• President Joe Biden has revoked a ban on Chinese-owned apps TikTok and WeChat that was put in place by former President Donald Trump, and replaced it with a new executive order that directs the Commerce Department to review apps run by foreign companies to determine if they pose a threat to national security. (The Wall Street Journal)
• Carolyn Everson, the vice president of Facebook Inc.’s Global Business Group who served as a liaison to advertisers during crises such as last year’s ad boycott of the platform, announced in a post on her Facebook page that she is leaving the company after more than a decade. Nicola Mendelsohn, head of the EMEA region for the Global Business Group, will serve as interim leader in her place, according to a Facebook spokesperson. (CNBC)
• Facebook said its employees can continue working from home even when it’s safe to go back to the office, but that they might face pay cuts if they move to less-expensive regions. Employees can make requests to work remotely starting June 15, but they will still be encouraged to work in an office “at least half the time” for the sake of team building, the company said. (Bloomberg)
• Oatly Group AB took legal action in London court against Cambridgeshire-based Glebe Farm Foods over its PureOaty drink, alleging that the family-owned farm infringed on its trademarks — such as the Oatly brand name and package design — and is “passing off” its drink as Oatly, according to court documents. Glebe Farm, which rebranded its drink as PureOaty last year, refuted the allegations and said its branding is meant to evoke “concepts of purity and oatiness.” (Financial TImes)

For Pride Month, Lip Service and Rainbow Merch Alone Won’t Convince Consumers of Brands’ Best Intentions

Morning Consult

Nielsen Also Lowballed Local TV Ratings During Covid-19, Audit Finds

Kelsey Sutton, Adweek

Review follows earlier confirmation of national audience pandemic undercount.

 

TV networks are trying to jack up prices for longtime advertisers like Procter & Gamble and Unilever as ratings plummet

Lauren Johnson, Insider Premium

Networks want to charge higher rates similar to what newer advertisers like direct-to-consumer brands pay. Advertisers are pushing back by threatening to pull streaming ad dollars that the networks need, though.

 

Amazon Advertising Rates Soar in Pandemic-Fueled Surge

Spencer Soper, Bloomberg

Amazon.com Inc.’s advertising rates jumped more than 50% in May from a year earlier, signaling the online retailer’s rising profitability should continue through busy periods like its upcoming summer sale Prime Day and the holiday shopping season.

 

The ad industry is rallying around a solution to help save targeted ads, but publishers worry it could cost them control of their data and dent their revenue

Ryan Joe and Lauren Johnson, Insider Premium

The dominant solution has broad support from advertisers and adtech companies. But some publishers worry it’ll cheapen their reader relationships and cost them revenue.

 

Undertone to Provide More Equity to the Ad Buying Process

Larissa Faw, Adweek

Digital ad company Undertone has launched a new platform called Uplift Collective. The brand calls it a first-of-its-kind network that’s designed to connect its collection of minority, LGBTQ+ and women-owned publishers with advertisers. 

 

WarnerMedia First Media Company to Join Comscore’s Addressable TV Measurement Trial

Jason Lynch, Adweek

It’s the inaugural national addressability test across multiple MVPD and CTV providers.

‘You can’t show empathy over email’: Business leaders turn to internal podcasts to stay connected with workforces

Jessica Davies, Digiday

Maintaining a strong, positive work culture in a virtual-only environment has been a challenge for all businesses during the last year of enforced remote working. To try and keep employees emotionally engaged and motivated, businesses have turned increasingly to internal podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts says it’ll launch in-app subscriptions globally on June 15th

Ashley Carman, The Verge

After some major hiccups and a delay, Apple Podcasts says it’s launching in-app subscriptions next week. 

 

Big events are back

Rani Molla, Recode

After an 18-month hiatus, concerts, festivals, sports, and other big events are expected to return to their pre-pandemic glory.

How Snapchat became the forgotten social platform

Terry Nguyen, Vox

Why Snap’s users and investors have such different ideas about what the platform is for.

 

TikTok changed the shape of some people’s faces without asking

Abby Ohlheiser, MIT Technology Review

Users noticed what appeared to be a beauty filter they hadn’t requested—and which they couldn’t turn off. 

 

Music Publishers Sue Roblox for Letting Game Creators Use Unlicensed Songs

Anne Steele and Sarah E. Needleman, The Wall Street Journal

Lawsuit seeks at least $200 million in damages and alleges company hasn’t licensed music featured in games on the popular platform.

Judge dismisses lawsuit against McDonald’s by Black franchisees

Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing McDonald’s Corp of racial discrimination for steering Black franchise owners to underperforming stores.

 

As Retail Prices Rise, Companies Try Not to Say It Out Loud

Matthew Boyle, Bloomberg

From clothing to cereal to trash bags, prices are going up fast. But many companies aren’t saying that, at least not in language most shoppers would recognize.

 

The biggest rebrands of the decade have this visionary designer in common

Lilly Smith, Fast Company

How Lisa Smith turned the world off of minimalism and changed the design landscape.

 

Brooks Brothers Goes Casual in Post-Bankruptcy Revamp

Lauren Coleman-Lochner, Bloomberg

There’s a new athleisure line, a product mix with other casual items and a mascot: Henry the Sheep.

 

And Now, Crocs With Stiletto Heels

Sharon Pruitt-Young, NPR News

The new “pump” version of the foam clog seems to feature its usual look, but with the surprising (and, if you ask some, disturbing) addition of a stiletto heel. The shoes’ debut rocked social media, becoming a hot topic for many on Twitter.

 

Best Buy says stores will close Thanksgiving Day, to offer Black Friday deals online

Melissa Repko, CNBC

The company is joining Walmart and Target in shutting stores for the national holiday.

 

Adobe reveals a logo for every star sign (and they’re all delightful)

Daniel Piper, Creative Bloq

Adobe is currently sharing a new illustration every month, imagining the 12 star signs in various creative formats, from logos to colour swatches. 

 

Tesla’s rebounding China sales aren’t proof its PR crisis is over

Jane Li, Quartz

Tesla’s sales in China appear to be rebounding strongly—the company’s vehicle deliveries in May almost doubled from the previous month. But the numbers don’t necessarily signal it’s successfully weathered a spate of bad publicity.

 

GameStop sales rise 25% as the company chases e-commerce growth, embarks on a turnaround

Melissa Repko, CNBC

The video game retailer said it had tapped Amazon executive Ryan Furlong as its new CEO.

 

Costco is opening 5 new stores across the US this summer, as its sales continue to boom after lockdown

Mary Hanbury, Insider

According to an announcement on its website, Costco will open new stores in: Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arizona; Moore, Oklahoma; Springfield, Missouri; and Naperville, Illinois. These stores are due to open between July and August, Costco said.

 

“Revenge travel” fuels hotel sector’s speedy comeback

Courtenay Brown, Axios

America’s hotel room occupancy (83%) was the highest since October 2019 during Memorial Day weekend, according to hospitality data firm STR.

 

Inflation Is Coming for Tofu Next as Americans Pay Up for Protein

Daniela Sirtori-Cortina, Bloomberg

Americans on a health kick have been actively eating more protein in recent years, but costs for all the major sources of it are soaring.

 

You may be paying more for Uber, but drivers aren’t getting their cut of the fare hike

Faiz Siddiqui, The Washington Post

Uber uncoupled driver earnings from the price customers pay just as a driver shortage hit, part of a pattern of eroding driver control.

 

Barbie Goes Green With New Recycled Doll

Adrianne Pasquarelli, Ad Age

Barbie is getting another makeover. The 62-year-old Mattel brand is debuting Barbie Loves the Ocean, its first fashion doll collection made of recycled ocean-bound plastic. 

 

IPG’s Climate Action Plan Sets an Emissions Reduction Target

Kyle O’Brien, Adweek

The agency group will also source 100% renewable electricity by 2030.

 

Digital Currency Asset Manager Hires Its First CMO

Nat Ives, The Wall Street Journal

Grayscale Investments LLC, a digital currency asset manager, has named Deborah Bussière as its first chief marketing officer.