How Bad is Twitter, Really?
Musk's Misadventures and the Perilous Plunge into Chaos Twitter, the once-beloved platform that kept us in the loop and fueled our most spirited conversations. But alas, the past year has seen it morph from a social media sanctuary into a
virtual nightmare. And if you thought things couldn't get any worse, just wait until you hear about the debacle that unfolded over the weekend. It was a full-blown Twitter meltdown, rendering the platform practically unusable. Users were left high and dry, unable to access tweets or share their own musings. Oh, the horror! Elon Musk, the self-proclaimed genius and Twitter's not-so-secret savior, wasted no time in pointing fingers. He blamed commercial
services for Twitter's fragility, accusing them of data scraping and system manipulation. Well, isn't that a fine tale? Yet, there's no actual evidence to support his claims. It seems Musk's wild imagination and his notorious AI skepticism led him down this rabbit hole of baseless accusations. Hold on to your hats because Musk's arbitrary decisions are about to blow your mind. Brace yourself for tweet access limits! Non-paying users initially faced the
crushing restriction of a mere 600 posts per day, while those splurging on Twitter Blue enjoyed a more generous cap of 6,000. But fear not, after public outrage, Musk graciously increased the limits. Oh, how kind of him. It's almost as if he's making it up as he goes along—poorly, might we add. What's Elon Musk's special talent, you ask? Well, it's none other than alienating Twitter's most loyal denizens: journalists, activists, and businesses—the very
backbone of the platform. By driving away advertisers, Musk has propelled Twitter toward the brink. His grand plan? Coercing users into subscribing to Twitter Blue, a magical tier of membership that costs a cool $8 per month. Ah, yes, because everyone's dying to pay for a service that keeps deteriorating. Brilliant strategy, indeed. Since Musk's takeover of Twitter, the platform has been on a steady downward spiral. And his recent antics have only pushed
it further into the abyss. Teams responsible for trust and safety? Well, they're a thing of the past, like a ship in the night. Musk's recklessness has turned Twitter into a breeding ground for threats and hate speech. Who needs moderation when you can prioritize tweets for a mere $8? It's like paying for commercials during a show that's over in four minutes. Makes perfect sense, right? Twitter loyalists are jumping ship faster than you can say "tweet."
Many have sought solace in the welcoming arms of Bluesky—a refreshing alternative, for now. But will it survive the onslaught of toxicity? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg and Meta are sharpening their knives, ready to unleash Instagram Threads, Facebook's very own Twitter clone. With their colossal resources and massive user base, they're positioning themselves as the ultimate challengers. Elon Musk's decision to cap tweet access has left
Linda Yaccarino, Twitter's new CEO, stranded on a sinking ship. Yaccarino's mission to win back advertisers is facing an uphill battle. The limits imposed by Musk, along with the chaos he's introduced, have shattered advertisers' confidence. Twitter's revenue freefall and failure to meet sales projections only add fuel to the dumpster fire. Yaccarino's hands are tied, and it seems she'll need more than a pep talk to turn things around. But let's not forget the juicy tidbits leaked from within the Twitter walls. Internal documents spilled the tea on the platform's financial woes. Revenue took a nosedive, plunging a staggering 59% from the previous year. Ouch! It's like the company took a wrong turn and ended up in the Bermuda Triangle of social media finance. Not exactly the picturesque destination they had in mind. As the Twitter ship sinks deeper into murky waters, the pressure on Yaccarino intensifies. She's left scrambling, trying to convince advertisers to stay onboard. Reports suggest she's even resorted to "hand-to-hand combat." Picture Yaccarino donning a boxing glove, duking it out with advertisers in a valiant attempt to win them over. Talk about fighting fire with... well, more fire. Meanwhile, murmurs of conspiracy theories fill the air. Some loyal Musk followers spin tales of his strategic brilliance, suggesting he's purposefully tanking Twitter to buy back his own debt on the cheap. Oh, the plot thickens! But let's be real, it's more likely a case of Musk's misjudgment and hasty decision-making, rather than an elaborate master plan. In the battle for social media supremacy, Meta, with its soon-to-be-launched Instagram Threads, stands as a formidable opponent. Backed by the behemoth known as Mark Zuckerberg and armed with an army of advertisers, they're ready to storm the castle. It's like watching a game of thrones unfold, except this time, the throne is made of hashtags and retweets. The future
looks bleak for Twitter. Its once mighty reign as the go-to platform for breaking news and celebrity updates is under serious threat. The road to redemption seems treacherous, with Musk's misguided moves and dwindling revenue forming an almost insurmountable obstacle. Will Twitter rise from the ashes like a phoenix or fade away into the forgotten corners of cyberspace? Only time will reveal the fate of this once beloved blue bird. Until then, hold onto your hashtags and prepare for a wild,
unpredictable ride through the Twittersphere. |
All the news you need today, in a format that isn't TL:DR, summarized for the busy executive.
Cottonelle takes a cheeky approach to marketing by introducing "assvertising," a unique campaign featuring comedian and actor Ken Jeong. Consumers are invited to visit a microsite and submit clever but clean videos describing their "down there situation." Four lucky applicants will become the coveted
"assvertisers," receiving $10,000 each and tasked with creating social content. Cottonelle aims to normalize conversations around personal care and shed light on its range of solutions. This campaign follows their previous humorous DownThereCare ads, straying away from the typical bear-and-baby tropes found in toilet paper commercials. So, prepare for a hilarious journey into the world of bottom-focused marketing..
Oh, those troublemakers! It seems
like trouble follows them wherever they go in Europe. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is facing the heat in the European Union as it needs to rein in personalized ads or face fines. Getting users' permission is now at the top of their to-do list. And let's not forget the whopping $425M fine Meta is already trying to appeal for their previous ad practices. Privacy wins, but Meta's ad business takes a hit. In Sweden, data protection watchdogs are cracking down too, slapping fines on
companies exporting European users' data to the US through Google Analytics. The fines, ranging from $30k to over $1.1M, certainly pack a punch. Four companies even got official warnings for breaching GDPR. So, if you're an EU user of GA or Meta, keep a close eye on your country's laws because data privacy is getting serious, and it's bound to affect the tools you rely on. Stay vigilant!
Equativ and First-id have joined forces to provide a
solution for publishers and advertisers seeking to maximize audience monetization in a post-cookie world. With the impending changes in the digital advertising landscape, the partnership aims to offer an alternative to third-party cookies. By leveraging First-id's unique ID within Equativ's platform, advertisers can effectively target audiences across browsers, address previously inaccessible inventories, and enable large-scale advertising targeting. The collaboration reflects a shared
commitment to privacy-respecting targeting solutions and ensuring the continued financing of the Open Web. Equativ's agnostic approach and First-id's expertise align to prepare stakeholders for a cookieless future.
Walgreens Boots Alliance, despite making progress in its transformation efforts and experiencing sales growth from healthcare acquisitions, has revised its forecast due to weak COVID-19 sales, a
mild cough season, and cautious consumer behavior. While its fiscal third-quarter sales increased and exceeded expectations, retail sales dipped, impacted by decreased tobacco sales and fewer purchases of over-the-counter testing kits. The company reported a decline in net income and an increase in operating loss. As part of cost-cutting measures, Walgreens plans to lay off 500 employees at its headquarters and close 150 stores in the U.S. and 300 in the U.K. The company acknowledges
ongoing challenges but remains optimistic about its turnaround strategy and focus on sustainable growth. However, it expects economic conditions to continue pressuring consumers and anticipates weaker respiratory and pharmacy sales. Consumer pressures and a preference for cheaper alternatives also pose challenges for Walgreens in an inflationary environment. The decline in COVID-19 vaccinations and a less severe cough season further impact the company's performance.
Yahoo's Chief Executive Officer, Jim Lanzone, has set a goal to lead the company through an initial public offering (IPO) as part of an effort to restore its prominence in the industry. Lanzone highlighted Yahoo's financial readiness, strong balance sheet, and profitability as factors supporting this move. Being a private company has allowed Yahoo to implement necessary structural changes and develop multiple businesses, following a
model similar to Lanzone's experience at CBS Interactive. After Yahoo's initial public offering in 1996, the company gained significance with its search and email services, even turning down a $47 billion bid from Microsoft in 2008. Subsequently, Yahoo entered a partnership with Microsoft to strengthen its advertising business, primarily focusing on search. In 2021, Verizon sold Yahoo and AOL to private equity firm Apollo after incurring substantial losses under its ownership. Now, Yahoo aims to
make a comeback by going public once again.
President Joe Biden has nominated Andrew Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak to fill the vacancies left by the two Republican members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Ferguson, the Virginia Solicitor General, previously worked as chief counsel to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and
clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Holyoak, the Utah Solicitor General, has experience as the president and general counsel of the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute and has worked with organizations like the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Center for Class Action Fairness. FTC Chair Lina Khan expressed her support for the nominees, highlighting their skills and expertise in promoting fair competition and protecting consumers from deceptive practices. If confirmed by the
Senate, Ferguson and Holyoak will replace Christine Wilson and Noah Phillips, who left the FTC earlier. Wilson cited concerns about Khan's alleged disregard for the rule of law as her reason for resigning. |
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UNRAVELING THE EFFECTS OF MEDIAMATH’S BANKRUPTCY ON THE ADVERTISING ECOSYSTEM The recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of MediaMath, once celebrated as a leading player in programmatic advertising, has sent shockwaves throughout the advertising ecosystem. With substantial debts owed to a vast array of ad tech businesses and creditors, the collapse of MediaMath is expected to have profound implications for various stakeholders within the industry. This comprehensive article delves into the financial
turmoil faced by MediaMath, the extent of its creditor obligations, and the far-reaching effects of its bankruptcy on the advertising ecosystem. READ THIS IN-DEPTH STORY
INSIDE THE GOOGLE VIDEO AD SCAM It’s bad. It’s actually worse than everyone was saying. Google may owe advertisers billions of dollars
and face huge lawsuits after scamming advertisers. For years, many people, including myself, have questioned the ecosystem of online advertising, particularly Google’s enormous advertising growth that seems to be backed by junk and scam sites. Now, new research reveals that Google has violated its promised standards when placing video ads on other websites, raising serious concerns about the transparency and integrity of the tech giant’s online ad business. READ THE FULL EXCITING STORY
THE FUTURE OF PROGRAMMATIC: MATT BARASH DEFENDS THE SSP. In an exclusive interview with VideoWeek, Matt Barash, Vice President at IndexExchange, provides valuable insights into the ever-evolving programmatic advertising landscape. With over 20 years of experience, IndexExchange has transformed from an ad network into a formidable exchange model, helping publishers monetize their assets. Barash highlights the seismic shifts witnessed in the industry, emphasizing the rise
of quality and video as paramount factors driving change. READ THE INTERVIEW
CRITEO’S COMPLIANCE WOES: REGULATORS SHOW THEY MEAN BUSINESS In a stunning turn of events, adtech firm Criteo has found itself in hot water with regulators, facing a hefty penalty of 40 million euros (U.S. $44 million) for multiple alleged violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The French data protection authority, CNIL, recently announced the fine, which sent shockwaves through the industry and left Criteo employees feeling like their yacht had suddenly transformed into a funeral barge, with no
explanation for this colossal punishment. READ MORE NOW
UNMASKING THE SCAM: MADE-FOR-ADVERTISING SITES EXPOSEDIn a world dominated by programmatic
advertising, the allure of maximizing ad impressions and clicks can lead advertisers down a treacherous path. Enter the realm of Made-for-Advertising (MFA) websites – a breeding ground for spam, click-bait, and low-quality content. These sites have been quietly siphoning billions of dollars from unsuspecting advertisers, while tarnishing their brands in the process. A recent study by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) reveals the alarming extent of the MFA problem, urging advertisers
to take immediate action. READ MORE NOW
SUPPLY-PATH OPTIMIZATION: UNRAVELING THE COMPLEXITY OF PROGRAMMATIC AD BUYING At its core, SPO is about buyers making deliberate choices to identify the most efficient connections and transact with sellers. The goal is to eliminate inefficient and expensive paths to supply, ensuring that advertisers get the most value for their investment. However, the term “SPO” has been thrown around by nearly every constituent in the supply chain, creating unnecessary complexity and confusion. It’s time to cut through the noise and focus on the core opportunity
at hand. READ MORE NOW! |
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