Digiday

MediaSense, the U.K.-based media advisory firm that consults on all manner of media issues, notably guiding marketers seeking new agencies, is further expanding its global footprint with the acquisition of fellow advisory firm R3, which delves into consulting on both the creative and media sides. It’s a continuation of an acquisitive spree MediaSense has been on this year, with this move coming only months after the U.K.-based firm acquired the U.K. arm of PwC’s marketing and media arm. Though one could be forgiven for thinking the spree is the result of the fee windfall MediaSense might be enjoying from consulting on both Amazon’s and Unilever’s media agency choices this year, it’s as much to do with the firm having the financial backing of Apiary Capital LLP, which acquired a stake in it in 2021 and is looking to grow the business.

Supermarket Asda’s holiday ad features night shift workers cut off by snowy weather. Retailer Matalan’s focuses on the gap between Christmas as it’s presented for Instagram, and the stressful reality for parents. And grocer Tesco’s shows a grieving family going through their first holiday season without a beloved grandmother. Though plenty of “weepy” ads have run before (in 2018, for example, John Lewis & Partners used its Christmas spot to screen an emotional mini biopic of singer Elton John), they haven’t been as closely grounded in everyday issues as some of the ads in this year’s lineup. #holidayseason #retail

In July, a single announcement from the Google Chrome team turned the $300 billion digital media industry upside down, turning the subsequent months into a tense waiting game for ad tech decision-makers. For the uninitiated, Google’s July announcement was that, after years of uncertainty, it would retain third-party cookies in its Chrome browser. This shift from the tech giant’s initial plan to eliminate support completely for third-party cookies within #Chrome upended almost half a decade of investment from ad tech companies. #thirdpartycookies #google

How did CAKES body come to be a viral TikTok brand? Taylor Capuano: "Our only strategy for the first year was to basically go viral on organic TikTok. We had no social media following when we started. We grew the business from zero to a million dollars in the first year with no social media following, purely through organic TikTok. That was 2022. Year two, we were able to take our top performing TikTok content and put it across paid — primarily Meta and Google. We had a really efficient [run on ads]. It was because we were rooted in a year’s worth of organic content on TikTok, where we would test and learn hundreds and hundreds of videos and take the top 10%, put those on Meta and they’d do really well. This is our third year of business, and we launched the TikTok Shop and launched TikTok ads as a bigger part of our strategy, and [we expect] our business will grow again."

Ad tech M&A deals greater than $100 million rose 26% quarter over quarter, driven by strategic acquisitions. This momentum reflects a broader trend of so-called “rationalization” deals aimed at consolidating or expanding into new markets. Additionally, shifts in the digital ecosystem, including changes to cookie policies and ongoing antitrust trials, are anticipated to further impact dealmaking in this space, according to LUMA Partners’ CEO Terence Kawaja. #adtech

It has been just over six months since Campbell's officially acquired Sovos Brands, bringing Rao’s Homemade under its brand umbrella. Originally a more regional brand, the jarred pasta sauce has built up a cult-like following, especially with home cooks. After news of Campbell’s acquisition of the brand broke, fans expressed concern that Campbell’s would change Rao’s taste or ingredients, and possibly scale back its product quality to maximize profits. It’s a familiar tale: A big corporation buys a smaller brand known for its ingredients and fans get worried. In this piece by Kimeko McCoy, we speak to Alan Creveling.

In TikTok’s search to attract more SMBs, it’s turning to automation. That journey started off with automating how ads are bought, but now the platform has set its sights on how those ads are created. On Thursday (Nov. 14), TikTok officially launched its Symphony Creative Studio globally, following a beta test period with a select group of advertisers (though how many specifically is unclear). In this piece by Krystal Scanlon, we speak to Michael Fee, Matthew Bailey of Omdia, Adrienne Lahens, and Jamie MacEwan of Enders Analysis.

It’s no secret that Hollywood and gaming have been involved in a romance for the past two years. These days, intellectual property holders understand that it is necessary for their properties to exist across multiple formats to truly capture the attention of modern audiences. Genvid Holdings Inc.'s new television series “DC Heroes United” takes the trend one step further by interweaving the series’ narrative with a video game in real time. Announced on Nov. 11, the cartoon show — which follows the adventures of DC Comics’ Justice League — is interspersed with decision points featuring scannable QR codes that direct viewers to the mobile game via the Apple App Store or Google Play. In this piece by Alexander Lee, we speak to Jacob Navok, and Sami Barnett of TMA.

There’s always a gap between expectation and reality. But last week’s election result showed that for some marketers, that gap was significantly wider than they’d previously imagined. Creative agency strategists predict that marketers might turn to more cautious, conservative messaging as they try to mend that gap. President-elect Donald Trump won by more than 3.2 million votes. Embracing a shift in U.S. popular culture that preceded the election, Hollywood studios are playing to the Yellowstone crowd in its wake, with producers greenlighting a swathe of Westerns and Biblical epics. It’d likely be a mistake for marketers to hew too closely to faith-and-family messaging simply to appear more conservative now, according to agency strategists that spoke to Digiday. “The industry is probably out of touch to a certain extent,” said Greg Andersen, CEO of Bailey Lauerman, an indie agency in Omaha, Nebraska. “But the industry has also trained marketers and agencies to pursue difference. Difference inherently becomes a niche idea in a mass market.” In this piece by Sam Bradley, we also speak to Jason Sperling of INNOCEAN, James Kirkham, Maureen Maldari of The BAM Connection, Chad Waetzig of Crunch Fitness, and Craig Elimeliah of Code and Theory.

After several years of fits and starts, curation in ad tech is finally having its moment in the spotlight. And if you need a clear sign of its mainstream arrival, even Google is jumping on board. But here’s the catch: Google’s take on curation won’t necessarily look the same as anyone else’s. The truth is it can often mean different things to different companies — depending on what they’re trying to sell. #adtech In this piece by Seb Joseph, we speak to Chris Kane of Jounce Media, Drew Stein of Audigent, and Milly Putley of Alkimi.