| Today's Top Stories | | #1 | Taco Bell Rolls Out Third Wave of Breakfast Ads Ridiculing Clueless Oldsters
| | | The primary target of the campaign is millennials. Its latest set of commercials features senior citizens apparently baffled by the newfangled breakfast items. In one spot, two seniors sitting near a Taco Bell restaurant figure that the chain's breakfast items can be eaten with one hand in order for younger customers to "do that Tweeter thing they do" with the other. The campaign was created by Deutsch.
Why This Matters: Taco Bell has been pushing the envelope with this campaign, first taking pokes at McDonald's and now sort of mocking older folks. There are risks: One Ad Age readers writes, "Ridiculing older people to attract young people … adds to the incorrect stereotype that older people are dimwitted old coots," adding that McDonald's Egg McMuffin succeeded because it had wide market appeal.
A Take: Ad Age
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| | #2 | Newspaper Circulation Increases Aren't What They Appear to Be
| | | The latest report by the Alliance for Audited Media says while some newspapers are showing gains, those are actually thanks to inserts in the newspapers known as "branded editions." Under the AAM's new auditing procedure, branded editions can include a special issue or even a coupon supplement. The New York Times had a 94% circulation increase to 3.2 million, but that surge, according to a report in Media Life, includes 668,054 in circulation from branded editions.
Why This Matters: This intermingling of "branded edition" circulation with the regular daily and Sunday newspaper circulation is sort of devious to marketers. Instead of closing up reporting loopholes, more are being created to prop up each newspaper's numbers.
A Take: Media Life
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| | #3 | Hispanic Marketing Association Names McDonald's Marketer of the Year
| | | Known as "The Voice of Hispanic Marketing," the AHAA selected the fast food chain as its second annual winner. Walmart won last year. "We make it our job to know our consumers, and the cultural things that are important to them, and recognize this country is changing dramatically," said Priscila Aviles Jamison, senior director of U.S. marketing creative for McDonald's. In that regard, the chain has three different marketing directors, each for Hispanic, African-American and Asian-American consumers that focus on their specific segments.
Why This Matters: With spending power of over $1 trillion, Hispanic consumers continue to be the focus of a lot of marketers and McDonald's is among the leaders. Last year the chain spent $111 million on Hispanic media advertising alone.
A Take: Ad Age
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#4 DigitasLBi the First Agency Partner for Google Preferred (Adweek)
#5 Maker's Mark Gambles on Kentucky Derby-Themed Reddit Campaign (Digiday)
#6 What Ad Buyers and Sellers Need to Know About the 'Botnet' Ecosystem (Ad Age)
#7 How Marketers Should Approach Celebrities' Super-Fan Communities (Digiday)
#8 MRY Named Lead Agency on New AT&T Campaign (MediaPost)
#9 Mr. Peanut to Pitch Planters' Flavored Nuts in New Marketing Campaign (Ad Age)
#10 Tablets Challenge PCs as Leading Digital Video Channel in U.S. (eMarketer)
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Percentage of U.S. Gen Y (18-29) smartphone users who use their phones while shopping in-store, according to data from Thrive Analytics and the Local Search Association. That compares to 91% of Gen X (30-43) users, 81% of young baby boomers (44-53) and 69% of older baby boomers (54-plus).
– Reported by eMarketer
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| | MBPT Spotlight | It's May Sweeps Month—Does Anyone Care?
By John Consoli
The broadcast network primetime May sweeps kicked off last Thursday. Did anyone notice? Hardly.
Once a mega-competitive month when the Big Four broadcast networks ran all sorts of specials, stunts and miniseries, and aired their best episodes with big-name guest stars, the sweeps are practically non-existent today.
The November sweeps came and went with no fanfare, the February sweeps were a wash because of the Olympics on NBC, and now we're expecting a trifecta with May.
The sweeps' heyday wasn't very long ago, back when the broadcast networks used to flood the trade press and other media with mass promotional releases leading up to program airings, and similarly dole out data each morning crowing about their ratings wins the night before and their superiority during each sweeps month.
The May sweeps during many seasons determined which network won the season in viewers or in the advertiser-desired 18-49 demo rating, important stuff heading into the upfronts, where much ad buying and selling happens for the coming season.
Of course, the purpose of the sweeps was to come up with broadcast network ratings data that the local TV stations could use to sell their own primetime advertising. For years, Nielsen collected and distributed more than two million paper diaries in markets across the country during the sweeps months to gather viewer numbers on the local market level.
However, local people meters have been replacing diaries in the markets, rendering sweeps ratings less important since ratings are available on a year-round basis rather than only from the big three months.
And the broadcast networks seem more preoccupied with trying to program against cable on a season-long basis, rather than saving their best programming for specific sweeps periods.
"With cable programming year-round now instead of just introducing their new and returning series during the summer, the broadcast networks have to compete with cable in every month and not worry about competing with themselves in sweeps months," says Brad Adgate, senior VP, research at Horizon Media.
What major broadcaster still cares deeply about sweeps numbers—and why? And what is on top for this year's sweeps?
For more, click HERE
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| | Fates & Fortunes | • GUY WIEYNK was named to the newly created position of CEO for the U.K. and the Nordics at Publicis Worldwide. Wieynk was most recently international VP at AKQA, a position he left in January. In his new role, he will oversee Publicis London, Poke, Publicis Chemistry, Publicis Blueprint, Skaandali Publicis in Finland, Kitchen in Norway and Reputation in Denmark. He cannot assume his new role until the end of 2014 because of contractual restrictions with AKQA parent WPP.
• ALAN MULALLY will retire from his post as CEO of Ford Motor Co. and step down from the board of directors effective July 1. He will be succeeded by current Ford chief operating officer Mark Fields. Reports say his stock holdings have a value of $300 million.
• RUPERT RUNEWITSCH was named head of the Leo Burnett Social and Mobile practice in North America. He was most recently client services director at U.K. digital agency Holler.
• KELLY McMACKIN was named general sales manager at KSWB/Fox 5, Tribune Broadcasting's San Diego affiliate station. He will oversee that station's sales strategy including local and national sales, new business and digital sales. He was most recently director of national sales and digital media for Cox Communications. This will be his second stint as GM for KSWB; he also held the position from 1996-2001.
• CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER is leaving as host of Disney/ABC's syndicated game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire after one season. Cedric said his busy film and television schedule and the show's pending move to Connecticut contributed to his decision. Cedric stars in the TV Land sitcom The Soul Man, which he also executive produces. He is also scheduled to host The Critics' Choice Television Awards on June 19 and is working on several films. He also hosts his own podcast. Cedric took over for Meredith Vieira, who had hosted the show for 11 seasons.
• GREG CREED, CEO of Taco Bell, will succeed David Novak as CEO of parent company Yum Brands in 2015. Novak has been Yum Brands CEO since 1999. The company also operates or licenses the KFC and Pizza Hut chains. Creed has been Taco Bell CEO since 2011. He was chief marketing officer of Taco Bell when it introduced its successful "Think Outside the Bun" marketing campaign and more recently as CEO oversaw the introduction of the Doritos Locos tacos. Novak is not departing the company entirely; he will become executive chairman.
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| | What They're Watching | BROADCAST RATINGS
'CSI' Up Slightly With Arquette's Backdoor Pilot
CBS' long-running procedural CSI aired the backdoor pilot for a cyber-themed potential spinoff with Patricia Arquette on Wednesday night, which was up 6% from the show's last episode three weeks ago. CBS led the night overall. Earlier, Survivor dipped a tenth and Criminal Minds tied its series low, returning down 4% from three weeks off. Fox grabbed second as American Idol fell 14%. NBC, whose affiliate in Portland carried NBA playoff basketball, was in third. Revolution returned up 8% from a month off, while Law & Order: SVU's first original in three weeks off was off by 14%. Chicago P.D. came back up 19%. ABC's Mixology sank another 13%, leading out of Modern Family, which itself dipped 20% to a season low. Earlier, The Middle was down 5% and Suburgatory tied its series low, shedding 18% from last week. At 10 p.m., Nashville fell 20% to a new series low for regular airings. ABC was in fourth. The CW's Arrow was up 14% and The 100 was even with last week.
For more, click HERE
CABLE RATINGS
NBA Playoffs Lead Tuesday
NBA Basketball Playoffs coverage on TNT topped Tuesday's cable numbers with a 2.2 adults 18-49 rating. Discovery's Deadliest Catch, in third place overall, was the highest rated non-NBA cable program with a 1.3, down 13% from last week.
For more, click HERE
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| Overnight Ratings: Wednesday, April 30
| | 8 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLIONS) | CBS
| SURVIVOR
| 2.2
| 9.6
| FOX
| AMERICAN IDOL
| 1.7
| 8.3
| ABC
| THE MIDDLE (8)
SUBURGATORY (8:30)
| 1.8
1.4
| 7.1
5.1
| NBC
| REVOLUTION
| 1.4
| 4.7
| UNIVISION
| POR SIEMPRE MI AMOR
| 1.0
| 2.7
| CW
| ARROW
| 0.8
| 2.3
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| | 9 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLIONS) | CBS
| CRIMINAL MINDS
| 2.2
| 10.2
| ABC
| MODERN FAMILY (9)
MIXOLOGY (9:30)
| 2.8
1.3
| 8.3
3.6
| FOX
| AMERICAN IDOL
| 1.9
| 9.0
| NBC
| LAW & ORDER: SVU
| 1.8
| 6.1
| UNIVISION
| LO QUE LA VIDA ME ROBÓ
| 1.3
| 3.6
| CW
| THE 100
| 0.6
| 1.9
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| | 10 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLIONS) | NBC
| CHICAGO P.D.
| 1.9
| 7.2
| CBS
| CSI
| 1.8
| 9.9
| ABC
| NASHVILLE
| 1.2
| 4.5
| UNIVISION
| QUÉ POBRES TAN RICOS
| 0.9
| 2.4
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| | TOMORROW'S BIG RATINGS STORIES TODAY | • 'iHeartRadio Music Awards' Makes Its Debut on NBC
This first of what is expected to be an annual new awards show will air on NBC on Thursday from 8-11 p.m. The iHeartRadio Music Awards is presented by Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, which owns the iHeartRadio Internet platform. The new music special will honor Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best New Artist, Country Song of the Year, Hip Hop/R&B Song of the Year, Electronic Dance Music Song of the Year, Alternative Rock Song of the Year and Best Fan Army. The event will be televised live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, but artists will also perform from other venues. Artists scheduled to perform include Blake Shelton, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Pitbull and Shakira. Others set to make appearances include Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Steven Tyler, among others. The upshot: This is a major brand promotion for iHeartRadio and adds to the growing number of music specials on the broadcast and cable networks. It will be interesting to see if viewers embrace it.
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| • 'Vikings' Sails Off Until Season Three
History Channel's hit scripted series concludes its second season on Thursday at 10 p.m. Vikings, which follows the lives of a clan of Norse warriors, has averaged about 3.3 million viewers and a 1.2 18-49 demo rating for its second season. In its first season it initially led out of the History miniseries The Bible on Sunday nights and averaged five million viewers and a 1.9 demo rating. After The Bible ended, it finished the season averaging a still-solid 3.5 million viewers and a 1.6 demo rating. This season it moved to Thursdays, but aired out of History's most-watched series Pawn Stars and has again drawn well. The upshot: Vikings, the network's first scripted drama, has been renewed for a third, 10-episode season that will begin filming this summer. Since season finales always seem to draw bigger audiences, expect Vikings to bring in north of four million viewers on Thursday night.
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| • 'Sirens' Doesn't Make Much Noise for USA in Season One
This first season of USA Network's scripted comedy ends a short-run first season on Thursday at 10 p.m. Despite heavy promotion by the network and the involvement of actor and comedian Denis Leary, who cowrote the pilot and several other episodes, Sirens, loosely based on a British series of the same name, never really captured the hearts of viewers. The series revolves around the exploits of three Chicago emergency medical technician workers. The upshot: USA gave the series a plum time period, leading out of one of its most-watched series, Suits, but Sirens has only averaged about 1.1 million viewers and a 0.4 18-49 demo rating. USA is trying to establish comedy on the network, but this series didn't do much to keep the laughs on track.
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