• Three McDonald’s Corp. restaurants will reopen in Kyiv today for delivery with expanded safety protocols, a company spokesperson said. They are the first McDonald’s properties to operate in Ukraine after the fast food giant closed 109 restaurants in February following Russia’s invasion. (The New York Times)
• Dozens of major U.S. companies, including Amazon.com Inc., Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., FedEx Corp. and PepsiCo Inc., pledged to hire 22,765 refugees over the next three years via a commitment to the Tent Partnership for Refugees, a nonprofit organization founded by Chobani Inc. founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya. Ulukaya said that “companies must recognize that hiring refugees is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do.” (Fast Company)
• Actors Tom Cruise and Sandra Bullock are among a group of Hollywood stars and producers upset with Paramount Pictures over what the profit participants say is a bad deal with the cable network Epix, compared with similar agreements in the film industry, according to several people familiar with the conversations. While no lawsuit has been filed, representatives for the actors and producers, who argue they’re missing out on millions in earnings due to the Epix contract, have reportedly met with Paramount to request extra money. (Bloomberg)     
• Walt Disney Co. plans to debut Disney+ Basic, the ad-supported tier of its streaming service, on Dec. 8 at a monthly price of $8, while the current ad-free version will increase to $11 per month, according to a presentation deck obtained by Insider. The ads, which will be non-skippable and last 15 and 30 seconds, will reportedly be sold directly and programmatically. (Insider Premium)

Consumers Held the Line on Spending in August

Morning Consult

Netflix’s New Ad Chief Has an Appetite for Danger 

Kaya Yurieff, The Information

Jeremi Gorman helped make Amazon and Snap into advertising powerhouses. Now Netflix has hired her to restore its growth by doing the same for the streaming service. Can she turn a longtime opponent of ads into the internet’s next ad success story?

Google’s post-cookie ad tech tests face skepticism

Garett Sloane, Ad Age 

Ad tech players have begun tests of Google’s post-cookie technology, and the first results are trickling in.

Google’s crumbling third-party cookie is still likely to take center stage at Dmexco 2022 

Ronan Shields, Digiday 

Dmexco is back and while many are still trying to figure out the role of the Germany-based conference when it comes to the global circuit, ad tech’s key talking points have moved on considerably after a two-year digital hiatus.

OKRP’s new Burger King group creative directors created Wingstop’s ‘Thighstop’ 

Ann-Christine Diaz, Ad Age 

Five months after scoring the Burger King business, OKRP has hired the creative team behind Wingstop’s Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning “Thighstop” campaign to serve as group creative directors on the account.

What Does “Premium” Mean, Anyway? 

Anthony Vargas, AdExchanger 

The word “premium” gets thrown around a lot. Marketers chase “premium” publishers to reach “premium” audiences.

Tripadvisor’s new in-house studio serves external clients 

Adrianne Pasquarelli, Ad Age 

Tripadvisor is taking its first-party traveler data in a new direction.

Adnan Syed Murder Conviction Overturned, Serial to Release New Episode on Case 

Todd Spangler, Variety 

A judge has overturned the murder conviction of Adnan Syed — whose case was the focus of the viral “Serial” podcast back in 2014 — and the Baltimore man was released from prison after serving more than 22 years behind bars.

A first-look at Amazon’s ‘TNF’ numbers

John Ourand, Sports Business Journal 

We’re still waiting for Nielsen’s report on Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” streaming viewership. But judging by expectations from Amazon’s execs, the audience for last week’s Chargers-Chiefs game easily will surpass 10 million viewers.

Imax CEO Richard Gelfond Extends Contract Until 2025 

Rebecca Rubin, Variety

Gelfond, who has served as CEO since 2009 and has been with the company since 1994, will keep his current compensation, equity and severance terms, according to Monday’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

What Does the Don Lemon Morning Show Mean for CNN? 

Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter 

Four months after joining CNN, CEO Chris Licht begins to reshape the cable news channel, with a Don Lemon-led morning show paving the way for a near-complete overhaul of the network’s lineup.

Bustle Digital Group Shutters Input, Lays Off Staff at Mic 

Mark Stenberg, Adweek

The downturn in the digital advertising market has affected yet another publisher, marking at least the third official round of layoffs prompted by the slowdown since May.

CBS, NBC Lead 52-Week TV Ratings for 2021-22 Season

Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter 

A summer’s worth of TV didn’t do a whole lot to change the ratings picture among the broadcast networks.

Why Samsung and ‘The Tonight Show’ made a Fortnite game 

Erika Wheless, Ad Age 

Samsung is bringing “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” to Fortnite as it looks to connect with Gen Z in its latest move into the metaverse.

Hearst partners with Good Caper Content for “Hell in the Heartland”

Ahmed Dirie, Realscreen 

Hearst Magazines is partnering with ITV America’s Good Caper Content (Oxygen’s New York Homicides, A&E’s BTK: Confessions of a Serial Killer) on the new true-crime docuseries Hell in the Heartland, which promises to go beyond typical cases and focus on more “layered and dark” stories that scarred the small towns of middle America.

Amazon loses PillPack founders four years after acquisition 

Annie Palmer, CNBC

Two Amazon executives who played a formative role in the retail giant’s push into health care are departing.

Apple’s fixing the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera shake 

Mitchell Clark, The Verge 

Apple will release a software update to fix an issue with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max where using the camera in third-party apps like Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok would lead to a shaking image and grinding or buzzing noises coming from the camera bump. 

Mark Zuckerberg’s Net Worth Is Down $71 Billion, Putting Focus on Meta’s Woes 

Nur Dayana Mustak, Bloomberg

Mark Zuckerberg’s pivot into the metaverse has cost him dearly in the real world.

Uber says hacker group Lapsus$ behind cybersecurity incident 

Brian Fung, CNN

Uber has linked the cybersecurity incident it disclosed last week to hackers affiliated with the Lapsus$ gang, a group accused of numerous high-profile corporate data breaches.

Instagram Influencers Threaten Australia Canola Crops, Fields as Tourists Return 

Sybilla Gross, Bloomberg

The bright yellow fields of blooming canola across Australia’s western grain belt are attracting selfie-obsessed tourists, sparking fears of plants getting trampled and diseases spreading.

Lululemon faces backlash over using coal plants 

Quratulain Tejani, New York Post

Nearly 2,000 yoga fanatics called on fitness wear giant Lululemon to phase out the use of coal-powered factories that produce the brand’s popular line of stretch pants and other athletic gear. 

Beyond Meat COO Doug Ramsey arrested for allegedly biting man’s nose 

Amelia Lucas, CNBC

Beyond Meat Chief Operating Officer Doug Ramsey was arrested this weekend after allegedly biting a man’s nose in an Arkansas parking garage following a college football game.

Family Dollar recalls Colgate products after improper storage 

Rob Wile, NBC News

Family Dollar is recalling six Colgate products sold in stores in 11 states because they were stored outside of recommended temperature requirements.

Underwire and Push-Up Bra Sales Signal a ‘Return to Sexy’ 

Chavie Lieber, The Wall Street Journal

Wired lingerie is selling well and showing up in a new Skims collection, after years of remote workers and young shoppers opting for unstructured undergarments.

SlimFast Blends Modern and Vintage Creative Directions in New Ads 

Maia Vines, Ad Age 

SlimFast’s first major ad campaign since 2019 pays tribute to the evolution of the brand’s marketing efforts during its 46-year history.

An Anti-E.S.G. Activist Takes on Apple and Disney 

Andrew Ross Sorkin et al., The New York Times 

A prominent critic of investing that factors in climate and social considerations wants to use shareholder pressure to refocus companies on profits.

Marriott coaxing workers back to office with $600 million building 

David Shepardson, Reuters 

Marriott International Inc (MAR.O) believes its new $600 million high-rise headquarters will entice workers to return after more than two years mostly working at home.

The Latest Way to Cover a Pimple? A SpongeBob Sticker 

Joseph Pisani and Lauryn Azu, The Wall Street Journal

The latest way to cover a pimple is getting more attention than what’s underneath.

The $3 Lipstick That Ignores Inflation

Sharon Terlep, The Wall Street Journal

E.l.f. has kept prices low on its bestsellers while raising prices on two-thirds of its lineup and adding higher-end products.