1. The defamation lawsuit against Fox Corp., Fox News Network and Lou Dobbs can proceed towards trial, a judge ruled Monday after concluding that a Venezuelan businessman had made sufficient claims of being unfairly accused of trying to corrupt the 2020 U.S. presidential election to be permitted to gather more evidence. The case is one of several recent high-profile instances in which courts
have allowed lawsuits alleging false and defamatory statements by media defendants to go forward. In this instance, the court found that the businessman, Rafael Acevedo, had plausibly alleged that he was defamed when Dobbs aired a segment on his show in which Acevedo was accused of trying to corrupt the election by providing voting machines to then-candidate Joe Biden. The court also found that there were questions as to whether Fox News knew or should have known that the segment was false and
misleading, and thus allowed the case to move forward. This ruling is likely to have a chilling effect on free speech, as it will now be more difficult for media outlets to report on stories that may contain critical information about public figures without fear of being sued for defamation.
2. And it happened fast. Snapchat added 54m daily users in just one year. The app now reaches over 90% of Gen Z and over 75% of all millennials in the
US. And it’s not just young people, either: More than HALF of Snapchatters are older than 24 in the US. That’s a massive reach, and your brand can tap right into this booming audience by leveraging the immersive power of Snapchat’s camera. 250m Snapchatters engage with AR daily, and AR leads to a 94% higher conversion rate, according to Shopify. So if you’re looking to reach a wide audience with your brand, Snapchat is the place to be!
3. If you're thinking of quitting your day job to become an influencer, you might want to think again. According to a survey of more than 1,700 creators from influencer marketing platform Aspire, only 4.3% of creators earn six figures or more a year. That means that the vast majority of influencers are barely scraping by, and some are even losing money. Of course, there are a few lucky influencers who do make a decent living from their content. But the truth is that most people
who try to become influencers fail. So if you're considering taking the plunge, just know that it's not going to be easy. You'll probably have to hustle harder than you ever have before - and even then, there's no guarantee that you'll make it big.
4. On September 26, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published a blog post warning all entities that have a role in the "BNPL ecosystem" that "basic consumer protections" in the Federal Trade
Commission Act apply to such payment offerings.
In other words, the FTC is cracking down on buy now, pay later (BNPL) schemes, and companies need to be prepared.
5. On Thursday, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, announced some changes coming to the platform. According to Mosseri, friends on IG now post a lot more to stories, and send a lot more DMs, than they post to their main feed. That opens up an opportunity
for the platform to really lean into video content. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg has stated that Reels already account for 20% of the time people spend on Instagram.
There's no denying that the way we consume content is changing. More and more, we're finding ourselves drawn to video content over traditional written blog posts or even static images. And it makes sense - video is engaging, it's easy to consume, and it's often more entertaining than reading a long-form
article.
As CMOs, we need to be aware of these changes in consumer behavior and adjust our strategies accordingly. Video should be a key part of our content mix going forward, and we need to make sure that we're creating compelling and shareable Reels that will capture our audience's attention.
We also need to be prepared to shift our budget towards paid advertising on IGTV and other video-centric platforms. Organic reach is becoming harder and harder to come by on
social media, and as we move into 2021, paid advertising is only going to become more important.
6. The Mars brand extended its crew of characters for the first time in a decade as part of a controversial refresh that drove impressions and consumer sentiment. According to Ad Age, the candy company updated its fleet of seven core colors with eight new shades. The overhaul was inspired by "the world around us today" and "the
ever-changing messaging of what it means to be an M," said Roberto de Anda, VP of marketing for M&M'S.
The new colors were met with mixed reactions on social media, with some people expressing confusion and even anger over the changes. However, the majority of the feedback was positive, with many people praising the brand for its inclusivity and representation.
According to a study conducted by Brand Keys, the introduction of the purple character boosted consumer
engagement significantly. The study found that 62% of respondents had a more favorable opinion of M&M'S after seeing the ads, and 58% said they were more likely to purchase the candy. In addition, the campaign generated nearly 2 billion media impressions and drove a 4% lift in spontaneous awareness.
7. Global connected TV (CTV) ad spending is on the rise, and that could mean big things for creators. According to Pixalate's latest
report, ad spend on CTV has increased by four times over the past three years. That means more opportunities for creators to get their content in front of viewers. But it also means more competition. There are now about 303 million creators in nine major markets globally, per Adobe. That's a lot of people vying for viewers' attention. So, if you're a creator, how can you make sure your content stands out? First, consider your audience. What are they looking for? Make sure your content
delivers on that. Second, don't be afraid to be different. Be bold, be creative, and think outside the box. And finally, always be learning and evolving.
8. The Federal Communications Commission proposed that wireless carriers block texts from certain numbers in order to curb text-message spam. The notice of proposed rulemaking stated that unwanted text messages present the same problems as unwanted calls, and that they invade
consumer privacy, and are vehicles for consumer fraud and identity theft. The agency noted that blocking texts from invalid or unallocated numbers would help to reduce the problem of text-message spam. The proposal was met with criticism from some who argue that it would be difficult to implement and would not effectively reduce text-message spam.Others argue that the proposal is a necessary step to protect consumers from fraud and identity theft. The debate continues as the FCC solicits public
comment on the proposal.
9.Ad organizations are objecting to key provisions of the Federal Trade Commission's proposed updated guidance regarding testimonials - including a new definition of the term “endorsement” that suggests “tags” can in themselves be endorsements. In other words, if you use a hashtag like #Ad or #spon, the FTC could consider that to be an endorsement.
The Association of National Advertisers said in an
18-page letter sent to the agency on Monday, “Tags should not automatically be considered endorsements.” The ANA went on to say that “the FTC should retain the idea that there needs to be an advertiser sponsoring the message in order for there to be an endorsement.”
It's not just the ANA that's objecting to this proposed change. The 4As, the trade group representing advertising agencies, also submitted comments on the proposal. In its letter, the 4As agreed that tags should not be
considered endorsements and said that the FTC should reconsider its definition of “endorsement.”
The American Advertising Federation, another trade group representing advertisers, also submitted comments on the proposal. In its letter, AAF says that it agrees with the ANA and 4As that tags should not be considered endorsements. AAF goes on to say that if the FTC does choose to consider tags as endorsements, it should give companies ample time to comply with the new
guidelines.
10 Some NBA champions with a knack for forward-thinking investments are getting in on pickleball as the sport gains popularity across America. LRMR Ventures, the family office of LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter, are purchasing a Major League Pickleball team as part of an all-star consortium. NBA stars Draymond Green and Kevin Love, investment firm SC Holdings, Relevent Sports Group co-owner and CEO
Daniel Sillman, and SpringHill Company CMO Paul Rivera are also part of the purchasing group. Pickleball is a paddle sport that has been gaining in popularity in recent years, particularly among older Americans. The game is played on a court similar to a tennis court, with players using paddles to hit a perforated ball over a net. The game is easy to learn but can be quite challenging, making it a popular choice for casual players and competitive athletes alike. With its growing popularity,
pickleball is poised to become one of the next big things in the world of sports. And with so many smart investors getting involved, it looks like pickleball is here to stay.
11. Consumers in the United States and Europe, Middle East, and Africa have spoken: the top three destinations for product searches are Amazon, Google, and eBay. That’s according to a recent study by ChannelAdvisor. In the survey, 89% of participants said they
had researched products on Amazon in the past 12 months, while 82% had done so on Google, and 52% on eBay. So what makes these three giants the leaders in product search? For starters, they’re all well-established brands with a global reach. They also offer a wealth of information on products, thanks to their vast array of customer reviews. And finally, they make it easy to compare prices and find the best deals.
12.The FTC and data
broker Kochava are in the midst of a very public legal battle, with each side accusing the other of various misdeeds. The whole thing started when the FTC accused Kochava of selling location data that could be used to track consumers to and from sensitive locations. Kochava has vociferously denied these accusations, claiming that the data in question was being removed from its marketplace anyway. This month, Kochava announced that its Privacy Block tool was now in effect, which removes
the following: any mention of specific locations, businesses, or landmarks; personally identifiable information; and any data that could be used to infer sensitive information about an individual. In response, the FTC issued a statement saying that it was “disappointed” with Kochava’s decision to remove the data, but stopped short of accusing the company of wrongdoing. It seems clear that this legal battle is far from over.
of real estate in their minds—and on their
screens.