over the last year, there was more diversity in our casting. We have been auditing our work using machine learning and manual reviews for some time. Screen time for women is up to 48% this year. The age of people featured is two years closer to the national average of 38. And 23% of consumers in U.S. ads are black. But I wasn’t seeing the full picture. It turns out we were mostly casting people with lighter complexions and a disproportionate number of interracial couples. And even when we were…

MASTER SKILLS TO AVOID BEING BAMBOOZLED I wonder how many of us realize just how many trades we need to master and how many of those skills we have to acquire in order to be quite hands-on in lots of different areas. You have to understand research and data. You have to be a media expert. You really need to understand PR. You really need to understand the psychology of your target. There are so many different skills you need, and there are so many specialists out there who are quite often trying to bamboozle you. So how do you pull all of this together to ensure that you are super smart? TAKE THE DRIVER’S SEAT You have to recognize that you are constantly a work in progress, and constant…

1 DWA, A MERKLE COMPANY HQ: 11 offices, including Beijing, Boston, London, San Francisco and Sydney Clients: Cisco, NetApp, TE Connectivity Growth: 221% Overall rank: 36 DWA is a global media and marketing agency for technology companies. With its feet in media and its head in data and analytics, DWA has a fascination with the art and science of engaging people. The agency operates offices around the world, covering EMEA, North America and Asia Pacific. Its range of services include programmatic media, marketing automation, account-based marketing and content marketing consulting—all for hundreds of the world’s top technology companies. 2 ADVANTAGE MARKETING PARTNERS HQ: Irvine, Calif. Clients: Chobani, Netflix, Samsung, Unilever Growth: 187% Overall rank: 40 Advantage Marketing Partners is a collective whose expertise spans brand creation and design, retail and…

1 ENTER SEE PAGE 23 HQ: Los Angeles Clients: AT&T, Lululemon, Perfect Day Growth: 1,125% Overall rank: 3 2 HYLINK DIGITAL HQ: Santa Monica, Calif. Clients: Brand USA, Buick, Hainan Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JD.com, Estée Lauder, San Diego Tourism, San Francisco Tourism Growth: 800% Overall rank: 8 SEE PAGE 24 3 MUTESIX SEE PAGE 24 HQ: Los Angeles Clients: Burst Oral Care, Butter Cloth, Fender, Petco, Pinterest Growth: 770% Overall rank: 10 4 BASIC SEE PAGE 28 HQ: San Diego Clients: Coach, Google, Patagonia, Riot Games, Under Armour Growth: 355% Overall rank: 18 5 EXVERUS MEDIA HQ: Los Angeles Clients: Bonobos, Halo Top, PowerBar, Vudu Growth: 297% Overall rank: 24 Exverus is Latin for "from the truth,” and the shop considers itself a truth-obsessed, culture-driven media agency that “loves to…

After WWII ended, companies that had built radar sets for the United States military began looking for civilian uses for the cavity magnetron, the high-power vacuum tubes that generated microwaves. One of them was Raytheon, where physicist Percy Spencer was among the staff scientists who’d noticed that microwaves were useful for rapidly heating food. After securing patents for the “Radarange” oven, Raytheon went public with its remarkable capabilities, such as this 1946 demonstration of how a hamburger took a mere 15 seconds to cook. But first-generation microwaves were huge, heavy, expensive and suited only to institutional kitchens. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that brands like Amana and Tappan put the appliance in reach of ordinary consumers. Today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 90% of American homes have…

1988, tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds hit on an idea to regain market share for its struggling Camel brand—a camel. His name was Joe and he was a cartoon. He was also among the most successful, controversial and ultimately derisive campaigns in advertising history. Modified from a character that Reynolds had first used in France in 1974, Joe Camel starred in McCann-Erickson-created ads that showed the anthropomorphic dromedary shooting pool, driving convertibles and getting the ladies. Reynolds was thrilled. So, it must be said, was Adweek, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. “Camel’s cartoon mascot is threatening to replace [Budweiser’s] Spuds MacKenzie as consumers’ favorite commercial animal,” we gushed. And he surely was—but the FTC and the AMA countered that the only thing Joe was doing was getting kids…

1 FCN SEE PAGE 22 HQ: Jakarta, Indonesia Clients: Djarum, Tehbotol Sosro, Tokopedia Growth: 2,975% Overall rank: 1 2 AND 3 (TIE) OH PARTNERS HQ: Phoenix Clients: Airbnb, Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Lottery, Gila River Hotels & Casinos Growth: 233% Overall rank: 31 OH Partners comprises four unique businesses: the advertising agency, a predictive insights and research firm, a strategic communications powerhouse, and an in-house film and content creation company, Matter Films. These entities position the agency as a virtual superstore of services for a range of clients across the country, particularly in the hospitality, gaming and luxury verticals. OH Partners began by targeting the most prestigious clients in Arizona, adding to that roster by winning major accounts on a national and international basis across numerous verticals, including…

1 FLOCK CREATIVE NETWORK SEE PAGE 22 HQ: Jakarta, Indonesia Clients: Djarum, McDonald's, Tehbotol Sosro, Tokopedia, Unilever Growth: 2,975% Overall rank: 1 2 THE GOAT AGENCY SEE PAGE 23 HQ: London Clients: Absolut, Barbour, Bumble, Formula E, Jacob’s Creek, Liverpool FC, Unibet Growth: 1,087% Overall rank: 4 3 DARK HORSES SEE PAGE 23 HQ: London Clients: Football Association, Just Eat, Nissan, Peloton (U.K.), RugbyX, Southampton FC, Sportsbet.io, Under Armour Growth: 1,040% Overall rank: 5 4 VIRAL NATION SEE PAGE 28 HQ: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Clients: Bud Light, PUBG, Rovio, Wish Growth: 582% Overall rank: 15 5 DENTSU X INDIA SEE PAGE 29 HQ: Gurgaon, India Clients: Honda, Honda Motorcycles, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Suzuki Motorcycles Growth: 353% Overall rank: 19 6 MASS MINORITY HQ: Toronto Clients: ASUS, Beautyrest, MonsterMortgage.ca, Serta Growth: 244% Overall rank:…

1 MOTION HQ: Chicago Clients: Gladiator, Home Depot, Serta Growth: 305% Overall rank: 23 Motion specializes in developing integrated brand programs for b-to-b and b-to-c products and services. With a primary focus on the healthcare, retail, nonprofit, home product and lifestyle industries, it offers four core services: strategy, public relations, digital and creative. Kimberly Eberl founded Motion PR in 2006 and in the decade-plus that followed grew the agency from a one-person PR shop to a full-service PR and digital firm. Fast-forward to January 2019, when Motion PR officially merged with 57-year-old, Chicagoborn integrated marketing and communications shop AgencyMSI to form Motion. In one year, Motion has added Exelon, Gold Eagle, National Louis University, S&C Electric, Truluck’s Restaurant Group and World of Whirlpool as clients. 2 TMV GROUP HQ: Royal…

American distillers are known for protecting secret recipes and ingredients, but few guardians match the commitment of one Jimmy Russell. The Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, Ky., where Russell has overseen the stills for 65 years, has used the same yeast strain since the 1950s. At some point, the thought occurred to Russell that were the place to suffer a fire, that yeast might be lost. Why not just choose some other yeast? Unthinkable, son. Russell, then, did the only logical thing: He poured some of the yeast into a bottle, took it home, and put it in his refrigerator. “Wild Turkey has had quite a few owners throughout the years,” explained Melanie Batchelor, vp of Campari, Wild Turkey’s parent company. “But Jimmy’s always been the consistent steward of the…

The question of how data, and not necessarily user identity, is at the core of how the ad-tech ecosystem can continue to enjoy the upward swing it has seen over the course of the last 10 years. In Article 28(3) of GDPR, recommendations for contract provision between those companies handling what is deemed as sensitive consumer data are legislated for. Per the terms of the act, contracts between data controllers (typically these are first parties, such as a brand or publisher) and processors (oftentimes ad-tech companies) should agree on certain principles: The subject matter, duration, nature and purpose of the data processing; the type of personal data being processed; the categories of data subjects whose personal data is being processed; the obligations and rights of the controller.…

Tell us about your role as WWE’s chief brand officer. I am responsible for WWE’s brand, community relations and pop culture strategy, which includes celebrity integrations and partnerships within the entertainment industry. I am also the company’s global brand ambassador and a part-time character on WWE programming. Becoming a character was something I had not anticipated or planned, though I have always been a natural ham. How did you get to where you are today? It’s important to note that I’m fourth generation in my family’s business. I worked my way up in the company, starting as a switchboard operator in high school, and interning throughout WWE doing everything from editing highlight reels to Xeroxing and hand-delivering our company newsletter (which tells you how old I am). I was originally…

IT’S NOT EASY BEING AN AD AGENCY THESE DAYS. Changing models, consultancies, procurement, performance-based marketing, in-housing, project work versus agency of record. And yet, Adweek’s inaugural Fastest Growing Agencies list proves that it’s still possible to not only rise to these challenges but to succeed wildly. > On average, the first class of Fastest Growing Agencies saw an average growth of over 300%. While revenue numbers may be different for each, 85 of the top 100 sat between $10 million and $50 million, and 23 had revenue of over $50 million, with several clocking in at nine figures. > Remarkably, this collection of 100 agencies from around the globe accounted for 21 specific disciplines and categories—in our searchable list online—ranging from full service to experiential, b-to-b and ecommerce, direct marketing…

1 THE GOAT AGENCY SEE PAGE 23 HQ: London Clients: Absolut, Barbour, Bumble, Formula E, Jacob’s Creek, Liverpool FC, Unibet Growth: 1,087% Overall rank: 4 2 MUTESIX SEE PAGE 24 HQ: Los Angeles Clients: Burst Oral Care, Butter Cloth, Fender, Petco, Pinterest Growth: 770% Overall rank: 10 3 MINDS + ASSEMBLY HQ: New York Clients: Chelsea Market, Gattex, LoveTapp Growth: 730% Overall rank: 11 Teamwork-oriented, the agency gives staffers creative latitude without losing sight of the ultimate goal: grow clients’ business. M+A asks that “each person adhere to two simple and equally important principles: uncompromising standards and unconditional support. In other words, we push each other, hard, to produce the best work possible, yet always with the knowledge that we have each other’s backs.” The agency offers a “personal enrichment allowance” to…

1 ADVOC8 SEE PAGE 22 HQ: Washington, D.C. Clients: Axios, CNN, Google Growth: 2,223% Overall rank: 2 2 JOY MEDIA COLLECTIVE SEE PAGE 23 HQ: Bethesda, Md. Clients: Apple Music, BET, Black Media Matters, Boeing, Clear Channel, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Essence, Ford, Geico Growth: 967% Overall rank: 6 3 CHACKA MARKETING HQ: Tampa, Fla. Clients: Barnes & Noble, Travelzoo Growth: 477% Overall rank: 17 Chacka Marketing is a digital media agency specializing in paid search-engine marketing, social advertising, programmatic display and consulting services. “We are a services-based business, meaning we manage and optimize advertising programs on behalf of longterm clients. Most of our contracts are digital AOR deals,” reports Chacka. 4 BLUEWATER MEDIA HQ: Clearwater, Fla. Clients: Cisco, Gillette, Pepsi, Philips, Visa Growth: 226% Overall rank: 33 Bluewater Media is an advertising…

1 HIGHFIELD SEE PAGE 24 HQ: New York Clients: Amazon, Gant, Hilton, NBCUniversal, Red Bull Music Growth: 824% Overall rank: 7 2 QUIRK CREATIVE SEE PAGE 24 HQ: Brooklyn, N.Y. Clients: Carbonite, Kimpton Hotels, Zola Growth: 797% Overall rank: 9 3 MINDS + ASSEMBLY HQ: New York Clients: Chelsea Market, Gattex, LoveTapp Growth: 730% Overall rank: 11 SEE PAGE 28 4 SOCIAL STUDIES HQ: New York Clients: iProspect, Klarna, Panera Bread Growth: 700% Overall rank: 12 Social Studies—formerly the Gramlist—is a full-service influencer marketing agency. It launched in 2015, years before micro-influencer was a searched term, and navigated the then 400 million users on Instagram to identify who brands should work with. Since then, the company has built a proprietary software to leverage in executing data-informed influencer strategies for next-generation…

‘Everywhere you look online, it’s ads, ads, ads. You can only process so many of them before they become irrelevant.’ Ana Milicevic will tell you that ad tech runs in her blood. Born in Serbia to a television-director mother and an engineer father, she found early on that she felt most at home at the middle ground of both the glamorous world of media and the hardwired world of technology. That passion led her to start a software company in her dorm room, snatch a position at the UN and take roles at a handful of global leaders in the ad-tech space. “I get a little antsy when I’m in one place for too long,” she confessed, adding that those moves have ultimately made her a better marketer. “I’m comfortable…