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☆ Woods apologizes for tampon prank, poised to make cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

After out-driving Thomas on the ninth hole, Woods was caught on camera handing his friend a tampon. Thomas quickly threw the tampon onto the ground as the two golfers had a good laugh. Many did not find it so funny - social media exploded, accusing the 47-year-old of being sexist, taking the prank to mean Thomas hit like a girl. "It was supposed to be all fun and games and obviously it hasn't turned out that way," said Woods when asked about the incident after his second round. "It was just we play pranks on one another all the time and virally I think this did not come across that way."

☆ 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.

☆ Dogs Win the Super Bowl Ad Lineup, Surveys Show
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

The winner of USA Today’s annual Super Bowl Ad Meter was a commercial for dog-food delivery company Farmer’s Dog Inc. that tracked one chocolate Lab’s relationship with its owner from puppyhood to old age. The USA Today rankings had some overlap with other results. Research by Ace Metrix, a unit of TV ad measurement firm iSpot.tv Inc., crowned Jeep’s Super Bowl commercial as the most likable of the night. Jeep had the game’s most likable ad, according to Ace Metrix. “In past years, we’ve seen the majority of Super Bowl conversation generated in the weeks leading up to the Big Game,” a Mars spokeswoman said.

☆ Ben Affleck Created Dunkin’s Super Bowl Debut With the Help of Jennifer Lopez
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Dunkin’ might not have made an appearance in the Super Bowl this year if not for the influence of its best-known fan. The Inspire Brands Inc. restaurant chain decided to make its Super Bowl debut only after seeing the results of actor-director Ben Affleck’s push to film himself working a drive-through shift at a location near his hometown of Boston, said Dunkin’ Chief Marketing Officer Jill McVicar Nelson.

☆ AMC Theatres shouldn't be charging more for the best seats — it should be getting rid of the empty ones
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AMC Theatres announced this week that it would charge more for the best seats in its auditoriums. Here's what it looks like on the AMC Theatres website for a screening at a New York City location:What the new seat pricing looks like on the AMC Theatres website. "This new initiative by AMC Theatres would essentially penalize people for lower income and reward for higher income." AMC's seat-pricing plan isn't going to help the theatrical business. Patrick Corcoran, spokesman for the National Association of Theatre Owners, told Insider in September.

☆ The 2023 Super Bowl Ads Will Feature Booze, Betting and Jesus
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Megan Graham | Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

The Super Bowl ads on Sunday are poised to promote an unusual mix of alcohol brands, gambling and Jesus. The Super Bowl still regularly draws an audience of around 100 million people, making it TV’s biggest event of the year and advertising’s biggest night. Planters’ Super Bowl ad features comedians mocking Mr. Peanut. The ads are likely to strike a lighter tone than the occasionally somber messages of Super Bowl ads in recent, highly politicized years or the early pandemic, said Anjali S. Bal, an associate professor of marketing at Babson College. Many Super Bowl advertisers have again released their ads well before Super Bowl Sunday to increase their chances of being seen.

☆ Walmart Mass-Shooting Suspect Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Walmart in El Paso, Texas, became home to a makeshift memorial to victims after the killings. The man accused of killing 23 people and wounding 22 more in a racist attack on an El Paso, Texas, Walmart in 2019 pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes charges Wednesday. Patrick Crusius, 24, agreed to accept 90 consecutive life sentences for the mass shooting, according to the Justice Department, one for each of the counts that included hate crimes resulting in death, hate crimes resulting in bodily injury and dozens of firearms violations.

☆ Former VMWare CTO turned VC Steve Herrod has left General Catalyst to join the firm Juxtapose. Here's where he sees opportunity in building enterprise and AI startups.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( April Joyner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Herrod, the former CTO of VMWare, will build enterprise startups in areas like AI and cybersecurity. Herrod is joining the venture studio Juxtapose, where he will focus on creating enterprise software startups, he told Insider exclusively. Though Juxtapose's portfolio includes a range of industries such as fintech, insurance, and healthtech, the firm hasn't had a long reach within enterprise software. He told Insider he sees ample opportunity within segments such as cybersecurity, open-source software, software supply-chain management, and artificial intelligence — several of which are receiving a hefty amount of attention from VCs right now. Now the venture world is full of former tech executives who have made the switch to backing startups.

☆ Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crimes in El Paso Massacre That Killed 23
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Emily Schmall | More About Emily Schmall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Texas man who fatally shot 23 people and injured dozens more at a Walmart store in El Paso in 2019 pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal hate crimes and weapons charges in connection with the deadliest anti-Latino attack in modern United States history. Lawyers for the gunman, Patrick Crusius, said last month that he would change his plea to guilty days after federal prosecutors notified the court that they would not seek the death penalty. He has agreed to accept a sentence of 90 consecutive life terms, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. Mr. Crusius, 24, still faces trial on state capital murder charges, for which he could receive the death penalty. He appeared in U.S. District Court in El Paso on Wednesday afternoon, where he pleaded guilty to all 90 federal charges that he faced, including 45 hate crimes.

Persons: Patrick Crusius, Crusius Organizations: Walmart, Attorney’s, Western, Western District of, Mr Locations: Texas, El Paso, United States, Western District, Western District of Texas, U.S

Feb 8 (Reuters) - A Texas man accused of targeting Latinos during a 2019 massacre that left 23 people dead at an El Paso Walmart store is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday to federal hate crimes. Lawyers for alleged shooter Patrick Crusius said in a court filing last month that Crusius would change his plea to guilty. That decision came just days after federal prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty against him. He faces the death penalty on state charges. The Texas court issued a gag order that prevents prosecutors, defense lawyers, victims and family members from discussing the case.

☆ The Paradox of Prosecuting Domestic Terrorism
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( James Verini | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +52 min

The preventive approach to domestic terrorism goes back even further than the 1990s and it begins with the basic police work and surveillance of the joint terrorism task forces. In fact, there is no section of the U.S. Criminal Code that criminalizes domestic terrorism as such. The absence of clear law around domestic terrorism, and the imperatives of prevention, mean that investigators and prosecutors who work domestic terrorism cases must focus on more common charges: weapons violations, illegal drug possession, burglary, aiding and abetting and so forth. But this was not enough to overrule the fear of domestic terrorism that was gripping the nation and that hung in the courtroom. It reflected the legal paradoxes of the case and domestic terrorism law in general or, maybe more accurately, the absence of it.

☆ Crypto Brands Reposition Themselves in Wake of FTX and Market Tumble
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Roughly one year ago, a handful of crypto heavyweights made swaggering debuts on the Super Bowl ad roster, airing costly commercials with messages like “Don’t miss out” (FTX) and “Fortune favors the brave” (Crypto.com). Then came the swoon in crypto and the bankruptcy of FTX. Recently, trading firm OKX scuttled its plans to buy an ad in Super Bowl LVII when FTX began to dominate the news cycle. Coinbase aims to convey its confidence in crypto “while maintaining our position as the most trusted brand in the space,” Chief Marketing Officer Kate Rouch said. “I think that, especially after the FTX collapse, there has been a real need for that across the entire crypto space,” he said.

☆ Fanatics Hires Google Executive to Lead Push Into Live-Streamed Shopping
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Fanatics sees the potential for success thanks in large part to its internal database of some 90 million sports fans, said Mr. Bell. It will host video events led by digital content creators and influencers who focus on trading cards. Much of the initial content will focus on “breaking,” in which creators will open new boxes of trading cards live on camera and sell them to followers. Viewers will be able to buy cards directly from Fanatics’ app or website, with the company taking a portion of that sale, said Mr. Bell. Fanatics’ valuation reached $31 billion in December after a $700 million fundraising round led by private-equity firm Clearlake Capital Group LP.

Advertising meme account @digital_chadvertising had decidedly humble beginnings on its way to becoming a popular outlet for industry workers to voice their frustrations, connect with each other and share marketing news. @digital_chadvertising has since gained nearly 80,000 followers on Instagram while mocking everything from industry acronyms to Twitter’s recent advertiser exodus. That does not match the Instagram followings of the leading ad trade publications, but it tops those of large ad-agency networks and other industry accounts. Some prefer formats and platforms that don’t fit the strict definition of a meme but still use the meme world’s sardonic tone to target an industry niche. “The line is so thin between meme and work with my specific niche,” said @digital_chadvertising.

☆ Husband of woman accused of killing three children asks for forgiveness for wife
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

In his statement, Patrick Clancy said the couple's marriage "was wonderful and diametrically grew stronger as her condition rapidly worsened." Plymouth County DA Timothy Cruz had previously said prosecutors would be arraigning Lindsay Clancy on murder charges as soon as they could. In his statement, Patrick Clancy said his children "gave me purpose and I never took it for granted. "I took so much pride in being Lindsay’s husband and a dad to Cora, Dawson, and Callan. Patrick Clancy wrote that he promises to "put all my energy into healing and rediscovering my purpose."

☆ Juventus suffer shock home loss to Monza
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 29 (Reuters) - Juventus suffered another blow in their bid for Champions League qualification as they slumped to a 2-0 home defeat by Monza in Serie A on Sunday. Juventus are languishing 13th in the standings with 23 points, two places behind Monza. Massimiliano Allegri's side have not been able to recover momentum after being docked 15 points this month following an investigation into the club's transfer dealings. They are 15 points behind AC Milan in the last Champions League qualification spot. Juventus dominated the second half but were repeatedly denied by Monza keeper Michele Di Gregorio who made several good saves.

Stripe, the fintech company once valued at $95 billion by private market investors, will make a decision on its plans to go public within the next year, CNBC has confirmed. Co-founders and brothers John and Patrick Collison told employees on Thursday that they will set a goal of taking the company public or letting staffers sell shares through a secondary offering, The Information first reported. The tech IPO market has been frozen since late 2021 after two record-breaking years during the Covid pandemic. In July, Stripe cut its internal valuation by 28%, from $95 billion to $74 billion. Stripe is considering a direct listing or private market transaction and has hired Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan to advise on the deal, CNBC has learned.

☆ Reed 'not living in reality', says McIlroy after snubbing American
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Reed, who is taking legal action on different fronts since joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf breakaway series, admitted he threw a tee towards McIlroy, who had blanked him, on Monday. "Patrick came up to say hello and I didn't really want him to," McIlroy told a news conference on Wednesday. "I'm living in reality, I don't know where he's living. Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, said that his affiliation with LIV Golf was the reason McIlroy snubbed him. Since my tees are Team Aces LIV tees I flicked him one.

Companies Walmart Inc FollowJan 24 (Reuters) - The man accused of killing 23 people and injuring dozens more in a 2019 massacre targeting people of Mexican descent at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, will plead guilty to federal hate crimes charges, his attorneys said in a court filing. It comes days after federal prosecutors said they will not seek the death penalty for the shooter, Patrick Crusius. "Defendant notifies the Court of his intention to enter a plea of guilty to the pending Indictment," the motion filed in court read. He pleaded not guilty in 2020 to 90 federal hate crime charges in the case. A Texas judge last year put off a state trial in the case as federal prosecutors determined whether they would seek capital punishment.

☆ Travel Brand Away Names New CMO, Plans to Boost Its Marketing Budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Away hired Carla Dunham as chief marketing officer as the luggage and travel accessories company tries to make the most of the industry’s pandemic recovery. Ms. Dunham had most recently been chief marketing and merchandising officer at e-commerce delivery startup Foxtrot and previously held high-level marketing roles at retail and fashion businesses including Kate Spade and Amazon Fashion. Carla Dunham, chief marketing officer for Away. Photo: AwayBusiness has picked up again as travelers around the world return to prepandemic activities, according to Ms. Dunham. Ms. Dunham reports to Away co-founder and Chief Executive Jen Rubio.

☆ U.S. Won’t Seek Death Penalty in El Paso Walmart Shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Adolfo Flores | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Justice Department won’t seek the death penalty for the man accused of killing 23 people in 2019 at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, federal prosecutors said in a Tuesday court filing. Patrick Crusius faces 90 federal charges for his alleged role in one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history; 45 of the charges have been deemed hate crimes, or crimes motivated by racial, religious, national origin, sexual, gender or disability bias. Mr. Crusius, 21 years old at the time, is accused of traveling to the Texas border city to target Latinos in the attack. Nearly two dozen people were injured in the shooting.

It came after Amazon said in November it was looking to cut staff, including in its devices and recruiting organizations. The company had 2,450 employees, according to PitchBook data, suggesting around 490 employees were laid off. In a letter to employees, CEO Logan Green and President John Zimmer pointed to "a probable recession sometime in the next year" and rising ride-share insurance costs. Shopify: 1,000 jobs cutIn July, Shopify announced it laid off 1,000 employees, which equals 10% of its global workforce. Tesla: 6,000 jobs cut

☆ More Companies Are Hiring CMOs With Performance-Marketing Backgrounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Patrick Coffee | Destination Xl Ceo Harvey Kanter | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Companies looking to hire CMOs and other top-level marketing executives amid an economic downturn are increasingly favoring candidates with deep experience in so-called performance-marketing. Performance-marketing campaigns push consumers to take a specific action, such as clicking a link or providing an email address, while brand marketing aims to increase awareness of a company and shape perceptions of that business. The trend will create a challenging job market for senior executives whose careers have centered on more traditional, brand-based marketing. “If we are awesome at performance marketing and don’t understand what it means to engage a consumer—in reality that means brand-level marketing as well—we will lose,” Mr. Kanter said. PREVIEWIndustry leaders frequently debate whether brand and performance marketing should be separate disciplines run by different people.

☆ WWE Board Elects Vince McMahon Executive Chairman
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Patrick Chu | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Vince McMahon had previously retired as WWE chief executive and chairman amid a board investigation of sexual misconduct claims against him. World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. said Tuesday night its board of directors unanimously voted to elect majority owner Vince McMahon as executive chairman of the board, less than a week after the former chief executive returned to the company and ousted three directors, while two other board members resigned. Mr. McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie McMahon, has resigned as chairwoman and co-chief executive officer, the company said in a statement. Nick Khan will serve as the sole chief executive.

☆ Congolese artist paints politicians' portraits in plastic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Crispin Kyala | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Congolese artist Patrick Cikuru Cirimwami applies finishing touches on portrait images of Congolese leaders, made from plastic waste, which he melts after collecting it near the banks of the Ruzizi I hydroelectric plant, in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo December 15, 2022. REUTERS/Crispin KyalangalilwaBUKAVU, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Near the banks of Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, artist Patrick Cikuru Cirimwami wades knee-deep through a mountain of plastic bottles, scooping as many as he can carry into a large sack. Later he will melt down the plastic to make a thick liquid which he uses to paint portraits of politicians - intended to be a condemnation of what he says is their inaction in protecting the environment. As a Congolese artist, I can send a message," said the 26-year-old. Congo, like other African nations, has insisted on its right to develop its economy by exploiting its vast natural resources.

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