1. According to a recent announcement, Scott Ernst will become the new CEO of Drift, a B2B conversational marketing platform. Meanwhile, co-founder David Cancel will take on the role of executive chairman. This is yet another example of Latinx co-founders being pushed out of their
own companies. While Cancel and Torres are still with the company in some capacity, it's clear that they are no longer in charge. Latinx entrepreneurs have to fight tooth and nail for every inch of progress. We are constantly underestimated and treated like second-class citizens. It's time for that to change. We deserve to be respected and valued for our contributions. It's time for Latinx entrepreneurs to take our rightful place in the martech space.
2. ActiveCampaign, a provider of customer experience automation (CX) solutions, has launched a new tool that will enable brands to build custom workflows within an app without the need for coding. According to the company, the new tool will allow clients to model data to their business needs and take action on it through automations, email personalization, lead generation forms and reporting. ActiveCampaign says that the new tool will help
brands to better understand and engage with their customers, leading to improved customer loyalty and retention.ActiveCampaign is a Chicago-based company that was founded in 2003. The company provides CX solutions for businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to enterprise organizations.
3. Amazon has long been the 800-pound gorilla in the room when it comes to online shopping, but when it comes to local ads, they have lagged behind Google. That is reportedly changing, as Amazon has begun to focus more on local ads in an effort to compete with Google and its “near me” approach. One way is to support consumers through Amazon Fresh, a version of Whole Foods that provides national brands'
advertising to local consumers through a physical store that offers quick delivery and lower prices. In addition, Amazon is also said to be working on a new ad platform that would let businesses target ads to specific ZIP codes. This would be a major shift for the company, which has traditionally relied on third-party platforms like Google and Facebook to reach customers. It remains to be seen how successful Amazon will be in this new endeavor, but it is clear that they are making a concerted
effort to close the gap with their biggest competitor.
4. Two advertisers on LinkedIn are asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate a lawsuit accusing the company of inflating ad metrics. The advertisers allege that LinkedIn misled them by claiming that its "Sponsored Updates" feature would reach a large number of highly engaged users. However, the plaintiffs allege that LinkedIn's ad platform actually delivered far fewer impressions than
promised. If the 9th Circuit agrees to revive the case, it could have implications for other companies that use similar metrics to sell advertising. Although online advertising is still a relatively new industry, it is rapidly growing and becoming increasingly important to businesses of all sizes. As such, any ruling in this case could set a precedent for how advertisers are able to hold tech companies accountable for inflated metrics.
5. On Monday, Musk's legal team, in a new SEC filing, claimed that Twitter breached the terms of the acquisition by refusing to provide the correct number of fake profiles on its platform. Apparently, Musk doesn't find the reported 5% of fake accounts acceptable or believable, because he says that his due diligence uncovered over 20% fake accounts. Musk also argues that Twitter knew about the issue and
failed to disclose it. The court will have to decide whether or not Twitter breached the terms of the agreement. If so, Musk may be able to walk away from the deal without any repercussions. However, if the court finds that Twitter did not breach the terms of the agreement, Musk will be forced to go through with the acquisition. Either way, it is clear that Musk is not happy with the current state of affairs.
6. Scott Olechowski, chief product officer at Plex, doesn’t think there will be a consolidated TV operating system anytime soon. Aggregation is a pertinent topic in the fragmented streaming market, yet there’s some debate among the major players as to how and when it will happen. Plex is one of many companies that offer software designed to help people organize and watch their digital video content from multiple sources in one place. The
company’s product supports more than 80 entertainment apps and services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, Showtime, CBS All Access, and NBC. Despite the recent trend of media companies consolidating their streaming offerings into single apps (Comcast’s Xfinity X1 platform and AT&T’s forthcoming WatchTV service), Olechowski doesn’t think we’ll see a TV equivalent of Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android anytime soon. “There are just too many disparate interests,” he said. “Even if you
could get all the broadcasters and all the cable networks on board with a single platform… you still have all the device manufacturers to deal with.” Of course, that hasn’t stopped some companies
7. Dollar General is upgrading its retail media network, called DGMN, to attract more spending from brands interested in engaging a rural customer base, per a news release. The discount chain has operated a media network since 2018 and previously worked with LiveRamp on the business, a spokesperson said. Now, it’s expanding its partnerships to include demand-side platform The Trade Desk, Google Ad Manager and
identity resolution provider Neustar. The move comes as many brands are turning to so-called “priceless advertising” amid the pandemic-driven economic downturn. Retailers with their own media networks can charge brands for space on store shelves as well as dedicated campaigns within the retailer’s loyalty program, similar to how airlines or hotel chains might sell branded credit cards. “Dollar General is really well-positioned because they have such a large footprint in rural America,”
said Greg Frampton, co-founder and CEO of retail media firm AgilOne. “There are not that many other retailers that can reach those consumers at scale.”
8. California's privacy regulator has proposed new rules that appear to broaden residents' ability to control how their data is shared. The proposed regulations, released late last month by the California Privacy Protection Agency, would prohibit businesses from selling or sharing consumers' information for purposes that the consumers have not agreed to. Under the proposed regulations, businesses would also be required to disclose more
information about their data-sharing practices, and to provide consumers with a way to opt out of having their data sold. The proposed rules are open for public comment until December 15th. If they are ultimately adopted, they would go into effect in 2023. Consumer advocates applauded the proposed regulations, saying that they would help to give consumers more control over their personal data. However, some businesses said that the rules would impose unnecessary burdens and make it difficult to
share information that could be used for purposes like targeted advertising. The debate over data privacy is likely to continue as businesses and consumer advocates grapple with ways to strike a balance between users' privacy rights and the benefits of data sharing.
9. Victoria’s Secret on Thursday announced the launch of an inclusive marketplace, available via VictoriasSecret.com and dubbed VS&Co-Lab. The new marketplace will showcase brands that align with Victoria’s Secret values of innovation and inclusivity. VS&Co-Lab is intended to be a one-stop-shop for customers looking for unique styles from a variety of brands. This is Victoria’s Secret first push into the inclusive marketplace space, and
it comes as the company looks to rebrand itself and appeal to a wider audience. Some of the brands that will be featured on VS&Co-Lab include Diversity Fashion, Loud Bodies, and unapologetic., which specialize in size-inclusive, body-positive, and LGBTQIA+-friendly fashion. In addition to featuring a range of brands, VS&Co-Lab will also offer exclusive content, including interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from photoshoots. Victoria’s Secret chief marketing officer Ed Razek said in
a statement that the new marketplace is “an important step in our journey to become a more inclusive brand.” “We recognize that our customers are more diverse than ever before and we want to make
