Digiday

Geo-targeting helps uncover an area’s cultural, social and political dynamics to deliver tailored messages that resonate with local issues. Sponsored by Seedtag.

“Some partnerships are built on what you hope to do together,” said Roblox vp of global brand partnerships and advertising Stephanie Latham. “Our partnership is building off the existing success that WPP and GroupM are already having with dozens of their clients on our platform, and it will also help us at Roblox push the boundaries of what’s possible in the immersive media space.” Elements of the Roblox–WPP partnership will include the joint development of a certification program intended to help marketers become Roblox experts, as well as the formation of an “advisory council” to help develop measurement standards for Roblox’s three-dimensional in-game advertising inventory. #roblox #wpp #advertising

Companies shouting their eco-friendly credentials from the rooftops may be a thing of the past if the latest additions to dish soap aisles are any indication. Dropps®, a cleaning brand with distribution in Wegmans Food Markets and Meijer, just launched its UltraWash Plus dishwasher pod meant to stack up against competitors like Cascade Platinium. It has a similar form factor as a wrapped pod that contains three separate cleaning agents. And though it’s made without phosphates, chlorine, phthalates, sulfates or dyes, its recyclable cardboard packaging doesn’t necessarily lead with that information. Its tagline calls itself a “biobased power dishwasher detergent” and notes that it cuts through grease, can clean 24-hour stuck on food and leaves glass sparkling. In this piece by Melissa Daniels, we speak to Alastair Dorward of Dropps®, and Soyoung Park of Dirty Labs.

Brands used to carefully curate their social media pages, presenting overly polished content and professionalism. That was then. Now, that pendulum has swung to the other side, with brands like Duolingo, Dunkin’, Scrub Daddy and Nutter Butter seemingly embracing chaos, adopting Gen Z’s extremely online culture and internet speak as the new standard approach to social. In this piece by Kimeko McCoy, we speak to Holly Willis of Magic Camp, Tony Wood of Dentsu Creative, RYAN ✨ BENSON of LOUDMOUTH, and Liz Cole of VML.

It’s no secret that President Donald Trump’s time in office was good for a number of news publishers’ businesses. However, the “Trump bump” didn’t last for everyone. Trump’s presidency coincided with a period when news publishers were focused on developing their subscription businesses. And publishers recorded growth. Companies like The New York Times and The Washington Post saw traffic surges and direct reader revenue upticks when Trump became president in 2016. Now that he’s won the presidency again, what does a second Trump administration mean for news publishers? In this piece by Sara Guaglione, we speak to Melissa Chowning of Twenty-First Digital, and Josh Awtry of Newsweek.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House might shock some – unless you’re tuned into the likes of Adin Ross, Andrew Schulz and, of course, Joe Rogan. These voices in the so-called “manosphere” – a loosely defined group of misogynistic, male influencers – are shaping the cultural zeitgeist more than ever. Through these appearances, Trump worked to soften and legitimatise himself, recasting extremist views through the humour lens that propels figures like Tony Hinchcliffe. Above all, he used them to drive voter turnout. For marketers, this success has reignited a familiar worry. The rapid churn of digital culture amplifies both the benefits and risks of engaging with influencers, forcing marketers to confront long-avoided questions with fresh urgency – inside and outside the manosphere. In this piece by Kristina Monllos and Seb Joseph, we speak to Ellen Flowers, Saleha Malik of S-Squared, Karan Dang of DANG, Nathan Jun Poekert of GENERAL IDEA., James Nord of Fohr, Brendan Gahan of Creator Authority, and Matt Wurst of Genuin.

A recent study discovered gaming commands 99% viewability and 100% ad-viewing rates — far outperforming other media. Advertisers have a unique opportunity to engage with an already focused and immersed audience that’s actively involved in shaping their experiences. When ads align with the player’s experience, they become a natural part of the interaction, rather than a distraction. Sponsored by Activision Blizzard Media.

Nike’s CEO extolled “impactful storytelling” and “brand distinction”—a.k.a. cranking up brand ads. General Mills’ chief raved about brand reinforcement, while Levi Strauss & Co. CEO name-dropped Beyoncé and lauded cultural relevance, translating to turbocharged brand development. For many CEOs, a CMO is the not-so secret weapon in their arsenal, driving the profit that fuels growth. This isn’t just lip service from a trade publication — recent earnings reports have shown just how crucial these marketing execs are. CEOs from PepsiCo, Gap, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, and Nestlé have all given a nod to marketing—and by extension, their CMOs—as the driving force behind their financial triumphs this quarter.

The ad industry and the creator economy are constantly debating the difference in terms between creators and influencers. As the industry evolves and takes up a bigger slice of the marketing pie, there are now more ways to differentiate between the two types of talent — one term seen as a more premium way of marketing, and the other focusing more broadly on creating content across different platforms. There’s perhaps a need for more clarification and updating too, as the types of content grow across channels, from artificial intelligence to virtual avatars. Another way of looking at the distinction falls along performance marketing versus branding creators. Let’s dive more into specific types of creators and influencers — and some of the sub-categories of both groups. In this piece by Antoinette S., we speak to Ana Arnet of Wpromote, Becky Owen of Billion Dollar Boy, Zac Hunter of Vladimir Jones, Amy Luca of Monks, and Nate Harris of CreatorIQ.

In light of this week’s U.S. presidential election, publishers are looking at the likely scenario of advertisers upping their brand safety blockades. Although that’s not to say that the present brand-safety situation facing publishers isn’t already challenging. During last week’s Digiday Publishing Summit Europe in Barcelona, Spain, publishers spoke out on the brand safety situation during behind-closed-doors town hall sessions, in which participants were granted anonymity in exchange for candor. The conversation touched on not only the impacts of overblocking but who’s to blame for it — brands, agencies, ad verification firms, all of the above? — as well as how the financial incentives may be set against publishers’ favor and why communication may be both an underlying cause and the ultimate solution. Here’s a selection of what they had to say. Story by Tim Peterson