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☆ Our team lip-synced Frozen's 'Let It Go' during a Zoom offsite. It was incredibly awkward but became our best team-building moment.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

CMO Elyse Estrada organized a virtual offsite to help her team build camaraderie and have fun. Their best team-building moment was a group lip-sync performance to "Let It Go" from the movie "Frozen." Estrada says it started off awkward, but the activity helped bring more clarity to the team. In the fourth quarter of 2022, I worked with a small group from my team to organize a two-day virtual offsite team-building experience. One experience in team-building was surprisingly the highlightWe selected four people from the team to organize the event.

Elon Musk announced today that Linda Yaccarino would be the next Twitter CEO. With its revenue falling and its reputation falling faster, she may be the win Musk needs. Elon musk needs a win. The ad sales team generated more than $100 billion in ad revenue during her 12-year tenure, according to the company. That advertising revenue is just what Musk needs right now.

☆ Switching to a 4-day work week got rid of this company's 'Sunday Scaries'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A 4-day work week could help employees say goodbye to their Sunday Scaries. But the company's experience also adds to the established litany of research, trials, and discourse around the 4-day work week. Qwick wasn't one of the companies that participated in the 4-day work week trial study that was published by 4 Day Week Global in December. To aid the company's growth, Qwick weighed the option of piloting a 4-day work week. After announcing its four-day work week trial, Kekic said Qwick saw a 230% increase in job applications.

☆ New grads are already worried about being overworked in their first jobs out of college
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jennifer Liu | In Jljenniferliu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The top concern soon-to-be-grads have about entering the current job market has nothing to do with money, according to a new survey of 500 incoming college graduates from A.Team, a tech hiring platform. Instead, when asked about their top concern about the work landscape, 21% said they were most worried about finding a role that affords them work-life balance. Not far behind, 19% of new grads are concerned about not finding a job they're passionate about, while another 18% say potential layoffs are their biggest worry. Reports of academic burnout from college students got worse during the pandemic and remains a problem: As of 2022, 2 in 5 undergrads say they frequently feel stress while attending school, according to research from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. Gen Z's calls for work-life balance could reshape workplace culture

☆ I use ChatGPT and it's like having a 24-7 personal assistant for $20 a month. Here are 5 ways it's helping me save time and make more money.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

She says using ChatGPT is like having an assistant and gives her more time to focus on her children. It also helps me answer client questions in a contextually appropriate way and has afforded me more time to concentrate on my kids' extracurriculars or help them with homework. I've created a list of common questions that potential clients ask about particular properties, buildings, or locations, such as, "What's the square footage?" I'm able to engage with a larger number of potential clients at any given time. Generates data reportsChatGPT can generate data reports that allow me to analyze the performance of particular client interactions, as well as outreach and marketing campaigns.

☆ I use ChatGPT and it's like having a 24/7 personal assistant for $20 a month. Here are 5 ways it's helping me save time and make more money.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

She says using ChatGPT is like having an assistant and gives her more time to focus on her children. It also helps me answer client questions in a contextually appropriate way and has afforded me more time to concentrate on my kids' extracurriculars or helping them with homework. I've created a list of common questions that potential clients ask about particular properties, buildings, or locations, such as "What's the square footage?" And once we receive a response from the potential client, we can forward their information to the relevant team for a more personalized follow-up. I'm able to engage with a larger number of potential clients at any given time.

☆ How Warner Bros. Discovery plans to take on Disney and Netflix with new streamer Max, according to WBD's top marketing exec
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"HBO had its limits," Patrizio Spagnoletto, Warner Bros. WBD research showed that to attract new subscribers, the HBO brand was too nichePatrizio "Pato" Spagnoletto is Warner Bros. DiscoveryIn dropping "HBO" from the name, WBD is acknowledging HBO Max has a potent but narrow appeal that could turn off a broader audience. The Max logo has the same vibe as the HBO Max logo, however, and incorporates a few elements of HBO's logo. "Right now, we have very limited capabilities" in that regard, he said of the current HBO Max app.

☆ WPP Says Growth Target on Track Despite Softness From Some Tech Clients
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Megan Graham | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The WPP headquarters in New York. Chief Executive Mark Read said the company has seen some slight softness from some of its technology clients following several years of increasing budgets. Photo: WPPAdvertising holding company WPP PLC says it is on track to hit its organic growth target this year as other parts of its business help offset lower spending from some technology clients. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CMO Today CMO Today delivers the most important news of the day for media and marketing professionals. The measure strips out currency fluctuations, acquisitions, disposals and costs such as expenses billed to clients.

☆ Top Warner Bros. Discovery marketing exec reveals the launch strategy for mega-streamer Max, the challenges ahead, and why HBO was dropped from the name: 'HBO had its limits'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Spagnoletto, who goes by Pato, was referring to the market research WBD conducted before settling on the name Max — dropping the HBO from its existing service, HBO Max — for the company's long-awaited mega-streamer that will combine content from HBO Max and Discovery+. WBD research showed that to attract new subscribers, the HBO brand was too nichePatrizio "Pato" Spagnoletto Warner Bros. DiscoveryIn dropping "HBO" from the name, WBD is acknowledging HBO Max has a potent but narrow appeal that could turn off a broader audience. The Max logo has the same vibe as the HBO Max logo, however, and incorporates a few elements of HBO's logo. "Right now, we have very limited capabilities" in that regard, he said of the current HBO Max app.

☆ Walmart’s US chief marketing officer stepping down as retailer warns of tough year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Walmart’s chief merchandising officer for its US operations is stepping down from the job as the retailer faces a tougher year ahead, an internal memo shared to US associates Friday said. In a memo viewed by CNN Business, Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner said Redfield wants to spend more time with his family. Redfield held his position at the retailer for a little more than a year, beginning in January 2022. Its strong holiday sales were fueled by groceries. “There are merchants, and then there’s our Chief Merchandising Officer Charles Redfield,” CEO John Furner said in a memo viewed by CNN Business.

☆ A flurry of news outside the portfolio has implications for 3 of our stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Here are three noteworthy news developments over the past two days, which contain useful insights about our stocks. For the full year 2023, Novo now expects sales growth in the range of 24% and 30%, compared to prior estimates of 13% to 19%. In addition, operating profit growth is expected to be in the range of 28% and 34%, up from a prior range of 13% to 19%. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

☆ Wetzel's Pretzels is launching a new store concept aimed at Gen Z and millennials – take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Wetzel's Pretzels is launching a new store concept that will sell innovative takes on the typical pretzel. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyCalifornia pretzel chain Wetzel's Pretzels is launching a new store concept specifically targeting Gen Z and millennials. With Twisted, Wetzel's Pretzels will be steering clear of shopping malls. Wetzel's Pretzels CMO Kim Freer told Insider that the company would instead target college towns and power centers, which are outdoor shopping centers with multiple big-box tenants. Wetzel's PretzelsFreer said that Wetzel's Pretzels planned to open around 40 new stores between now and the end of 2023, with at least three being Twisted stores.

☆ AI Food Startup NotCo Hires Activision’s Fernando Machado as CMO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

NotCo co-founder and Chief Executive Matias Muchnick, right, with Chief Marketing Officer Fernando Machado. Mr. Machado will develop a marketing plan to help the plant-based food startup break through into the U.S. market, according to Mr. Muchnick. The Not Co. or NotCo, a Chilean startup that uses artificial-intelligence technology to produce plant-based foods that mimic dairy and meat products, has hired Fernando Machado as chief marketing officer. He succeeds Flavia Buchmann, who left the company in late 2022. NotCo has also brought on an unnamed U.S. general manager to work alongside Mr. Machado and will announce that hire in the coming weeks, according to a company spokeswoman.

☆ A top GE HealthCare marketing exec reveals the brand strategy that helped the GE spinoff become a $35 billion company two months after going public
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GE HealthCare built a brand campaign that helped the company hit a $35 billion marketing cap. In January, GE HealthCare started publicly trading as its own business, and it now has a market cap value of $35 billion. GE HealthCare launched an ad campaign created by BBDO on January 4, the day of the spinoff. GE HealthCare is also building a social presence, mostly focused on LinkedIn. "It was a brilliant move because the GE brand stands for innovation, thinking differently, and creating dialogue," Fallon said.

☆ VideoAmp Hires Its First CMO as Ad-Measurement Race Heats Up
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

VideoAmp is part of a group of media-measurement upstarts aiming to challenge longtime standard-bearer Nielsen. VideoAmp Inc. hired media executive Jenny Wall to be its first chief marketing officer as it looks to further establish its position in the contentious media measurement space. Ms. Wall had been CMO of Paramount Global ’s Nickelodeon and previously held marketing roles at Hulu, Netflix Inc. and Gimlet Media, a podcasting company owned by Spotify Technology S. A.

☆ As Customer Problems Hit a Record High, More People Seek ‘Revenge’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Some 74% of the 1,000 consumers surveyed said they had experienced a product or service problem in the past year. The rising dissatisfaction is accompanied by more frequent and aggressive complaints, according to the National Customer Rage study. At the same time, more companies have been turning to automation to cut costs and cover staffing shortages in their standard customer service. But that strategy is prone to angering customers further, the rage research found. Customer service technology such as artificial intelligence is less likely to be able to deliver that craving for empathy than human agents, Mr. Broetzmann said.

Brands will account for 70% of that spend, with most of the rest coming from so-called collectives, alumni groups that funnel money to athletes, according to Opendorse. Female athletes and meme starsGiven the wide-open field, brands’ strategies with NIL deals vary widely. Jill Cress, chief marketing and experience officer of H&R Block in a 2018 picture. Favorability ratings from both Gen Z consumers and parents of college students rose after the campaign, according to Ms. Cress. Bigger deals aheadNIL deals will likely evolve to often include intellectual property agreements with the schools in question, said Mr. Schwab.

☆ Want Better Customer Service? Join the (Membership) Club
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Others such as online travel agent Booking.com and Sony Group Corp.’s PlayStation provide priority customer service for high-ranking members of their loyalty programs. Other companies that offer premium customer support also say the perk is often a small part of more comprehensive packages, and that its introduction doesn’t mean their standard customer service is lacking. “We’ve always provided fantastic customer service, but what we added was another layer on top of that,” said Genaro Perez, senior vice president of marketing for P.F. Other companies offer priority customer service to customers who have ascended to the upper tiers of loyalty programs that do not cost extra to join. The strategy may help profits, but could create the perception that “free” customer service is low-quality and amplify inequality by deprioritizing lower-income customers, she said.

☆ Meet Gen Zalpha, the powerful combo generation of teens and 20-somethings who are about to have major spending power
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Generation Zalpha is a major target for marketers due to its talent and its spending power. The internet-native Zalpha generation is a prime target for brands for another reason: its potential spending power. Patrick, the Claire's CMO, recently told AdAge that Gen Alpha is like Gen Z "on steroids." While Gen Z is often described as having grown up online, Gen Alpha was born online. Experts therefore predict Gen Alpha will be more impatient than previous generations, because they'll expect their needs to be met instantaneously.

☆ WPP, Like Ad-Company Rivals, Says It Expects 2023 Growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Megan Graham | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

WPP PLC is the latest major advertising holding company to say it expects continued growth in 2023 as clients keep spending on its services. PREVIEWWPP said like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs increased 6.9% in 2022 and 6.4% in the fourth quarter. Total revenue in 2022 was £14.4 billion, equivalent to about $17.3 billion, while revenue less pass-through costs was £11.8 billion. Chief Executive Mark Read said that consumers have continued to spend, and clients have continued to invest in their brands. Omnicom Group Inc. and Publicis Groupe SA both said they expect organic revenue growth this year of 3% to 5%.

☆ Molson Coors Told to Stop Saying Rivals’ Beer Tastes Like Water
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev SA has scored at least a temporary win in the long-running battle over light beer brands’ marketing claims. BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division, an ad-industry self-regulatory group, determined that Molson Coors Beverage Co. should stop marketing its light beer products by implying that those produced by rivals have little or no flavor. Molson Coors plans to appeal, according to Chief Communications Officer Adam Collins. A final decision in the Molson Coors case should come down next month, she said. In 2019, Molson Coors sued AB InBev over a Super Bowl campaign highlighting the fact that Miller Lite and Coors Light use corn syrup in the brewing process.

☆ Unilever Tries Reformulating Its Ice Cream to Survive Warmer Freezers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Keeping ice cream at 10 degrees as opposed to zero will reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 20% to 30% per freezer, it said. Unilever’s out-of-home ice cream sales declined slightly during the fourth quarter of 2022 because, the company said, some stores unplugged their freezers sooner in the year than usual. Higher temperatures can lead to softer ice creams that stick to wrappers and slide off ice cream sticks, for example, said Andrew Sztehlo, chief research and development officer for Unilever’s ice cream division. The warming program isn’t designed to sweat competitors out of Unilever freezers, which some shopkeepers fill with an assortment of brands that don’t carry the Unilever logo, Mr. Sztehlo said. Representatives from ice cream makers Nestlé SA, Mars Inc., General Mills Inc. and Froneri International Ltd. declined to comment.

☆ FTC Alleges Supplement Company ‘Hijacked’ Amazon Reviews to Boost Sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Megan Graham | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Nutritional supplement company Bountiful Co. will pay $600,000 following Federal Trade Commission allegations that it made products on Amazon look like they had more reviews and higher average ratings than they really did. The FTC said the case marks its first enforcement action against a practice called “review hijacking,” in which a marketer makes reviews for one product appear to apply to another. Products considered variations share the same product page on Amazon as alternate choices, such as a T-shirt offered in multiple colors. The FTC said the decision to accept the proposed consent agreement was unanimous, with the commission voting 4-0 in favor of doing so. Though Amazon has been active in pursuit of fake review sellers, Mr. Freund said problems remain.

☆ Uber and Lyft Claim Big Gains for Their Ad Businesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Ride-hailing companies Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. each say their nascent advertising businesses have grown significantly in recent months. PREVIEWThe ride-hailing rivals’ ad businesses are also important for the companies’ growth. Uber said increased ad revenue in the latest quarter was a key growth driver for its overall business. Lyft ad revenue increased “nearly seven times” in the fourth quarter compared with the previous quarter, according to Mr. Greenberger. But the companies’ ad prices offer a glimpse at their respective positions in the market.

☆ Netflix Sunsets ‘Surprise Me’ Shuffle-Play Button
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Netflix Inc. has removed its “Surprise Me” button, a feature introduced in 2021 to alleviate the modern burden of choosing something to watch from thousands of titles. Netflix in the past year has increased its emphasis on making money from its users instead of focusing only on adding them, Mr. Verna said. “Netflix tries a lot of things, iterates quickly, and kills things that aren’t working,” Mr. Greenfield said. The feature instantly started playing a television show or movie without making users scroll through Netflix’s library to find something to watch. Netflix shares last month rose to their highest since last April after the streaming company announced that it had added 7.7 million subscribers in the final quarter of 2022, topping its own projections.

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