Table of contents for November 4, 2019 in Adweek

Adweek: How do you navigate marketing and advertising in an age of rapid consumer feedback? Pedro Earp: We are relentlessly committed to bringing people together by building a portfolio of brands that people love. We do this through deep consumer understanding anchored in data and empathy, purposeful brands that impact people’s lives, and harnessing new connection models that inspire brand affinity. We have defined key areas where new technologies will help us drive increased sales uplift, efficiencies and simplification. We’re changing the ways we interact with people with content that is authentic and contextualized. What’s the biggest buzzword in the industry today and how are you preparing for it? Disruption. Data, technology and innovation bring us closer to consumers around the world and help us drive business growth. Innovation drives…

The U.S. has one of the most advanced smart speaker markets in the world, dominated by a who’s who of Big Tech that includes Amazon, Apple and Google. That isn’t necessarily the case abroad, though, particularly in the fast-growing Chinese market, where local players such as online commerce company Alibaba, search engine Baidu and consumer electronics company Xiaomi hold sway. In fact, Baidu sent shock waves through the industry earlier this year when analytics firm Canalys announced it shipped 4.5 million smart speakers in Q2, which was second only to the 6.6 million shipped by Amazon. That marks a growth of 3,700% for Baidu’s Xiaodu smart devices, which came out a year prior. Not surprisingly, Chris Apostle, chief media officer at digital marketing agency iCrossing, said 3,700% is probably not…

REEL IN OVERAMBITION Adam Buhler, Digitas’ svp technology and experiential lead for North America, advised chatbot creators to “keep the knowledge domain really tightly focused.” Bots whose primary purpose is to help people order pizza shouldn’t tackle questions about the weather, for instance. “The more open-ended and ambitious these chatbots tend to be, the more they tend to rile users and get negative feedback,” he said. DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW TRANSITIONS Another challenge involves “context switching,” Buhler said. When humans converse, they can jump from one topic to another with complete understanding. This is not the case, though, with many chatbots. “Let’s say you’re going down an ordering path to get some coffee with the chatbot, and you want to check the menu one more time,” he said. “We need to…

Breaking through the clutter in New York is no easy task. Despite the challenges of navigating New York’s subway system and much-needed infrastructure upgrades, the design vocabulary and signage directing riders continue to endure. Massimo Vignelli’s visual map has been a subject of typography and design enthusiasts for years. And it is as timeless today as when it was launched in the early ‘70s. In recent years, due to Hurricane Sandy-related subway construction, outdated mechanics and a population boom in certain neighborhoods, various water taxis and ferries have become an alternative way of travel. Since the NYC Ferry’s launch on May 1, 2017, more than 10 million riders have used it for travel. Additionally, ridership has blossomed from an average daily count of 10,520 in Q2 2017 to over 20,000…

EVOLVE WITH YOUR CUSTOMER BASE Pinterest has been growing very successfully for a long time and now I think it’s important for us to get our point of view out a little more emphatically into the world. So, I’m most excited about really crafting the stories to articulate what the brand is really all about. … We’re so grateful to that early, excited base of people who are using it for design, for creativity, for craft—but it has expanded so dramatically. What’s interesting is we’re meeting more and more people who are using it to inspire really interesting cultural work. BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE How can companies like Pinterest, how can the advertisers in our platform use these tools to be a bigger catalyst for change? In service of…

The 10 marketing executives on this year’s list see opportunities where others see obstacles. They help their brands stand out by uniting behind a common purpose. And they never lose sight of who they’re really working for—namely, their customers. But there is one thing these Brand Genius honorees don’t know: the meaning of the term status quo. The list begins with our Brand Visionary, Chrissy Teigen, and ends with an inspiring Brand Save story about one organization’s fight against a disease that has touched nearly everyone.…

In 1978, video game maker Taito launched Space Invaders in Japan. A revolution in game design after the limited joys of Pong, Space Invaders was an immediate hit, spawning arcades that stocked nothing but Tatio’s machines where players spent hours defending the world from an endless alien invasion. Two years later, Atari brought the game to the U.S., receiving top billing in our coverage of the 1980 Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago. There, the firm revealed its campaign would go beyond the usual TV buys to include the National Space Invaders Superbowl. Thousands played at four regional sites, marking the first competitive gaming event and the precursor to today’s massive esports tourneys held in arenas and livestreamed to worldwide audiences. While kids lined up at shopping malls to achieve Space…

First it was John Legend and Chrissy Teigen. Then Samuel L. Jackson. Now Issa Rae. | Google and Amazon are using celebrity voices more as a fun perk for U.S. customers. Google offers celebrity voices for free, but for a limited time. Customers have to pay for Amazon’s Jackson skill, but then it becomes theirs forever. | It’s a practice that dates back to at least 2015, with Google subsidiary Waze and Stephen Colbert. More recently, DJ Khaled signed on to be another limited-time voice on Waze. Khaled is sponsored by French streaming service Deezer, so the use of celebrity voices with voice tech has become a marketing opportunity.…

A public perception crisis around electronic cigarettes seems to have materialized overnight, triggering a variety of responses from the industry. News of vaping-related hospitalizations began circulating in August while teen use continued to trend upward. Juul Lab’s share of the e-cigarette market fell to 64% as of Oct. 5, compared to over 72% of dollar share in August 2018, according to Nielsen. While the category leader has responded by shying away from advertising, its rivals continue to spread their messages. In early October, the FTC launched an investigation into the marketing practices of six e-cigarette makers: Juul, R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. (maker of Vuse), Logic Technology Development, NJOY, Nu Mark (discontinued by Altria) and blu parent company Fontem Ventures. It asked that they provide reports “concerning the sales, practices and…

1 TAKE INSPIRATION FROM WHAT ALREADY EXISTS While I&CO could have started from scratch, the intention of weaving an already existing and iconic piece of New York provided a crucial canvas and place to start. 2 SIMPLICITY WINS A great deal of time was spent on what to call the system itself and whether or not it should be incorporated into the main mark. In the end, I&CO landed on using existing nomenclature to connect to the ferry system. Additionally, a clean look with no typography created separation from other operators. 3 DESIGN TO THE EXPERIENCE Color choices match the unique experience of riding on the water versus other modes of transportation. Breezier, softer tones break down the tension of commuting or getting to a destination.…

When McDonald’s awarded its business to Wieden + Kennedy last month, the entire agency world should have celebrated—or at least taken notice. Since when could a creative agency with a clear competitor on its roster (KFC) even be considered for the business? Where were the lawyers? Were the folks in procurement all on vacation? The truth is that McDonald’s didn’t care about any conflict. Its CMO, Morgan Flatley, who clearly understood that we’re in a talent-based industry, chose the agency she felt would get her the best work and trusted that Wieden would keep the two competing companies’ confidential business information (and chicken sandwich recipes) separate. Conflicts have long been one of my biggest industry peeves. One look at the largest agencies in the world, and it’s not hard to…

Mass communication is Chrissy Teigen’s lifeblood, with Twitter being her favorite platform (and sometimes weapon) of choice. But the road to social media superstardom has had its potholes, like her July leak of the full premiere episode instead of a brief clip of NBC’s competition show Bring the Funny. In her patented self-deprecating style, she joked that she’d been fired as a judge for the gaffe: “thank u all for your kind texts and DMs please send job opportunities to same number.” Other mea culpas in her feed include this 2013 gem: “i am basically the worst person at promo ever hello hi i’m chrissy,” after she had implied that a certain razor was tougher to find in New York City than street drugs. (She was a brand ambassador for…

A kid plays on a swing, contemplating his afternoon snack. His co-star, an animated character in Nutter Butter’s 1973 television commercial, is the spitting image of Willy Wonka, the beloved Gene Wilder version, though some viewers have noticed touches of Uncle Sam. With an earworm jingle and a breezy backdrop, the spot serves a memorable piece of Americana. Along with a one-of-a-kind shape, the treat’s quirky name helped propel Nutter Butter to superstar status when it launched in 1969. “Not only is it a unique shape, but it connects directly to the flavor and the product experience,” said Mary Zalla, global president of consumer brands at brand consultancy Landor. “It’s so iconic; it’s almost like the Coke bottle.” The brand might not have been as successful, or had decades of…

In the late 19th century, a “wellness” trend led more by marketing than actual science swept the country. The original Coca-Cola bottle, created in 1899, was made with straight-sided glass and held closed with a metal stopper, reflecting the then-new brand’s claim of being a “brain tonic.” The curvy bottle didn’t arrive until 1915, a design distinctive enough to be recognized by touch in the dark. (It’s undeniably a little sexy, too). It was so iconic that Coca-Cola managed to get it trademarked, a rarity for packaging in the 1970s. The bottle even graced the cover of Time magazine in 1950. Coca-Cola kept the shape when it started making plastic bottles in 1975, but the accolades have turned to jeers in our more eco-conscious time. Advocacy group Break Free From…

Visit Palm Springs and you’ll find stars of all kinds—be they luminous points in the dark night sky or classic haunts and hotels that radiate glimmers of Ol’ Blue Eyes and his Rat Pack crew. This week, California’s desert oasis will shine even brighter, as 700 marketing stars gather for our second annual Brandweek summit, our Brand Genius Awards gala and our inaugural Constellation Awards Ball. Beginning each summer, senior editor Robert Klara oversees the process of meticulously curating a lengthy list of Brand Genius nominees whose marketing efforts over the past 18 months were not only ambitious and impactful but also measurable. Once again, Adweek’s editors had their hands full selecting this year’s class of 10 Brand Genius Award winners, each of whom boasts an array of remarkable accomplishments…

BLU Parent company: Fontem Ventures, a subsidiary of Imperial Brands An early entrant, former category leader blu once commanded the majority of advertising spending for e-cigarette brands. According to Kantar Media, blu spent under $3.5 million in the first six months of 2019. IQOS Parent company: Altria Since IQOS meets federal definitions for cigarettes, its advertising is similarly limited, but it could benefit from the negative news around e-cigarettes as the brand attempts to appeal to cigarette smokers looking for an alternative. JUUL LABS Parent company: Formerly part of Pax Labs; Altria owns a 35% minority stake. Market leader Juul commands 64% of e-cigarette sales as of Oct. 5, according to Nielsen. VUSE Parent company: R.J. Reynolds According to Kantar Media, Vuse’s increased spending represented the majority of R.J. Reynolds’…

What has led you to where you are today? After graduating from Northwestern and a start in local news, I’ve spent more than 25 years at NBC News working in Los Angeles, New York, stints in Denver and London before reaching our Washington bureau. My work has taken me to all 50 states and 56 countries. I am grateful that so many different experiences and assignments across the country and around the world enhanced my knowledge and perspective before I was able to apply those to covering politics in Washington. What pivotal moment throughout your career most stands out in your mind? It’s hard to choose just one, but more recently I recall the weight of the moment when I broke the news that Hillary Clinton had conceded the presidential race in…

‘Trust your ad ops person that when they say “no,” it’s not because we like saying “no.”’ In an industry that classifies itself as the business backend of advertising showbiz, even the most ardent of ad ops professionals will concede that monetizing traffic, optimizing CPM yield and managing the private marketplace are the lower hanging fruit. Ad ops is an underserved community that has to deftly blend commercial pressures with technical pragmatism. These pros, like Ryan McConaghy, head of revenue operations at The Atlantic, turn the promises of insertion orders and pageviews into profit that funnel into salaries. With U.S. digital ad spend surpassing offline (totaling $130 billion this year, per eMarketer), the importance of ad ops professionals cannot be underestimated. It’s still a rapidly evolving and often overlooked role.…