MDC to Add New Directors in Settlement With Activist Investor
Patrick Thomas, The Wall Street Journal
MDC Partners Inc. settled a monthslong spat with hedge fund FrontFour Capital Group LLC on Monday, saying it would nominate two new members to its board of directors.
The GDPR thaw: marketers reengage data-driven strategies
Jay Stocki, The Drum
Months after the panicked scurry to come into compliance with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation effectively froze many marketers’ data-driven strategies, the true impact of the regulation on consumers and companies is coming into focus… and it’s much more promising than some feared.
Credit-Card Issuers Boost Spending on Social-Media Ads
AnnaMaria Andriotis, The Wall Street Journal
American Express and Capital One have significantly increased ad spending on Facebook for consumer credit cards.
Famed Photographer Sues McGarryBowen and Clorox For Copyright Infringement
Jack Neff, Ad Age
Jill Greenberg’s photos for Fresh Step wound up on ‘The Ellen Degeneres Show.’
T-Mobile, Sprint lobby regulators to win U.S. approval for tie-up
David Shepardson, Reuters
Senior executives at T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp made the case to U.S. officials in Washington last week that they should approve a planned tie-up between the two wireless companies, arguing a combined firm would have incentives to “aggressively lower prices.”
Podcast Wars: $100 Million Startup Luminary Launches Tuesday Without Reply All or the Daily
Ashley Carman, The Verge
It took less than a day for Luminary to become enemy number one of the podcast industry.
‘Thrones’ is ending, but will live on in merchandise
Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
From wine to clothing to tours, HBO and retailers have cashed in through the years with “Game of Thrones” merchandise. “Thrones” is not only a huge international show but also a massive business, with all sides hoping to pad the bank during the show’s eighth and final season.
The Inside Story of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s George Magazine
Kate Storey, Esquire
In the ’90s, John F. Kennedy Jr. founded and edited a revolutionary magazine called George, which covered politics like it was pop culture. Was it folly—or a glimpse of the Trumpian future?
Twitter Q1 flies past estimates with sales of $787M and EPS of $0.25, but MAUs drop to 330M
Ingrid Lunden, TechCrunch
Social networking and media platform Twitter today reported its results for the first quarter of the year, and it’s a strong one.
Samsung’s Reputation Founders on Rush for Lead in Folding Phones
Sam Kim et al., Bloomberg
When Samsung showed off its folding smartphone in San Francisco, engineers back in South Korea popped bottles of bubbly to celebrate the culmination of eight years of research.
The CIA is joining Instagram
Makena Kelly, The Verge
The Central Intelligence Agency will soon be launching an Instagram account, Director Gina Haspel said last week — and Instagram is helping them set it up.
Uber Wants to Get the Law on Its Side
Cara Tabachnick, Bloomberg Businessweek
With an IPO looming, the company that’s often clashed with authorities tries to fix its relationship with them.
Forget Tide Pods. P&G Bets Water-Free Soap ‘Swatches’ Are the Future.
Sharon Terlep, The Wall Street Journal
Company started selling new water-free hand soap and detergent; it is still deciding whether to create a new name or use its brands.
With $100 Hyperlocal Jeans, Wrangler Brings Sustainability Home
Sarah Mahoney, MediaPost
While apparel brands struggle to make peace with their ugly environmental impact, Wrangler is introducing an unexpected way to bring sustainability home, highlighting cotton from five American farmers.
Harley Gains as Reduced Profits Still Beat Analysts’ Estimates
Gabrielle Coppola, Bloomberg
Harley-Davidson Inc. profit topped estimates even as tariffs that Europe implemented in retaliation to President Donald Trump’s levies on steel and aluminum raised costs.
Parent of SunnyD, Juicy Juice Brands Explores Sale
Jaewon Kang, The Wall Street Journal
Private equity-backed Harvest Hill Beverage expected to garner valuation of at least $1 billion.
Hasbro Sales Show Toymaker Recovering From Loss of Toys ‘R’ Us
Matthew Townsend, Bloomberg
Hasbro Inc. soared as much as 17 percent after reporting an unexpected gain in first-quarter sales — more evidence that the toymaker is recovering from the loss of major customer Toys “R” Us Inc.
Procter & Gamble tops analyst expectations, boosts 2019 forecast
Lauren Hirsch, CNBC
P&G is coming off a strong fiscal second quarter in which its bet on raising prices paid off, helping to drive sales past investors’ expectations.
Stop & Shop Strike Ends With Union Claiming Victory on Pay and Health Care
Sandra E. Garcia, The New York Times
After more than three months of negotiations and 11 days on strike, over 30,000 Stop & Shop workers have reached a tentative agreement with the supermarket chain that they said met their demands for better pay and health care coverage.
The Key to Selling Makeup to Gen Z: Meet Them IRL
Rachel Strugatz, The Business of Fashion
For young consumers, online shopping is the norm in practically every category – except beauty, where 90 percent still shop in stores.
Beyond Meat Details Plans for Initial Public Offering
Nathaniel Popper, The New York Times
Beyond Meat revealed details on Monday for its planned Wall Street debut, in what will be a test for businesses that want to replace meat with plant-based alternatives.
North Face Climber Tragedy Overshadows Earth Day Marketing
Sarah Mahoney, MediaPost
Just as the North Face was gearing up for its well-orchestrated Earth Day push, Canadian authorities announced a tragedy bigger than any marketing plan, recovering the bodies of three members of the company’s climbing team from an avalanche.
Pepsi is making a SodaStream-like sparkling water station
Jon Fingas, Engadget
Now that Pepsi owns SodaStream, it’s trying its hand at a make-your-own-drink station — though it’s not for the company’s usual sugar-laden fare.
California proposal to tax soda pushed to next year
Kathleen Ronayne, The Associated Press
Lawmakers won’t vote on a soda tax or limit how much can be sold in a single cup this year, marking the latest California victory for the beverage industry.
The Company That Sells Love to America Had a Dark Secret
Taffy Brodesser-Akner, The New York Times
For thousands of women, working at the nation’s largest jewelry retailer meant unequal pay, harassment or worse.
Budweiser Boss’s Recipe for Growth: More Time Away From the Office
Jennifer Maloney, The Wall Street Journal
AB InBev’s Brito shortens meetings and quits crunching numbers, leaving more time to go on ‘consumer safaris’ and visit Harry’s.
How tech founders are trying to disrupt — and replicate — the Giving Pledge
Theodore Schleifer, Recode
Silicon Valley billionaires can make promises to give away fortunes to charity. Why can’t the rest of us?
