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☆ Ad insiders are buzzing about industry power broker Michael Kassan's messy split with UTA and what it means for the future of MediaLink
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

After falling out with Kassan, UTA may think twice about buying another agency. The media and ad industry will be watching to see what, if any, leadership changes UTA makes at MediaLink. The end of the ad industry schmoozefest? One industry veteran said they saw Kassan's exit as an opportunity to change how ad industry consultants operate and charge for services. At the center of the dispute between UTA and Kassan is the MediaLink founder's $950,000 annual expense account.

Persons: Michael Kassan, MediaLink, Kassan, Jeremy Zimmer, Kassan wasn't, Vianney Tisseau, headhunting, Jon Miller, Sanford Michelman, Michelman, Robinson, Ethan Miller, Julian Jacobs, David Anderson, WME, Kassan's, Wenda Harris Millard, wasn't, what's, There's, Lou Paskalis, Marc Sternberg's, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Mariah Carey, Tom Brady, Rob Norman, WPP's Organizations: UTA, Cannes Lions, Consumer, Business, Los Angeles Superior Court, Los, Judicial, Mediation Services, Variety Cannes Lions Studio, Integrated Media, Getty, Talent, Accenture, General Motors, Netflix, JUV Consulting, Madison, Endeavor, Writers Guild of America, Zimmer, Western Initiative Media Worldwide, Interpublic Group, Bank of America, AJL, Marc Sternberg's Brand, Kassan, Southwest, NFL Locations: MediaLink, Cannes, France, Madison, Droga5, Hollywood, Kassan, California, South, Austin

☆ AI researcher Joy Buolamwini cautions that if AI systems fail people of color, they fail humanity
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Monica Melton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

We’re growing some teeth as to what can be done with AI, but we also see where there’s progress, there’s attack. One of the things I like to point out with AI systems is that if your AI systems fail on people of color, you don’t have a robust system. If your AI doesn’t work on the global majority, if your AI doesn’t work for women, if your AI doesn’t work for people with disabilities, once you start expanding all of the areas we’re talking about, it comes to your AI doesn’t work for humanity. To me, that’s a proactive approach of saying, how do we build consumer AI technology in a way that’s more ethical? I was talking to Sam Altman about the climate impact of AI, especially these large language models and generative AI systems.

Persons: Joe Biden, Joy Buolamwini, Buolamwini, It’s, ”, we’ve, it’s, I’ve, there’s, We’ve, you’re, aren’t, Simone Biles, Biden, Sam Altman, Olay, we’re, There’s, We’re, that’s Organizations: Service, League, Business, Federal Trade Commission, Procter, Gamble, Big Tech Locations: Davos

Some of that loss may be because of disappointing news about the Cybertruck’s pricing and availability. But some may also reflect renewed concern about Elon Musk’s latest comments, made at the DealBook Summit this week, and whether his self-inflicted damage at X is distracting from his other businesses. Advertisers aren’t impressed by Musk’s recent tirade. On Wednesday, he asserted that brands were trying to “blackmail” him by suspending their advertising after he endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X. “There is no advertising value that would offset the reputational risk of going back on the platform,” Lou Paskalis, the founder and C.E.O.

Persons: Tesla’s, Elon Musk’s, aren’t, Musk’s, ”, Lou Paskalis Organizations: Tesla, AJL, Times

☆ It sure looks like Elon Musk is deliberately destroying X
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Jyoti Mann | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk seems to be trying to sabotage X by telling major advertisers "go fuck yourself." It gives weight to a theory that Musk may be deliberately trying to sink X, formerly Twitter. Those banks have since been trying to sell the debt — which looks increasingly worthless as Musk drives X into the ground. In the meantime, X and Musk must pay millions of dollars in interest to their financiers. "There is no way back, there is no way to reverse the statement Elon made yesterday," said Ruben Schreurs, chief strategy officer at the marketing consultancy Ebiquity, which works with major advertisers.

Persons: Elon Musk, Martin Sorrell, —, NBCUniversal, Musk, Linda Yaccarino, Linda, Jerod Harris, Matt Levine, Levine, Lou Paskalis, Musk's, Paskalis, BI's Grace Kay, Kali Hays, it's, Elon, Ruben Schreurs, Yaccarino, didn't Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Apple, Disney, IBM, Bloomberg, Bank of America, AJL, Musk's Twitter, Ebiquity, X

☆ The major companies still advertising on X despite Elon Musk’s antisemitic endorsement
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Oliver Darcy | Liam Reilly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But those assurances have rung hollow as advertisements have continued to be placed on accounts posting hate speech and conspiracy theories. “Elon introduced unique risks,” marketing industry veteran Lou Paskalis, the founder and chief executive of marketing consultancy AJL Advisory, told CNN. “It’s self-destructive for any advertiser to be associated with him,” Sonnenfeld told CNN. His endorsement of the post came as the progressive watchdog Media Matters issued a report that indicated advertisements for major brands appeared next to neo-Nazi hate speech on X. Legal experts have told CNN that the lawsuit is deeply flawed and could open the billionaire up to embarrassing revelations during the discovery process.

Persons: Elon Musk’s, Brian McCarthy, Musk, George Soros —, X, “ Elon, Lou Paskalis, ” Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, ” Sonnenfeld, ”, Ted Boutrous, Boutrous, ” CNN’s Clare Duffy Organizations: CNN, NFL, Walmart, State, The New York Times, Washington Post, The, Mondelēz International, Ritz Crackers, Twitter, Defamation League, Apple, Disney, IBM, Paramount, Fox Sports, Paris, Warner Bros ., AJL, Yale School of Management, Media, Media Matters, Ted Boutrous CNN Locations: Wendy’s, White

☆ Here are six important questions as Elon Musk faces an ever-deepening crisis over his unhinged behavior
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Elon Musk has an ever-deepening crisis on his hands. Days after the billionaire conspiracy theorist endorsed an antisemitic post on his hate-drenched platform, X, there is mounting pressure for others to take additional action against the unhinged businessman. Here are six questions about the calamity besieging X:What is Musk doing with his lawsuit against Media Matters? Earlier this year, the NFL expressed concern when a Media Matters report found its ads were appearing next to accounts belonging to racists. But it has not said a word since, even as X continued placing ads for NFL teams onto VDARE’s account.

Persons: CNN — Elon Musk, It’s, Musk, Ted Boutrous, X, ” Angelo Carusone, Will Linda Yaccarino, Lou Paskalis, Clare Duffy, Elon Musk, ” Paskalis, she’s, ‘, ” Yaccarino, Axios, TechCrunch, I’m, newsrooms, Casey Newton, ” Newton Organizations: CNN, Media Matters, Media, Hamas, AJL Advisory, NFL, The Washington Post, Financial Times, New York Times Locations: Israel

☆ Ad execs encourage X CEO Linda Yaccarino to quit after Elon Musk’s antisemitic embrace
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Clare Duffy | Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hundreds of major brands paused their ad spend after Musk’s acquisition over concerns about content moderation and the platform’s future under the eccentric billionaire. But at least a half dozen major advertisers, including media giants Disney, Paramount and NBCUniversal, halted their spending on X on Friday. IBM also suspended advertising on the platform after its ad appeared alongside pro-Nazi content. The decisions to drop the platform followed criticism of Musk over his public embrace of an antisemitic conspiracy theory favored by White supremacists. “No critic will ever deter us from our mission to protect free speech,” Yaccarino said in the Sunday letter.

Persons: Linda Yaccarino, Elon, Lou Paskalis, “, ” Paskalis, ”, Musk, White supremacists, Elon Musk, she’s, ‘, ” Yaccarino, I’m, Yaccarino, it’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, X, AJL, CNN, Disney, Paramount, IBM, Media, monetization Locations: New York

☆ X CEO Linda Yaccarino is reportedly getting texts from ad execs advising her to resign over Elon Musk's backing of antisemitic post
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ad execs are reportedly reaching out to X CEO Linda Yaccarino and advising her to resign. X and Elon Musk have faced backlash after the billionaire endorsed an antisemitic post on X. One executive told Axios she needs to "save" her reputation. AdvertisementAdvertising executives have been reaching out to X CEO Linda Yaccarino and advising her to leave the social media company, according to reports from multiple outlets. Paskalis told Axios he texted Yaccarino on Sunday and told her she should resign from her role at X.

Persons: Linda Yaccarino, Elon Musk, Axios, —, Musk, Yaccarino, Lou Paskalis, Paskalis, I'm Organizations: Service, Media Matters, Nazi, Apple, Disney, Bank of America, AJL, Forbes, Elon

July 3 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's move to temporarily cap how many posts Twitter users can read on the social media site could undermine efforts by the company's new Chief Executive Linda Yaccarino to attract advertisers, marketing industry professionals said. Under the new cap, unverified accounts were initially limited to 600 posts a day with new unverified accounts limited to 300. Verified accounts could read 6,000 posts a day, Musk said in a post on the site. Hours later, he said the cap was raised to 10,000 posts per day for verified users, 1,000 per day for unverified and 500 posts per day for new unverified users. Kai-Cheng Yang, researcher at Indiana University in Bloomington, said that the limits appeared to be effective in blocking third parties, including search engines, from scraping Twitter data like before.

Persons: Elon Musk's, Linda Yaccarino, Musk, Yaccarino, Mike Proulx, Forrester, Lou Paskalis, Jasmine Enberg, Kai, Cheng Yang, Jody Godoy, Sheila Dang, Akash Sriram, Burton Frierson, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Financial Times, AJL Advisory, Bank of America, Twitter, Insider Intelligence, Indiana University, Thomson Locations: Bloomington, New York, Dallas, Bengaluru

☆ Elon Musk's Twitter rate limits could damage the company's 'last best hope,' CEO Linda Yaccarino, ad experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

On Saturday, Elon Musk introduced a controversial limit on how many tweets users can view daily. Ad experts told Reuters that could this undermine Linda Yaccarino's attempts to salvage the company. Elon Musk's controversial Twitter rate limits could damage CEO Linda Yaccarino's work to improve the company, ad experts told Reuters. And Mike Proulx, research director at Forrester, told Reuters the limits are "remarkably bad" for users and advertisers already agitated by Musk's "chaos." The Twitter CEO took over the role from Musk last month, a couple weeks before she was initially scheduled to start leading the company.

Persons: Elon Musk, Linda Yaccarino's, Lou Paskalis, Elon Musk's, Yaccarino, Mike Proulx, Forrester, Musk, she's, Kali Hays, Jack Dorsey, Twitter Organizations: Reuters, Morning, Bank of, AJL, Twitter, BBC, The New York Times, Financial Times Locations: NBCUniversal

☆ Elon Musk and new CEO Linda Yaccarino kept Twitter staff in the dark during the days of 'rate limit' chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk abruptly decided to give all Twitter users a maximum amount of access to the site. Twitter workers have received little communication on the change from Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino. The change allows users to view only a certain number of Tweets before being prevented from interacting with the site. "Neither of them have said anything about what's going on," one of the people familiar said, referring to Musk and new CEO Linda Yaccarino. Once Musk decided to implement the rate limit, many Twitter workers asked in private Slack channels if it was a permanent change.

Persons: Elon Musk, Linda Yaccarino, Musk, Chris Riedy, Yoel Roth, Twitter's, Sheldon Chang, Chang, Riedy, Lou Paskalis, Kali Hays Organizations: Twitter, AJL, Reuters Locations: khays

☆ Twitter's new CEO Linda Yaccarino held intense SoulCycle sessions with her favorite employees in a former role, new report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk announced Friday that Linda Yaccarino will take on the role of CEO of Twitter. One source said she would invite favored staffers to do intense SoulCycle workouts as a form of bonding. Twitter's new CEO Linda Yaccarino reportedly organized SoulCycle workout sessions with favorite employees in a previous role, Fortune reported Sunday. One unnamed source told Fortune that Yaccarino can play favorites and would invite chosen employees to intense SoulCycle spinning sessions. There's now speculation as to whether other NBCUniversal employees will follow Yaccarino to Twitter.

☆ Twitter's new CEO Linda Yaccarino is so influential at work that some loyal staffers mimicked her fashion sense and mannerisms, new report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Twitter's new CEO has a reputation for being influential at work, former coworkers told Fortune. Twitter's newest CEO Linda Yaccarino is so influential in the workplace that her fashion choices and mannerisms are adopted by the most loyal staffers around her, Fortune reported Sunday. One unnamed source said that she is so influential that some employees around her adopt her fashion style and mannerisms. She stood up to a lot of men," one unnamed source told Fortune. "There was chemistry there," Lou Paskalis, CEO of marketing consultancy firm AJL Advisory, told Fortune.

May 12 (Reuters) - Elon Musk has named former NBCUniversal advertising chief Linda Yaccarino as Twitter's new CEO, as the company tries to reverse a plunge in ad revenue. "I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter!" Last month, NBC parent Comcast said NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell was leaving after acknowledging an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, following a complaint that prompted an investigation. Musk, the CEO of electric-vehicle maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), completed his purchase of Twitter in October for $44 billion. On Thursday, Musk tweeted that he had found a CEO without identifying Yaccarino.

☆ One year into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, disinformation sites with ads powered by Google have more than doubled
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian disinformation sites with Google-powered ads have more than doubled since last year, according to NewsGuard. Last year, as Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Google and major brands placed ads on sites that promoted Kremlin propaganda. Google added that it has stopped running ads on specific pages on sites shared by Insider that show "violating content." The problem of ads appearing in sites containing disinformation is growing, as these sites take advantage of programmatic ad buying, where digital ads are purchased in an auction using automation. Programmatic ad buying is both a complicated and technical process, so advertisers often don't see where their ads are going.

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