• The Washington Football Team launched its first major ad campaign, called “No Name but TEAM,” since retiring its “Redskins” name almost two months ago. The campaign — which will roll out digitally first before expanding into broadcast, print, out-of-home and social — focuses on driving fans to a website to submit suggestions for its rebrand and features the team’s whole roster, as opposed to a few star players. (Ad Age)

• Peloton Interactive Inc. reported fourth-quarter revenue of $607.1 million, up 172 percent year-over-year, as gym closures prompted consumers to flock to the company’s at-home workout equipment and subscriptions. Peloton now counts 1.09 million customers as connected fitness subscribers, a number it expects to grow about 90 percent in its next fiscal year, with its average subscriber completing about 25 workouts per month, up 333 percent from 12 workouts per month the same time last year. (Bloomberg)

• Tyler Blevins, known online as “Ninja,” one of the most popular video game streamers in the world, is returning to Amazon.com Inc.’s Twitch with an exclusive, multi-year contract after leaving the service late last year to sign on with Microsoft Corp.’s competing Mixer platform. Ninja, who has more than 15 million followers on his Twitch channel, joins a number of other streamers returning to Twitch from Mixer, which shut down in June, releasing gamers from their contracts. (The Washington Post)

US internet advertising is forecast to contract more than 3% this year
Janko Roettgers, Protocol

Video advertising will be flat, while subscription video will see massive growth, predicts PwC.

Advertisers Flock to N.F.L. Broadcasts as a ‘Safe Haven’
Tiffany Hsu, The New York Times

Ad spending has slumped in the pandemic, in part over uncertainty about how sports seasons would proceed. With an on-time start, football is poised to capture “a greater share of a smaller pie.”

Despite a Constant State of Crisis, Media Buyers Still Show Interest in TikTok
Scott Nover, Adweek

Company communication aside, advertisers are interested in the platform’s growth.

Netflix Rolls Out First Global Brand Campaign to Continue Originals Momentum
Kelsey Sutton, Adweek

In the streaming giant’s first global brand campaign, called “One Story Away,” high-performing Netflix original series get front-and-center placement, as the service urges potential subscribers that they’re “just one story away” from understanding some of the characters and stories.

Nielsen Shutters Place-Based Audience Measurement Service
Joe Mandese, MediaPost

The move comes as many place-based media venues have been challenged by shutdowns or sparse attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WarnerMedia eyes spring debut for HBO Max’s ad-supported tier
Tim Peterson, Digiday

WarnerMedia has told ad buyers that it plans to roll out HBO Max’ ad-supported tier in the second quarter of 2021, according to agency executives who have been briefed on the matter. 

‘Walking Dead’ Ending Leaves an Ad Hole in AMC’s Zombie Universe
Gerry Smith, Bloomberg

As recently as 2018, about one-third of AMC Networks’ advertising sales came from “The Walking Dead” and a spinoff, “Fear the Walking Dead,” according to Bloomberg Intelligence. 

Video Ads and Brand Experiences Work Better Together in Streaming
Mónica Marie Zorrilla, Adweek

A study from Magna and IPG Media Lab and commissioned by Roku, found that video advertising and brand experiences that offer free streaming choices, like promo codes and free movies, together generate four times greater purchase intent than video advertising alone.

The NFL will use Microsoft Teams to let fans cheer along with players when they score a touchdown
Jabari Young and Jordan Novet, CNBC

Microsoft describes the NFL version of the cheering section “as virtual mirrors,” or LED screens that will appear in each end zone during NFL games, allowing players to celebrate with fans who are not in attendance.

Facebook Starts an Ad-Free Section for College Students
Sahil Patel, The Wall Street Journal

But the social-media giant will track its Campus users’ activity to ply them with ads elsewhere.

Facebook Will Continue Collecting The IDFA Following Apple’s Delay Announcement
Allison Schiff, AdExchanger

In light of Apple’s decision to delay enforcement of its opt-in feature in iOS 14, Facebook will keep on collecting the IDFA – for now at least.

Snap, Kantar Examine Gen Z’s Attention Span, Affinity for Brands
David Cohen, Adweek

Snapchat prides itself on its Generation Z-heavy user base, and parent Snap Inc. commissioned two separate studies from Kantar, on that demographic’s ad recall and its brand preferences.

QR codes are defying skeptics and making a comeback, with big brands including Burger King, CVS, L’Oréal, and Walmart jumping on board
Tanya Dua, Business Insider Premium

Burger King, CVS, L’Oréal, 1-800-Flowers, and Walmart are among brands that have used QR codes in marketing or retail in recent months, for things like coupons and contactless payments that are considered more sanitary during the pandemic.

Century 21, Fabled New York Bargain Destination, Is Closing
Sapna Maheshwari, The New York Times

The retailer, famous for offering designer goods at discount prices, said it had failed to receive $175 million from its insurers and would close its 13 locations.

J.C. Penney Posts Steep Sales Decline for Second Quarter
Jonathan Roeder, Bloomberg

J.C. Penney Co. sales plunged 45% in the second quarter as the department-store chain entered bankruptcy and struggled with an accelerated shift away from physical stores and the Covid-19 outbreak.

LVMH retaliates against Tiffany by preparing lawsuit
Leila Abboud, Financial Times

LVMH said it was preparing to file a lawsuit against US jeweller Tiffany alleging that it has mismanaged the business during the Covid-19 crisis so significantly that it gave the world’s largest luxury group no choice but to reconsider its $16.6bn takeover bid.

GMC reveals HUMMER EV’s crab logo, but why?
Gary Gastelu, Fox News

GMC has released a logo for its upcoming HUMMER EV pickup and SUV that features an orange crab with a pentagonal body inside of an octagonal shape.

Dozens of Amazon’s own products have been reported as dangerous — melting, exploding or even bursting into flames. Many are still on the market
Blake Ellis and Melanie Hicken, CNN

Consumers have raised serious safety concerns about AmazonBasics items in complaints to government regulators and in reviews posted on Amazon’s own website. 

Kanye West Calls Out Gap and Adidas Over Black Board Seats
Kim Bhasin and Jonathan Roeder, Bloomberg

Kanye West doesn’t have a board seat at the companies that have increasingly staked their brands on partnerships with him — and he took the beef to Twitter.

DTC brands are rethinking their ‘never-go-on-sale’ rule
Anna Hensel, Modern Retail

Now, DTC startups who have prided themselves on either never offering sales, or only offering them on Black Friday, are throwing their playbooks out the window. 

Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin Launches OnlyGins.com With a Naked Bottle
Kathryn Lundstrom, Adweek

Booze brand turned an Instagram photo into a social stunt in a matter of hours.

Selena Gomez Launches Rare Beauty Makeup Line to Support Mental Health
Celia Shatzman, Variety

Rare Beauty, which just exclusively hit Sephora shelves, goes more than skin deep, as 1% of all product sales, plus funds raised by partners, will go toward the Rare Impact Fund to support mental health services. 

Papa John’s agrees to open 49 new sites as sales surge during pandemic
Kate Rogers, CNBC

Under the deal, franchisee HB Restaurant Group will more than double the number of its mid-Atlantic restaurants by 2028.

Charisse Ford Hughes Joins Kellogg as Senior VP and Global CMO
Mónica Marie Zorrilla, Adweek

Charisse Ford Hughes, a marketing veteran with nearly 25 years of experience in the CPG and luxury goods sector, is joining the Kellogg Company as its senior vp and global CMO, effective Sept. 21.

Why Nostalgic Logos Are Booming Right Now
James I. Bowie, Marker

A new wave of company logos all include the same three-letter word.

Name Your Brand with a Global Audience in Mind
Nataly Kelly, Harvard Business Review

No matter how thorough you may be, if your research is biased toward your home market, you’re likely to run into challenges when you expand internationally.