Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/22/18

More on the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal: At a time when the EPA and other governmental agencies are following conservative directions to strip power from regulatory agencies (if not dismantle them outright) it seems unlikely calls for a digital protection agency or updates to copyright law will be heeded. If politicians don’t believe their needed for … Continue reading Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/22/18

Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/20/18

It’s hard to top a story like that involving Cambridge Analytics and Facebook. There are all sorts of things going on here, but these seem to be the key points: Cambridge had a contract with a Russian oil company (many of which are controlled to some extent by government officials) that seemed oddly interested in … Continue reading Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/20/18

Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/15/18

Media Two things: 1) It’s interesting that FaceWE’RENOTAMEDIACOMPANYbook now wants to create a single destination for video news that can be used to get people’s attention, and 2) It’s unbelievable that any publisher would sign up for this given the 78 other times Facebook has clearly shown it’s only interested in using partnerships as a … Continue reading Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/15/18

Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/13/18

Media That the sizzle reel of violent video game sequences put together by the White House has become such a big hit on YouTube isn’t at all surprising given that violent sequences are a big reason vast swaths of people play the games. I’m not sure anyone understands either the First Amendment issues in play … Continue reading Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/13/18

Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/8/18

Media Publishers continue to grapple with the various scenarios that would allow for news to continue to be reported and distributed that serves the public good in a financial environment that’s been almost completely abdicated by advertisers. Turns out slow news - relying on print, in this case, as opposed to staying glued to digital … Continue reading Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/8/18

Quick Takes: Marketing and Media News for 3/6/18

Media Thank God for The Onion, which writes the “state of the media industry” piece the rest of the industry is afraid to. Publishers are having a hell of a time trying to figure out why their Snapchat traffic, engagement and other metrics are all over the place as a result of the app’s redesign … Continue reading Quick Takes: Marketing and Media News for 3/6/18

Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/1/18

Media The New York Times is hoping to leverage its success in podcasting into a weekly news program based on several job listings and other chatter. There’s a new initiative from Facebook that’s meant to support local media, in particular newspapers and I 100% can’t stop laughing because who’s going to fall for this? Especially … Continue reading Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 3/1/18

Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 2/27/18

Media This is a great read on the problem we keep running into with tech companies completely dropping the ball when tragedy strikes, consistently caught with their algorithms pushing conspiracy theories, fake news and other hoaxes. In each case, the companies in question talk about how hard it is to police the trillions of data … Continue reading Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 2/27/18

Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 2/22/18

Media As many people have pointed out already, this Newsweek story about the news brand’s parent company is enough of a media story in and of itself, but the editor’s note that appears at the top is a whole issue in and of itself. SHOT: Vox Media is the latest company to engage in a … Continue reading Quick Takes – Marketing and Media News for 2/22/18

Quick Takes: Marketing and Media News for 2/20/18

Media A number of editors and others have been let go from Vanity Fair and other Conde Nast publications. CNN also fired about 50 staffers from its digital operations as it seeks to “restructure” that department. One can only imagine the number of “Hillary Did 9/11” and “Obama’s Deep State Redistricted You” documentaries that will … Continue reading Quick Takes: Marketing and Media News for 2/20/18