Sales lead: Reach out to offer ad space & agency services.  Gympass secured $85m in a Series F funding round in August 2023. This brings the company's valuation to $2.4m EQT Growth led the funding round.  The company will use the funds for expansion, product innovation, and user experience.  Target demographic: Businesses seeking a wellness platform The company will likely: Ramp digital ad spend back up Invest in additional ad channels Bolster the agency roster ...

Sales lead: This appointment will affect the company's media strategy & may lead to more agency hires.  Vera Bradley (VB) named Assembly its media AOR, effective August 2023. The agency is responsible for all media and data duties.  We predicted agency hires when we told you about VB's DM shifts in February.  Target demographic: Gen-X & millennial women The company will likely: Revise media strategy Ramp digital spend back up Seek additional agency assistance ...

Sales lead: This hire will likely lead to higher ad spending & agency appointments.  Jared tapped Abby Spatz as marketing VP in July 2023. Spatz joined from BCW Global, where she served as brand solutions practice lead and EVP. In her new role, Spatz is responsible for brand, integrated marketing, loyalty, partnerships, and analytics. Target demographic: Gen-X/millennial women & gift-giving men The brand will likely: Ramp ad spend back up Try some new marketing tacti...

Sales lead: This hire will directly impact the company's marketing strategy & agency roster.  SteadyMD hired Patrick Hurley as marketing VP, effective August 2023. Hurley joins from CirrusMD, where he served as growth marketing VP. He now leads all of SteadyMD's marketing operations. Target demographic: Gen-Xers & millennials The company will likely: Return to 2021 spending levels Diversify digital ad placement Build out the agency roster Digital and social in...

Sales lead: The new campaign signals the company is prepared to ramp ad spend back up.  Neiman Marcus (NM) just launched its fall campaign called "New Frontiers." The push will be supported across social and digital channels. The brand also created a 50-page coffee table book, which will include profiles of prominent historical figures.  We told you about NM's first-ever CBO in January.  Target demographic: Gen-Z & millennial women The company will likely: Ramp ad sp...

Sales lead: Keep an eye on this company so that you are ready to reach out once it hires a new CMO.  TGI Friday's recently announced it has promoted Brandon Coleman to CEO. Coleman joined the company in October 2022 as CMO. As CEO, Coleman will lead a brand transformation project, which includes improving the menu and expanding.  We will be sure to update you as soon as the company names a replacement CMO. Read our recent update about Friday's new creative AOR here.  Target...

Sales Lead: Klaviyo just filed for an IPO and will start trading its stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "KVYO." The company's most pressing goals are to grow its mid-market and enterprise presence, drive sales from new and current customers alike, expand internationally, expand into new verticals, and invest more in its platform. The company will likely: Shift strategy Keep increasing digital spend Conduct agency reviews Target demographic...

Sales Lead: BlackBerry selected Neelam Sandhu as its new CMO in June 2023. Sandhu will also retain her existing roles as sustainability SVP and chief elite customer success officer. She stepped into this dual role in May 2023 after joining BlackBerry in February 2009 as an EMEA brand specialist. Sandhu specifically mentioned that one of her priorities is developing customer connections with in-person experiential activations, digital, and social advertising. Now, San...

Sales Lead: Vox Media's SB Nation (SBN) recently debuted two new paid newsletters designed for football enthusiasts. The newsletters, SBN's first-ever paid products, are available for the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs Football. According to Vox's consumer revenue SVP, Priyanka Arya, the SBN brand has had success with and will likely continue bolstering onsite comments, social, podcasts, and other digital channels. The brand will likely: Ramp up ad efforts promoting...

Media Sales Lead: Winn-Dixie (WD) is testing out a new store-within-a-store concept through a partnership with Party City. The model is called "Celebrations by Party City," and the first one is at WD's newest location in Apopka, FL. It offers helium and air-filled balloons, tableware, celebration decor, birthday supplies, and pinatas. The company has also been increasing digital spend this year, and it aired its first national TV ads since at least 2020.  Key Lead Takeaways: Reach out to s...