Top Stories

  • Walmart Inc. plans to launch Walmart+, its competitor to Amazon.com Inc.’s Prime service, this month for $98 per year, with perks such as same-day delivery, discounts on fuel at Walmart gas stations and early access to deals, multiple sources said. The coronavirus pandemic delayed the subscription service’s original late March or April launch, and it’s unclear whether the program will initially be rolled out regionally or nationally. (Recode)
  • Facebook Inc. executives including Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg met with leaders of the civil rights groups that organized the #StopHateForProfit boycott, who said after the meeting that the social media company still is not doing enough to prevent the spread of hate speech and disinformation on its platform. Boycott organizers shared a list of demands with Facebook ahead of the meeting, including a recommendation to appoint a high-level executive to ensure the platform is not fueling racism, but Color of Change President Rashad Robinson said Facebook did not provide clear responses and called the meeting “disappointing.” (The Washington Post)
  • After hitting rock bottom in April, the digital advertising market has started to recover as ad prices and spending slowly move back up to their pre-pandemic rates: Costs per click on Google, Facebook and Microsoft Corp.’s Bing have risen about 1 percent every 10 days since early April, according to ad analytics firm WordStream, and analysts expect Facebook to rebound more significantly than Google, even considering the advertising boycott of the platform. (The Information)

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Events Calendar (All Times Local)

07/08/2020
Ad Age Next: Retail 11:00 am
Adweek’s Elevate: CBD and Cannabis Marketing 12:00 pm
ANA Digital & Social Media Conference
MediaPost’s Email Insider Summit
SportsPro Insider Series: Emerging Tech and Media
07/09/2020
Adweek Summer Series: Search for Tomorrow 12:00 pm
ANA Digital & Social Media Conference
MediaPost’s Email Insider Summit
SportsPro Insider Series: Emerging Tech and Media
07/10/2020
MediaPost’s Email Insider Summit
07/11/2020
MediaPost’s Email Insider Summit
View full calendar

New Report: How the Pandemic Has Altered Expectations of Remote Work

COVID-19 is reshaping the future of work more rapidly than employers could have planned for.

As balancing business and safety needs becomes more complex and talent expectations evolve, employee work preferences and habits are also changing. Download the full report to learn what employers can do and expect as the new norm takes place.

Advertising

Omnicom Plans $20 Million in Podcast Ads on Spotify
Nat Ives, The Wall Street Journal

While advertisers typically choose to sponsor individual shows, Omnicom Media Group Inc. said it would spend $20 million to place ads across shows distributed by Spotify Technology SA as part of a deal that covers the second half of 2020.

Facebook Decisions Were ‘Setbacks for Civil Rights,’ Audit Finds
Mike Isaac, The New York Times

The audit of Facebook conducted by civil rights experts and lawyers Laura W. Murphy and Megan Cacace concluded that the company has not done enough to prevent discrimination and in some cases made decisions that led to civl rights setbacks.

The New York Times and CNN Rip Facebook, But Spend Millions on Facebook Ads
Sean Burch, The Wrap

The New York Times, which has reported on Facebook’s moderation policies, has also spent $24.5 million on Facebook ads this year,according to an estimate from Pathmatics that places the publisher in Facebook’s top 20 advertisers for the year.

Starburst’s First Vertical-Only Ad Campaign Accentuates Its Latest Product
Paul Hiebert, Adweek

The brand created an ad designed for smartphones only to promote its new Starburst Swirlers Chewy Sticks candy.

Panda Express Chooses The Many as Creative Agency of Record
Minda Smiley, Adweek

Creative consultancy and agency Wolfgang previously handled the chain’s creative business, after winning the account in 2018.

Media and Entertainment

Amid Pressure, Chicago N.H.L. Team Says It Won’t Change Its Name
David Waldstein, The New York Times

The Chicago Blackhawks issued a statement saying that the team would not change its name, as it was intended to honor Black Hawk of Illinois’s Sac & Fox Nation.

Disney World Draws Excitement and Incredulity as Reopening Nears
Brooks Barnes, The New York Times

Walt Disney World has been promoting its reopening with marketing videos highlighting increased safety measures, but some are skeptical as the number of coronavirus cases in Florida stays high.

Inside Peacock’s Ambitious Plan to Crash a Crowded Streaming Field
Todd Spangler, Variety

Matt Strauss, the chairman of NBCUniversal’s Peacock, said that the streaming service’s greatest strength is its free tier, which is supported by no more than 5 minutes of ads per hour.

Movie Theater Chains Sue New Jersey for ‘Unconstitutional’ Closures Due to Coronavirus
Brian Welk, The Wrap

Movie theater chains including AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., Cinemark Holdings Inc. and Regal sued the state, claiming that they should have been allowed to reopen with other indoor businesses such as churches, libraries and museums.

ABC Welcomes Basketball’s Return With NBA Countdown ‘Restart’ Special July 25
Jason Lynch, Adweek

Before it airs NBA games beginning Aug. 2, ABC will host a live prime-time event the week prior.

With Microphones in the Turf, ESPN Kicks Off Fanless Soccer
Christopher Palmeri, Bloomberg

ESPN is broadcasting the return of Major League Soccer using drones, cameras behind goals and microphones buried in the turf, a risky effort that more than doubles the network’s typical production costs.

Social Media and Technology

U.S. probing allegations TikTok violated children’s privacy – sources
Diane Bartz, Reuters

The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Justice Department exploring allegations that the app did not follow through on a 2019 agreement designed to protect the privacy of children.

Former Snap Executive Bets Social Shopping Will Finally Catch On
Maya Tribbitt, Bloomberg

Verishop Inc., the e-commerce marketplace led by former Snap Inc. executive Imran Khan, is launching an app with shoppable photos and videos from more than 600 brands.

PR and Marketing

Ann Taylor Owner Ascena Prepares Bankruptcy to Cut Debt, Stores
Eliza Ronalds-Hannon and Katherine Doherty, Bloomberg

Ascena Retail Group Inc., which owns mall brands including Ann Taylor that occupy almost 3,000 stores across the United States, could enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy as soon as this week and is planning to close at least 1,200 stores.

Levi’s sales fall 62% in second quarter, to cut 15% of corporate workforce
Lauren Thomas, CNBC

Amid falling sales when its stores were closed for about 10 weeks, denim brand Levi Strauss & Co. said it would make cuts impacting about 700 jobs.

Gap Seeks to Tap Into Surging Corporate Demand for Facemasks
Jordyn Holman, Bloomberg

Gap Inc. already sells face masks to consumers via its stores and sites, but will now offer the product directly to employers, with a minimum requirement of 100,000 masks per order.

Whole Foods employee says workers were sent home for refusing to remove anti-racism shirts as the company faces protests over its dress-code policy
Hayley Peterson, Business Insider

An employee at a Whole Foods in Connecticut said he and a group of coworkers chose to go home when the company told them they could not wear shirts with the phrase “racism has no place here.”

Hershey Is Ready To Talk About Halloween. Yes, It’s Only July
Jessica Wohl, Ad Age

Hershey Co. announced four new versions of Halloween-themed products in an effort to drive sales months before the holiday, which could be derailed by the pandemic.

PBR’s Latest Boozy Concoction Is a Peach-Flavored Hard Tea
Mónica Marie Zorrilla, Adweek

The new product launched with availability in 26 states via liquor e-commerce platform Drizly Inc., which saw major sales increases during the pandemic.

In Another Blow to Restaurants, Home Cooking During Covid Is Here to Stay
Nic Querolo, Bloomberg

Almost one-third of U.S. adults said that they plan to continue cooking more at home even when the threat of the pandemic eases, with Generation Z in particular reporting that they plan to cook more as opposed to dining out after the coronavirus crisis.

Spas reopen with stringent safety protocols
Liz Flora, Glossy

Safety measures such as reduced capacity have slowed business for spas as they reopen, but owners say that option is better than having to close again due to another wave of the pandemic.

Magic Leap Hires Top Microsoft Executive as C.E.O.
Erin Griffith and Karen Weise, The New York Times

Peggy Johnson will take on the role at the virtual reality startup beginning in August, building on her experience leading business development at Microsoft.

Opinions, Editorials, Perspectives and Research

A coronavirus consultant shares how she advises businesses on reopening
Isabella Simonetti, Vox

Dana Lerman, an infectious disease specialist and entrepreneur who launched a firm to consult on reopening amid the pandemic, said businesses and consumers need to take safety requirements seriously, and consider that even some activities that are allowed are not safe.

What We Lose When Retail Stores Disappear
Marissa Evans, Zora

Retail stores often offer first and second chances at careers for women and mothers looking to support themselves and their families independently.

How Brands And Agencies Responded To Racial Injustice In The First Month Following George Floyd’s Death
Ad Age Staff

Ad Age documented how marketers, media companies and agencies responded to the Black Lives Matter movement during the month of June.

Morning Consult