| | Media Buyer & Planner Today | | | | | | | | | #1 IPG Mediabrands Folds BPN into Initiative | | The buying arm of agency holding company Interpublic Group has begun folding one of its media buying agencies, BPN (Brand Programming Network), in another of its buying agencies Initiative. A Mediabrands' spokesperson told Adweek's Agency Spy that BPN will continue as an independent brand within IPG Mediabrands, however its U.S. operations "are being aligned with and will report into Initiative." Agency Spy also quoted sources as saying BPN will exist in name only, with employees in its New York and Chicago offices relocated into Initiative's offices and reporting to Initiative executives. Global BPN CEO Rob Kabus left the agency last year and was not replaced. BPN was launched in 2012 to allow IPG to pursue more new business without creating client conflicts with Initiative and its other media agency UM. | | WHY THIS MATTERS: Sources said the move was made following the loss of one of the agency's largest clients Tyson Foods. Sources also said the new way of operating for BPN is not new within IPG. It will operate similar to the way dedicated media unit J3 operates within UM. | | A Take: Adweek | | | | #2 No Ads, Just Branded Content At Launch For Axios | | Politico co-founder Jim VandelHei's new news venture, Axios, which rolls out Monday with a number of online newsletters, but will launch in full on Jan. 18, will only offer advertisers the ability to run short-form branded content. The Wall Street Journal quotes VandelHei as saying digital banner ads and other traditional types of online ads "means death" to publishers who follow that pattern. He even believes long-form branded content is no good, saying readers want shorter, "more digestible news" that they can share socially. So both news stories and native content will be short. Launch partner advertisers include J.P. Morgan Chase, Boeing, BP PLC and PepsiCo. | | WHY THIS MATTERS: This new form of advertising is not the only way Axios plans to bring in revenue. The plan is to also offer high-end subscriptions tailored to the needs to CEOs and top business leaders. Prices for those could run as high as $10,000 a year. | | A Take: WSJ | | | | #3 BMW Introduces 5 Series Via Facebook Live | | The North America division of the German automaker unveiled its new 5 Series model via Facebook Live on Sunday during the North American International Auto Show with a 17 1⁄2 minute telecast. Media Post reports that the event showed off the vehicle ahead of its official debut at a press conference on Monday. BMW has described the new model, the seventh generation, as its most innovative 5 Series to date. As of Sunday night it received 26,000 views and was shared over 300 times, drawing 719 comments. The live event was produced for BMW by its social media agency Laundry Service. | | WHY THIS MATTERS: Social media continues to grow in the minds of marketers and brands as a way to market their products. Instead of debuting the new model with expensive TV spots in Sunday night's Golden Globes telecast, BMW chose a seemingly cheaper, but more innovative route via Facebook. | A Take: Media Post
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| | 79 | | Percentage of U.S. consumers ages 18-65 who say brands must actively demonstrate "they understand and care about me" before they consider purchasing, according to a study by WPP digital agency Wunderman, conducted in partnership with Penn Schoen Berland. Some 89% also say they are loyal to brands that share their values. | – Reported by Media Post
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| | Football Fuels Fox Win | by Michael Malone
Fueled by football playoffs, Fox won Sunday night with a 5.3 rating in adults 18-49, and a 16 share. With Jimmy Fallon hosting the Golden Globes, NBC was next at 4.1/13. CBS did a 1.0/3 and ABC had a 0.8/3.
Fox rode NFL coverage into prime, with The Simpsons at 4.9, Son of Zorn at 2.3, Family Guy at 1.8 and Bob's Burgers at 1.5.
The Globes scored a 4.8 out of a 2.2 red carpet special. Last year's telecast drew 18.5 million viewers and a 5.5 in the 18-49 demo.
On CBS, NCIS: Los Angeles was down a tenth of a point at 1.3, then Madam Secretary fell 18% to 0.9, before Elementary slipped 13% to 0.7.
ABC had America's Funniest Home Videos at 0.8, down 20%, then To Tell the Truth was up 25% at 1.0 and Conviction up 25% at 0.5. | |
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| • ANDREW SWINAND was named North America CEO of Leo Burnett, succeeding Rich Stoddart who was previously promoted to CEO of Leo Burnett Worldwide. In addition to hiring Swinand, Leo Burnett is also acquiring two digital agencies from Swinand's company Abundant Venture Partners. The two agencies include The Abundancy and Ardent. The agencies will be absorbed into other Leo Burnett operations. Swinand is former president of Starcom Mediavest Group, Publicis Groupe's media agency network, which has since been reorganized. Swinand also worked at Procter & Gamble and at BBDO.
• JUSTIN THOMAS-COPELAND was promoted to the newly created position of president of Omnicom agency Rapp New York. He succeeds Robert Doerr who had overseen the New York office as managing director before departing in November. Thomas-Copeland has been with RAPP since January 2015 and was previously senior VP, global chief client officer and based in London. Prior to that he was managing director and CEO of Wunderman operations in Europe, Middle East and Africa. He also worked at Novartis Consumer Health, Europe, where he held the post of chief digital officer. • KEN ERKE is leaving his position as senior VP, executive creative director at Cramer-Krasselt Chicago, according to an Agency Spy report. He will be replaced by RICK HAMMAN, who joins Cramer-Krasselt from The Onion Labs, where he was chief creative officer. Prior to that he served as senior VP, group creative director at Energy BBDO.
• CELINE MIDOUIN was named global chief talent officer at McCann Health. She was most recently chief talent officer at 360i. Prior to that she was senior VP of global human resources at Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, and before that was VP, human resources at WNBC New York.
• FRANK BIANCUZZO and MICHAEL HAYES were promoted to executive VPs at Hearst Television, where they will continue to share oversight of most of the company's 30 TV stations and two radio stations. They were previous senior VPs. Biancuzzo has been with Hearst TV since 2007, while Hayes has been with Hearst since 2014. | |
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