Table of contents for February 4, 2019 in Adweek

Last June, a bizarre campaign known as “IHOb” had social media users buzzing about the possibility of the International House of Pancakes turning into the International House of Burgers … or Bacon? Biscuits? That stunt garnered 1.2 million tweets and over 15,000 earned media stories in 10 days and was the result of a true collaborative effort on the parts of both media and creative—IPG agencies Initiative and Droga5, respectively. Initiative, earning a place on Adweek’s list of Best Media Plans of 2018 for the effort, saw the need to make IHOP into more than a weekend breakfast destination and was behind a series of mysterious social media posts that led to the debut of the chain’s Ultimate Steakburgers. The latter was unveiled in Droga5’s creative. “We collaborate very closely…

The California Consumer Protection Act doesn’t go into effect until 2020, but that doesn’t mean the 10,000-word law—passed in just five days last summer—won’t be a big issue this year. Last month, the California attorney general’s office—which is in charge of creating rules for the CCPA—began holding a series of hearings to gather feedback that will continue through February in cities across the state. Trade groups including the Association of National Advertisers and the Interactive Advertising Bureau have submitted testimony about how they think the new regulation will hinder operations. They’re also urging state lawmakers to consider changing or clarifying terms, rules and exemptions. “Dan Jaffe, group evp for government relations at the ANA, said the law in its current form could put some brands’ rewards programs at risk because…

IN his nearly 30 years in the restaurant business, having done every job from waiter to regional director, Michael Ryan has learned a good deal about running a profitable house. His operational savvy helped make a success of legendary New York City names like Shaw’s Crab House and Blue Water Grill. Meanwhile, his watchful eye took note of many liabilities: the time it took to count the register drawers at night, for example, or the fivers and ten spots that would sometimes disappear into employees’ pockets as they worked behind the bar. Which is why both locations of his latest concept, Filipino taqueria Flip Sigi, do not accept cash. Before the restaurant adopted e-payments exclusively, “the manager was spending 20 hours a week counting cash, going to the bank and…

Before she became a creative force in the advertising industry, Lisa Topol—now co-chief creative officer at DDB New York—was dead set on becoming a professor of religion and 19th century Victorian literature. But while the topic was fascinating to her, it became unfulfilling. “I just felt like I’d never be doing anything that engaged with culture and would just sort of be talking to myself,” she said. While she spent time in media writing for Bon Appétit, she eventually landed where she could merge her love for critical thinking, creating and engaging with culture—advertising. Topol scored a gig at Ogilvy & Mather as a copywriter, and from there, she hopped around to a number of agencies, including Wieden + Kennedy and Grey New York. But it was at Ogilvy where…

It was only a tiny story in Adweek’s June 29, 1981 issue—”Gannett Releases Prototypes of National Daily”—but it flagged what would become one of the decade’s biggest media stories. Al Neuharth, the gadfly Gannett mogul known for banging out copy on a manual typewriter while sitting in his treehouse, would be launching a newspaper called USA Today. Though pulp circulations were slipping, Neuharth argued that America needed a national broadsheet for an on-the-go population: color photos, short articles, big sports section. Critics branded it the McPaper. “It doesn’t rub off on your hands—or your mind,” sniffed commentator Linda Ellerbee. Newsweek called Neuharth “the man who shortened the attention spans of millions of Americans.” But within five years of the paper’s September 1982 debut, USA Today was profitable. What Neuharth saw…

IHOP Droga5, alongside IPG-owned media agency Initiative, collaborated on IHOP’s “IHOb” stunt last June. “Clients are helping to unite the agencies, set the right expectations and push for the best across their entire team,” said Droga5 chief media officer Colleen Leddy. “Our IHOP clients, in particular, are sharp and brave and expect that from their creative ideas, media plans and teams. They understand that content and context must work together to truly create impact.” The “IHOb” campaign garnered 1.2 million tweets and over 15,000 earned media stories, generating 28.6 billion impressions, in just 10 days. It also helped quadruple burger sales for IHOP in three weeks. BP WPP’s Team Energy recently created its first work for BP after winning the global account last May. The campaign, called “Possibilities Everywhere,” comes…

GDPR requires companies to opt in to having their personal data collected and used, but CCPA only requires that companies allow them to opt out. Unlike GDPR, CCPA doesn’t provide people with the right to have their data corrected. CCPA doesn’t let consumers sue companies unless it’s related to a data breach, but GDPR lets consumers sue if their data is wrongfully collected or used. CCPA only applies to for-profit companies that have annual gross revenue north of $25 million that buy, sell, share or receive data for “commercial purposes” to at least 50,000 residents. GDPR applies to far more companies, including smaller businesses.…

On a sweltering Friday in July 1976, during a daylong stopover in New York, Queen Elizabeth decided to do as the locals do. As a lunchtime crowd looked on in awe, the smiling monarch popped out of her limousine and clomped straight into Bloomingdale’s. Threading the aisles, she admired furniture and pottery, even chancing into Calvin Klein in the fashion department. Decades before influencer marketing would become a thing, Bloomingdale’s president Marvin Traub—who’d lobbied hard for the visit—showed how it was done. Queen Elizabeth “didn’t choose Saks and she didn’t choose Bergdorf,” he later said. “She chose Bloomingdale’s.”…

Well, it turns out that our hunch was right. As of last count on Friday, our inaugural Challenger Brand Summit, set for this Wednesday and Thursday in New York, has almost 500 registered attendees. For an entirely new franchise that sprung organically from the reintroduction of Brandweek last fall to have drawn so much interest in a market saturated with industry events is nothing short of astounding. It also shows that the challenger brand movement is powerful and a real marketplace phenomenon. Expertly programmed by Adweek editor and svp of programming Lisa Granatstein, in close partnership with Danny Wright, Adweek’s managing partner, events, awards and honors, and his crack events team, the agenda is packed with execs redefining the meaning of brand marketing and challenging conventions at every turn. The…

I’ve spoken at dozens of events about diversity, inclusion and representation in the past three years. How far we’ve come! We’re all quite proud of ourselves. I’ve certainly felt it myself. Allure won Adweek’s Magazine of the Year in 2017, in large part because of the diverse subjects on our covers, ranging from Somali-American model Halima Aden in a Nike hijab with the line “This is American beauty now” to 72-year-old Helen Mirren as we proudly announced that Allure was banning the term “antiaging” forever. I recognize that much of our success has revolved around the diversity discussion. The more I learn, though, the more I realize how far we have to go. There has been progress, a palpable sea change in media, Hollywood, beauty, fashion and advertising. But I’m…

The name Skinnygirl makes perfect sense for sparkling water, fat-free salad dressing, zero-calorie mints and no-carb tangerine-flavored vodka. Does the same hold true for camisoles and jeans, when the average woman in the U.S. is a size 16? Bethenny Frankel and her partners, with the goal of building a lifestyle brand, say it does, though it took some convincing for manufacturers and retailers to get on board. “I was concerned—and retail raised the issue—so I really had to think about it,” says Jack Gross, CEO of One Jeanswear Group, the Skinnygirl apparel partner. “But it’s our job to tell the consumer what Skinnygirl is all about. I told Bethenny I wouldn’t put her brand name in the witness protection program.” Elliot Franco, CEO of Dreamwear shape wear, worried that the…

THE RUNNER Made of powder-coated steel, the narrow runner slices through the snow and gives the sled its speed. THE STEERING BAR The signature feature on the sled, it flexed the runners and allowed the rider a measure of control. THE LOGO The eagle and shield badge appeared on Allen’s earliest sleds, its banner carrying the Flexible Flyer name. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the country is just now shaking itself off from the snowiest period of the year. That makes it peak season for sledding—an activity for which NOAA keeps no statistics, though it’s a good bet that most kids in snowy regions (and a goodly percent of their parents) are busy doing it. Chances are, too, that they’re using one of those $34 plastic sprinters…