| | Media Buyer & Planner Today | | | | | | | | | #1 Vice Consolidates Agency Businesses | | The youth-centric media company, which operates its digital publishing site as well as its new cable network, has been both acquiring and launching a string of businesses in the agency realm in recent years. Now, The Wall Street Journal reports it is tying all those business together under a single entity called Virtue Worldwide. The new organization promises to help marketers produce TV and digital content aimed at young consumers in 30-plus territories across the globe. The new 450-person Brooklyn-based business combines the assets of what were standalone Vice units, including Vice in-house creative agency Virtue and Carrot Creative, a digital and mobile specialty unit Vice acquired in 2013. Virtue Worldwide will work closely with the branded content agency Pulse, which Vice acquired a year ago, and Starworks Group, a global agency Vice acquired last summer. | | WHY THIS MATTERS: Lars Hemming Jorgensen, the new chief executive officer of Virtue Worldwide says the merging into a single entity was made because "marketers don't want four different stategists from four agencies in the room." He says the hope is that Virtue will play a more high-level, strategic role with marketing clients, rather than just getting one-off digital assignments. Bottom line for other agencies – another competitor. | | A Take: WSJ | | | | #2 Network Execs Want Nielsen Metric Rollout Delayed | | Entertainment presidents at the five English-language broadcast networks all agree that they want Nielsen to get things right before rolling out its Total Content Ratings, and they all believe the scheduled March 1 rollout should be delayed. Adweek contacted all five and got responses on their feelings about Nielsen's impending rollout of the new cross-platform metric. ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey says she worries that if Nielsen rolls out the new metric and "it's a disaster" then "there's no rolling it back." CBS Entertainment president Glenn Geller says, "We want it right" and "they have to count every viewer." NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt says, "We like the idea in concept, we just think it's too early. They don't have it figured out." Dana Walden, co-CEO and co-chairman of Fox Television Group says, she wants Nielsen to "take its time" because it's "critical to our business." And Mark Pedowitz, CW president says, "Don't put out something that's an inferior product. | | WHY THIS MATTERS: Despite network concerns, Nielsen seems determined to rollout the new metric on March 1. In a statement to Adweek, Nielsen says in February it plans to come out with details that will address a "handful" of client concerns. Meanwhile, the network execs will continue to wait and worry. | | A Take: Adweek | | | | #3 One Super Bowl Spot Equals 7 Digital Alternatives | | An Adweek report says for the $5 million price tag for one 30-second Super Bowl commercial, brands can get seven digital alternatives that go beyond 30 seconds. For a bit over $5 million, advertisers could buy 90 Snapshot Discover takeovers. They could also buy 17 Snapchat lenses for that amount. Or 35 homepage takeovers on tier-one sites. Or 22 custom Buzzfeed videos. Or 220 million full-episode player video impressions on TV streaming platforms or Hulu. They could also buy 370 million display video impressions or 800 million impressions from banner ads. The data was provided by Jeremy Sigel, global director of partnerships and emerging media at WPP-owned Essence. | | WHY THIS MATTERS: The debate continues over whether the huge amount of money spent on a Super Bowl TV spot to reach north of 100 million people for 30 seconds is worth it. Despite the data above and alternative buy possibilities, multiple brands are back in the Super Bowl this year their second, third or fourth consecutive year. And some brands have been in for more than a decade. Many brands feel the buzz around the Super Bowl gets them lots of additional notice both before and after the big game, more so than they would get running digital ads. | | A Take: Adweek | |
| | |
| | 20 | | Percentage of U.S. smartphone users who made in-store payments via smartphones in 2016, according to a survey by Deloitte. That's up just slightly from 18% in 2015 and but way up from 5% in 2014. | – Reported by eMarketer
| |
| | | |
| | ABC Enjoys Trump Bump | by Michael Malone
ABC and Fox split the ratings riches Wednesday, though riches may not quite be the right word to describe broadcast's flaccid performance on the night. Both scored a 1.3 rating in adults 18-49 and a 5 share. ABC aired repeats before a news special with President Donald Trump that did a 1.7.
On Fox, Lethal Weapon averaged a 1.4, while Star did a 1.2. Both were flat with the previous Wednesday.
CBS had a 1.2/4 on the night. Two hours of Hunted bagged a 1.4, before Code Black did a 0.9. Enjoying a massive lead-in Sunday thanks to the AFC championship, Hunted had premiered at 4.0.
NBC was in repeats but was pleased to report that Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's 5.1 million total viewers (1.0 in 18-49) was the show's highest repeat total in four years. NBC had a 0.9/3 on the night.
The CW's Arrow returned to a flat 0.6, while the Frequency season finale was up a tenth of a point at 0.3. CW had a 0.4/1 for the night.
Among Spanish-language entrants, Univision scored a 0.7/2, while Telemundo did a 0.6/2. | |
| | | |
| • CHRISTY HILER was promoted to president of Lexington, Kentucky agency Cornett. She was previously chief strategy officer at Cornett, which she first joined in 2002.
• SERGIO ALCOCER, former president and chief creative officer of Omnicom Hispanic agency LatinWorks, is opening an agency named Rest of the World. He departed LatinWorks in Oct. 2015 after more than 15 years. The new agency will be located in Austin, Texas.
• GARRETT ENGLISH was promoted to the expanded role of executive VP of event programming, specials and news for MTV, VH1 and Logo. He most recently was senior VP of programming, events and live production for MTV. English joined MTV in 1995 and rose up the ladder there. | |
| | | | |
