Digiday Sunday
Digiday:?A short but busy week coming off the Labor Day holiday. Our most-read coverage spanned several of our key beats. A story breaking down media agency reassignments on massive accounts like Amazon and eBay was the week’s most read piece. That was followed by a strong news analysis that took a look at the modern CMO and made cases for and against that C-suite role in an industry in perpetual flux. The relationships between publishers and platforms always seems to strike a chord with readers and a look at publishers’ experimental relationship with Reddit continued that trend line. The confluence of social media platforms, AI and creators/influencers is a hot area drawing a lot of interest from readers and a look at how platforms are driving the AI ad rush with new creative tools clicked nicely with our audience as well. And finally, the momentous Google/DOJ antitrust trial begins tomorrow in D.C. and our lead-up reporting has been very solid. We’ll be covering the trail daily this coming week. – James Cooper
?Story highlights
Michael Burgi had a fast and very well-reported turnaround analysis of the huge media account shufflers of Amazon and eBay last week. As he reported, ‘Amazon’s decision to place more than $2 billion in media spend was announced with a bit of a surprise: both Omnicom and WPP shared the win. Amazon handed WPP, as in GroupM, media duties for EMEA and APAC — helping that troubled holding company with much-needed new business in Europe, and a big boost in India and Australia.’ It was the week’s most read story.
Seb Joseph published an expertly crafted ‘Cases for and Against’ analysis of the modern CMO role. As he wrote in his intro to the pro and con breakdown, ‘It’s that season again—when marketers grapple with the age-old question: Is the CMO still a key player in today’s business landscape, or just another relic of marketing’s perpetual debate? As always, the answer depends on your vantage point. For instance, Gap is bringing back the CMO role after a two-year break, while Hyundai is choosing to phase it out.’
Marty Swant , who will be our man on the ground in D.C. during the landmark DOJ antitrust trial against Google, wrote a clever catalog of the code names Google has employed over time in its search and advertising business doings. As he reported, ‘From Banksy and Bernanke to Bell and Jedi Blue, the coterie of internal Google code words that will likely pop up during the Department of Justice’s?antitrust trial ?against Google shed a curious light on various aspects of the case — and many of the giant’s past and present ad tech operations.’
Kayleigh Barber reported out a well-read piece that looked at how publishers, over the course of the past almost two years, have been experimenting with Reddit despite the platform’s lack of a formal publisher program . As she reported, ‘according to audience development leads from publishers including Newsweek, The Hill and Wirecutter, those efforts have helped pivot focus to the community-based social media platform…But the effectiveness of Reddit in those efforts depends on an ever-evolving equation of knowing when and where to post, maintaining relationships with subreddit moderators, and, ultimately, keeping their brands in subreddit communities’ good graces.’
Kimeko McCoy wrote a sharp piece that unpacked the trend of social platforms, over the last few months, releasing generative AI-powered creative tools to help marketers generate ad copy and images at a much faster clip . As she reported, ‘Reddit, TikTok, Meta and Snap have all created such tools as social media platforms that focus on expanding the ways marketers can use generative AI to create ads. Marketers, who are reading the tea leaves to see why these platforms are releasing AI-driven creative updates, say the tools are aimed at small businesses, making it easier for smaller advertisers to create ads within the social media platforms (and spend ad dollars with them).’
Kimeko McCoy ’s edition of the Digiday podcast featured an interview with Ryan Burns, head of strategy at Sam’s Club Member Access Platform, during which he discussed Sam’s Club’s pitch to advertisers, standing out in a crowded retail media landscape and plans to continue growth. Give a listen here
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?Here are the Digiday + Briefings for the week
—Marketing Briefing: Why holding companies are taking a ‘platform’ approach to pitch more cohesively
See you next Sunday!