Updated: May 24th, 2019
Predicted to reach $22 billion by 2020, the cannabis industry is booming with potential media and marketing revenue opportunities.
As the industry grows, so do the opportunities for those who can help the evergrowing number of emerging cannabis brands overcome a number of hurdles, including regulatory ones, and those of perception. And though federal legalization is still far off, now is the time to be creating relationships before the market becomes over saturated.
Currently, marijuana has been legalized across 32 states. Recreational use is legal in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Alaska, Michigan, Vermont, Massatusates and Maine. Medical use is legal in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakoda, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Louisianna, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.
When seeking marketing opportunities with cannabis brands, keep in mind that there are currently four federal bans on cannabis marketing, enshrined in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Your best bet is to consult each state’s regulations and get creative with your pitches!
To help you get a head start, we’ve hand-selected a list of cannabis brands who have are looking to grow their brand marketing in the near future.
1. Cura
Following CEO shifts, Cura, one of the largest cannabis brands in the world, tapped new CMO Jason White, effective February, to drive awareness for the Select Oil and Select CBD brands.
Cura seeks to become the leading provider of cannabis oil in the legal US and international markets, and since it got started early in 2015, the company has already attracted $125 million in capital. In the past year alone, the company has tripled its revenue and raised $75 million in funding.
With increasing difficulty in national marketing for cannabis products, Cura has not yet established a top spending period but agencies and martechs are encouraged to reach out as soon as possible to secure revenue. The company primarily invests in social media and experiential with target audiences largely consisting of millennials and Gen-X.
Cura currently serves markets in Oregon, Nevada, California, and Arizona so local sellers will have the advantage. However, local sellers in other areas where cannabis is legal should keep an eye out as the brand has plans to expand.
2. Honeydrop Beverages
A cold-pressed raw honey lemonade company, Honeydrop Beverages launched a new line of CBD lemonades in December to capitalize on the growing cannabis industry.
In order to better market the new line, the company has promoted Andrew Lorig to the newly-created CMO position and Mareill Kiernan to SVP of sales & marketing. With these promotions, it is expected that Honeydrop Beverages will be seeking outside agency help to catapult the brand’s growth.
Agency and martech readers with beverage experience are highly encouraged to reach out. We suggest focusing pitches on what differentiates Honeydrop from other ready-to-drink beverages.
Though the brand primarily relies on social media and it is expected to remain at the forefront of the company’s spend, it is also expected that Honeydrop breaks into more traditional digital formats.
3. Hill Street Beverages
Hill Street Beverages specializes in alcohol-free beers and wines and non-alcoholic cannabis-infused drinks. The brand believes in supporting those who want to live healthier lives, suffer from conditions that conflict with alcohol consumption, or simply don’t want to partake in drinking. To pioneer this mission, Hill Street hired its first CMO, David Pullara in April 2018.
Having just completed its first marketing campaign led by Pullar, the brand is truly defining itself as a leader in the growing cannabis space. Pullara explains most brands focus on cannabis’ THC euphoria-including nature, but forget about its medical properties. “Rather than take a pill, because you have chronic headaches, for example, you could potentially enjoy a glass of [alcohol-free and cannabis-infused] wine and achieve the same effect,” he said. Cannabis-infused product launches will also be underway as soon as the government allows.
Hill Street hasn’t allocated any budget towards national TV or digital display, but it’s possible that will change up as Pullara reviews spend. With this brand still emerging, we encourage sellers to keep this brand on their radar for potential future opportunities.
4. Henry’s Original
LA-based Cannabis farmer Henry’s Original is currently seeking a head of marketing. The new hire will oversee brand marketing activities across social and content, packaging, experiential, PR and dispensary marketing. The company has previously partnered with One Tree Planted.
With products only being available in California, the brand has yet to allocate spend on TV or digital advertising. As marijuana laws continue to pass across the US, there could be more opportunity here down-the-line, but for the time being, we encourage California sellers and agencies to keep this company on your radar.
The new marketing head will likely review budget, relationships and strategy so get your pitches prepared and begin establishing relationships with Henry’s team members to remain top-of-mind should ad revenue become available later this year. It’s expected that those who can provide high ROI across digital and earned efforts will have the advantage.
5. Hound Labs
Oakland, CA-based maker of the first breathalyzer for cannabis, Hound Labs, has named Todd Grantham as its new CMO.
An outside CMO hire is the number one indicator that an agency review is on the horizon so B2B agencies should begin reaching out and preparing their pitches. Additional opportunities are possible after Hound secured $8.1 million in a Series B round last year. That combined with Grantham’s onboarding indicates that the brand is ready to take marketing to the next level.
Sellers should also begin reaching out to secure campaign dollars targeting law enforcement and employers, the two first target audiences for Hound.
6. Cannabis One Holdings
In an attempt to become the “House of Brands” for cannabis, Cannabis One Holdings is on an acquisition spree. It acquired LV 3480 Partners and Agro Finance for $27 million, bought certain assets from Honu Enterprises for $10.3 million, purchased a majority stake in a pot dispensary currently owned by Liht Cannabis Corp for $350,000, and acquired certain assets from Fat Face Farms.
The purpose of these acquisitions is to strengthen Cannabis One’s presence in Washington, Nevada, California, and Denver. This wave of acquisitions will most likely be followed by more in Canada and other states where marijuana is legal. The plan for states of expansion throughout 2019 and 2020 can be viewed here.
In order to support this rapid growth, Cannabis One bolstered its leadership team and once the acquisition of Evergreen Organix closes, president Jerry Velarde will become Cannabis One’s new CMO. Jaan Tonisson was also hired as product manager, effective March.
These new hires are likely to review agency relationships within the next 9-12 months. Keep in mind the company works with a data-driven focus, using social media and digital as its biggest channels. Spend is expected to increase with more expansion, and when pitching incorporate ways to stand out from competitors MedMen, Acreage Holdings, and Tilray.
7. Halo Labs
Q1 was a success for cannabis company Halo Labs with a reported 302% revenue increase from $2.2 million to $8.7 million. The company operates in Oregon, Nevada, and California with the majority of its growth stemming from the California market.
On the mission to expand even further, their growth consists of seven goals:
- Halo will build a second California location to increase production for the state and to allow direct delivery to dispensaries.
- Halo will expand distribution of its Gilt and Hush brands with partners in Central and Northern California. (It used a targeted launch strategy in Southern California with distribution partner C4 Distro.)
- Halo will increase Nevada distribution with additional sales force members and facility expansion.
- Halo will continue to manufacture and sell high margin products like DabTabs, which launched in January.
- Halo will improve its Oregon business with new products, including premium clear concentrates.
- Halo will work towards international expansion, notably through its partnership with Lesotho based cannabis company, Bophelo Bioscience and Wellness.
- Halo will build a hemp processing facility in Southern Oregon, with production slated to start in Q3.
To support these goals, we will see an increase in spend and sellers are encouraged to reach out for revenue. There is no top spending period since new products are constantly being launched. Pitches should focus on building awareness through earned media and social media channels.
Agency and martech readers with cannabis experience will have an advantage in securing creative, media and digital work. Focus pitches on helping Halo Labs with growth plans and standing out from its extensive number of competitors.
8. MA’s Cannabis Control Commission
The Cannabis Control Commission recently issued an RFP. The agency seeks a vendor under statewide contract PRF60 to conduct an assessment of its ability to provide media training, crisis communications risks, and develop crisis communication planning tools, including action steps and case studies.
The scope of the work will include working in collaboration with the agency’s commissioners, communications staff, and other key staff in order to determine how to improve crisis communications risks. The vendor will also provide suggestions on how to enhance these operations, including the development of a strategic communications plan.
The due date for the RFP is May 27th, and the main contact for the opportunity can be reached at adriana.campos@mass.gov.
9. Nature’s Medicines
Non-profit medical marijuana dispensary, Nature’s Medicines, is looking for its first CMO in an effort to expand. The CMO will focus on creating processes for localized retail, inventory, and duplicatable programs.
CMO hires are the number one signal and agency review will occur, so agency and martech readers are encouraged to reach out to current marketing team members in order to remain top-of-mind once someone takes over the position. Focus pitches on helping Nature’s Medicines grow by differentiating it from other competitive cannabis brands.
Sellers are also likely to see increases once a new CMO is hired. Those near its dispensaries locations will have the advantage, but sellers in any state where marijuana is legal can compete.
No top spending period has been established, so we recommend reaching out year-round in order to secure revenue. Nature’s Medicine began running through digital display in June 2018 according to Adbeat, so expect this channel to continue increasing.
10. Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte’s Web reported on in our recent emerging report, hired Eugenio Mendez as its first chief growth officer, effective January. He brings experience from positions like global marketing VP of water, enhanced water and sports drinks at Coca-Cola.
The company also brought on Stephen Lermer as COO, effective January. The shifts continue as Deanie Elsner was promoted to CEO in May. With all the new personnel, Charlotte’s Web continues its rapid growth and expansion after raising $100 million at the end of August. This funding resulted from an IPO, which was the largest in the hemp industry, and the brand plans to use the money on expansion nationally and internationally along with acquisitions.
While we don’t know for certain which states Charlotte’s Web will expand to, it will most likely target areas of little traction such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Main, and Wyoming.
These large growth plans will be supported by heft spend increases. The company’s Q4 earning releases stated that sales and marketing expenses for Q4 2018 increased to $4.4 million from that of $1.7 million in Q4 2017. High spend will continue with new leadership attempting to spread brand awareness.
With so many personnel and strategy shifts, agency changes are likely within the next 6-9 months. Sellers are encouraged to reach out for revenue year-round since no top spending period has been established. Focus pitches on differentiating Charlotte’s Web from competitors by highlighting that its product is completely plant-based, non-GMO, cruelty-free and BPA-free.
Winmo’s always been “the plug” for the hottest opportunities and verified decision-maker contact info, but we’re taking it to the next level this year by releasing monthly emerging industry reports. To deliver you with even more potential opportunities with cannabis brands and, of course, kick off this 4/20 right, download your free digital copy of our latest eBook, A Growing Industry: 10 Cannabis, CBD & Hemp Brands You Need To Know About.
You’re Hired: Bojangles’, Sephora & More Top New CMOs
in Ad Sales, Agency New Business, Marketing Techby Anna CrochetShifts in leadership positions occur daily, but it can be easy to miss the opportunities that come with these changes. From a prospecting perspective, it’s crucial to stay up to date on any new hires or promotions, and have pitches prepared in order to stay one step ahead of the competition.
Why is it so important to track these decision-maker shifts? These shifts, specifically first-time CMOs and new hires, are the top trigger for agency changes, media spending shifts, and new martech investments. Our research indicates that new hires evaluate changes in these areas and begin making adjustments within a 3-12 month window.
Our in-house research team is doing the hard work and bringing you five top CMO hires that mean opportunity for you. Check them out:
Nebraska Furniture Mart
Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM) selected Amy Myers to replace incumbent CMO Tony Arnold, who held the position for a little over a year. Myers will work with Nora Gomez who was hired as chief merchandising officer last October.
With two new leaders in place, chances of an agency review are likely within the next 9-12 months. Those with retail experience, in particular, are encouraged to reach out. Although media is currently handled in-house, that structure could shift under Myers, and there will be creative to secure regardless. NFM is undergoing a shift toward digital channels, so keep this in mind when pitching. This shift signals an effort to attract a millennial audience, explaining the focus on cause marketing through fundraising campaigns and most recently helping flood victims.
Other channels of focus include spot TV, out-of-home and print. Efforts target local communities in Omaha, Texas, Kansas City, and Iowa. Sellers near these locations with the ability to engage millennials using digital and cause marketing will have an advantage in securing dollars. Keep in mind spend typically spikes in H2. In order to combat struggles, NFM will need to continue to invest more in efforts to drive traffic. Don’t hesitate to approach with plans to reverse weak earnings.
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Bojangles’
Acquired by Durational Capital Management last October, Bojangles’ became private and announced several personnel shifts including a new CEO, COO, and now a CMO as well.
Jackie Woodward took over the position, effective April 8. With former experience including CMO at Krispy Kreme and time at General Mills, MillerCoors, and McDonald’s, Woodward plans to work with incumbent CMO Randy Poindexter as he transitions into retirement. Plans to combat struggles include an optimization plan that consists of closing underperforming stores, re-franchising restaurants, remodeling older stores, and improving the chain’s menu and overall message.
Sellers, Bojangles’ top spending periods are typically Q1 and Q3, with most investments in TV, digital, outdoor and social channels. The target demographic is made up of millennial and Gen-Z audience.
Since new CMOs typically conduct reviews, those with experience in the fast food realm are encouraged to reach out. Bojangles’ has historically handled media in-house along with using project-based creative work, which is subject to change under new leadership. Note that AC&M has handled Hispanic marketing since 2016, approaching average agency tenure. Sellers are encouraged to reach out to stay on Woodward’s radar, with reviews likely in the next 6-9 months.
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Amtrak
Roger Harris is taking over as Amtrak’s EVP and chief marketing and commercial officer, replacing incumbent Tim Griffin who retired April 12. Harris joined the company in January as a long-distance service VP, bringing marketing leadership experience from Aeromexico, Delta and Sun Country Airlines.
This is not the only new hire the company has seen, closely following is John Loschky who joined as the new digital channels director. With no established top spending period, sellers are encouraged to reach out throughout the year in order to secure ad dollars. Main channels of investment include broadcast, digital, outdoor, print, radio and social with a focus on a travel endemic audience. In the past 12 months, Adbeat reports a spend of $6.4 million on digital display placed primarily direct.
Agencies and ad sellers are encouraged to reach out for potential work. Competition will include MediaCom, Wunderman Thompson, VMLY&R and Culture ONE World who served as respective AORs. While these relationships have not reached average agency tenure, they are subject to change within the next 6-9 months following the new CMO hire.
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Athleta
Athleta promoted Sheila Shekar Pollak to CMO, effective October, as a replacement for Andrea Mallard. Pollak began work with Athleta in 2011 as director of advertising and sponsorships and most recently served as VP of marketing. Previous experience includes positions at GAP as well. While this isn’t an outside hire, there is still vast opportunity as the brand prepares for growth since GAP is depending on the brand to stay afloat as the only non-struggling brand left.
Growth will be accomplished through new stores, a heavier focus on marketing with new personnel in place, and a budget focused mostly on digital spend with print, partnerships and experiential to support those efforts.
Competition will include Rise Interactive on digital, YARD on creative, and PHD on media. Focus pitches on combating struggles by outshining competition such as Lululemon, and different ways Athleta can take advantage of the growing athleisure market.
The brand most recently partnered with lifestyle and news destination Well+Good to launch Wellness Collection, where female thought leaders speak on four key elements on wellness through a series of monthly events that Athleta stores across the country. There is likely still time for sellers to secure dollars from this collective. Traditional planning periods are Q1 with a buying period in Q4. Keep in mind the brand targets women, especially millennials. With steep growth goals on the horizon, don’t hesitate to reach out with a review likely within the next 9-12 months.
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Sephora
Sephora’s marketing and brand SVP Deborah Yeh was recently promoted to the CMO position, effective March. Previous experience includes work in marketing leadership roles with Gap, Target, and Vividence Corp.
Other leadership shifts include John Lee as digital products VP and Andrea Zaretsky as marketing, CRM, loyalty, insights, and analytics SVP. These shifts signal opportunity for agency and martech readers, especially those with cosmetic experience.
The female-focused brand spends high year-round, with major investments going toward broadcast, digital, outdoor print, radio, influencers and social channels. Recent changes include the goal to open 35 stores throughout the country, a rewards credit card program, and partnerships with Marvel and Good Dye Young.
Spend is predicted to increase, particularly in the digital realm with a total of $18.3 million in the channel within the past 12 months, according to Adbeat. Keep in mind when reaching out competition will include creative, media and social AOR Collectively, along with digital AOR Organic.
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Monday Morning Cold-Call Hype Up Playlist
in Salesby Anna CrochetMonday morning can be a harsh reality that the weekend has indeed come to an end as you enter work to take on another week. The Sunday Scaries are a real thing, and sometimes they can even trickle into the Monday Blues.
On average, 64% of people surveyed across five countries (US, Australia, Brazil, France, and Sweden) lack motivation on the first day of the week. So, how do you overcome these weekly struggles?
Lucky for you, we’ve created the ultimate Monday morning hype up playlist to get your week started off on the right note. Whether it’s cold-calling, meetings, or any other obstacle you might be facing at the start of a new week, we’ve got you covered. Check it out:
Top 6 American Football Sponsorship Spenders
in Sponsorshipby Anna CrochetThere is without a doubt a continued rise in NFL League/ team sponsorship and the amount of revenue that comes from it. This past season, the 32 teams in the league generated a record $1.39 billion in sponsorship spend, up from $1.3 billion in 2017. According to IEG research, estimated sponsorship spending on the National Football League rose 5.1% in the 2018-19 season.
Factors driving NFL revenue growth include increased spending and new deals signed at the league level along with new sponsorship opportunities created from casino and gaming brands. We’re taking a look into the brands making sponsorship success possible for the NFL.
We’ve compiled a list of the top six spenders dedicating most of their sponsorship dollars to American Football, what teams they’re partnering with, and where the opportunity lies. The screenshots below breakdown sponsorship allocations via Winmo’s integration with Hookit, allowing sponsorship sellers to gain a 360-degree view of potential partners. Check it out:
Bose Corporation
Bose serves as the NFL’s official headset provider, with branded equipment displayed by the league’s coaches and referees each game. The new replay system implemented prior to the 2018 season gave Bose greater exposure with their devices being brought onto the field whenever officials see a need to communicate with the league office, which added a lot of value to the Bose partnership.
According to Hookit, the NFL is Bose’s largest area of spending in the sports realm with 41% of their total sponsorship dollars going towards their partnership with the league.
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Bud Light
Throughout the 2018 season, Bud Light produced team branded cans for 28 different teams in the NFL league. Budlight’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch is the official beer sponsor of the NFL. While the company doesn’t have local partnerships with every team, the ones they do partner with were able to buy designed beer cans that feature their team logo, as well as a customized color stripe- allowing fans to drink to their favorite team in style.
Bud Light spends 34% of their total sponsorship dollars on American Football, with top teams including the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns to name a few.
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Gatorade
Working to help athletes acquire their most efficient hydration levels, Gatorade partners with the NFL in order to spread brand awareness and invest in influencer relationships with various athletes. Gatorade is a product that has become inseparable from sports in general – football in particular. Their partnership officially began in 1983, and ever since then, the Gatorade logo can be easily spotted during each game on the sidelines or after each game as it’s being poured onto coaches in celebration.
According to Hookit, Gatorade spends 22% of its total sponsorship dollars on American Football, and 42% on the athletes specifically.
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Tostitos
The official chip and dip sponsor of the NFL, Tostitos is a proud supporter of tailgating and improving the NFL fan experience as a whole. Prior to the 2018 NFL season, Tostitos introduced the stadium sofa as a way to embrace gamedays from the comfort of your own home. The sofa includes built-in charging stations, a fridge drawer, tablet holders, LED lighting for team colors, Tostitos chip and dip bowls, a trash can and of course cupholders to support all of your game day needs.
Of their total spend, Tostitos focuses 80% of their sponsorship spending on American Football, with 100% of those dollars going to specific athletes such as Dak Prescott, Matt Ryan, and Devonta Freeman.
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Verizon
In December of 2017, Verizon signed a five year deal with the NFL, giving the league greater distribution as people shift their viewing habits. The partnership allows Verizon’s products to be more available to fans, particularly for younger audiences who view games on their mobile tablets. Verizon plans to experiment with augmented and virtual reality and also hopes to use their NFL partnership to produce original content across Verizon’s network of sites.
Verizon’s main sponsorship is with the NFL after recently losing its sponsorship of the IndyCar Series and the NBA in March. American Football makes up 56% of Verizon’s total sponsorship spend, particularly with athletes at 65% of spend.
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Nationwide Insurance
Through 2020, Nationwide will continue to serve as an official sponsor of the NFL and will retain the honor of presenting the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which is awarded to an NFL player who has dedicated a generous amount of time to volunteer and charity work while also demonstrating excellence on the field.
The company serves as the official auto, home, and life insurance sponsor of the league and also contributes a great deal to the NFL Honors, a football and entertainment event that highlights the best players and plays from the season.
According to Hookit, 45% of Nationwide’s total sponsorship spend can be attributed to the NFL, and 52% to the athletes specifically.
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While this list doesn’t cover each and every sponsor of the NFL, it gives a few examples of brands spending a majority of their sponsorship dollars on American Football and highlighting the different agreements associated with each partnership.
Overall, the 2018 spike in sponsorship is largely due to the US gambling industry. The NFL has successfully leveraged the ability to sign betting and gambling partners, allowing the league to increase sponsorship despite a prior season of declining ratings and no new stadiums opening in 2018/19.
After almost a 6 percent jump in sponsorship spending across the 32 NFL teams this season, the increase in sponsorship dollars has the potential to increase tremendously as brands seek sponsorship opportunities related to sports gambling. Once things take off in the realm of legal betting, it will be one of the largest sponsorship categories according to sources.
3 Reasons Sellers Should Leverage Social Demographic Data for Prospecting
in Ad Sales, Agency New Business, Sponsorshipby Erynn LaFlammeAfter a long day at work, you probably get home, cook some dinner and then hop onto social media for a bit. There is no shame in this- the average person spends 116 minutes per day sifting through approximately different 5 social media accounts.
With there being nearly 3.5 billion active social media users, social media is giving the marketing community a valuable source of demographic data. Winmo incorporates social audience insights from StatSocial to capitalize on this insight and provide a snapshot into thousands of brands’ audience compositions by gender, ethnicity, personality type, even based on geography.
So how can you use this information? Here are a few of the ways our users tell us they’re leveraging social demographics to understand their prospects and ultimately win more business.
1. Qualify Opportunities Before Engaging Prospects
There is no point in reaching out to a potential prospect if they aren’t a good fit. By utilizing social audience data, you can look for potential customers that fit your ideal client demographics.
For example, if you are an ad seller catering to a specific audience, you can review demographic insights to make sure a brand’s social footprint lines up. Leveraging social data, ad sellers can quickly find brands who have a higher-than-average representation of that audience based on their social following, allowing them to qualify that brand before even engaging in outreach.
2. Craft Personalized & Effective Outreach
Once you know who you want to target, using the information you’ve gathered from those social demographics, you can better tailor your sales pitch to fit your prospect’s needs and explain why your product or service will help them achieve their goals.
For example, if you’re a lifestyle agency presenting a proposal that lines up with a brand’s demographic footprint, highlighting how their audience breaks down across household income, you will demonstrate to the client you’ve done your homework and understand their objectives, and their business.
3. Identify Underserved Audiences
Just as seeing that a brand has a high representation of a specific target audience is an advantage, seeing they have a low representation of one can be an advantage as well. If a brand is indexing low in a demographic that they could be attracting more of, and you can deliver that demographic, you can take full advantage of that in your prospecting outreach.
Let’s say you sell sponsorship for a female sports organization and you’d like for a major liquor brand to sponsor you. You see the potential for this brand to target females, however, their social demographics skew more toward a male audience. You could use these insights in your outreach to show the liquor brand how engaging with your organization will help them to build a relationship with an underserved demographic.
Now that you understand how understanding your target audience’s social demographics can help you win their business, how do you get your hands on a brand’s social data without doing the research manually? And more, once you have the data, how do you know who to contact?
Winmo recently enhanced its integration with the premier provider of social data, Statsocial. This dynamic duo now allows sellers to build hyper-targeted prospecting lists with verified decision-maker contact information based on social demographic data, all in one place.
Media Accounts On The Move: Regions Bank Picks m/Six, Prestone Selects Doner, & More
in Ad Sales, Business Developmentby Anna CrochetAgency shifts are a leading predictor of upcoming opportunities for media and marketing sales professionals for several reasons. First, they typically indicate the launch of new campaigns with increased spend, creating a multitude of opportunities for sellers. Additionally, shifts may signal a struggling brand pouring their remaining ad budget into an agency with the hopes of overcoming those battles. Lastly, new agency relationships may also suggest the potential for a domino effect of agency hires to follow.
Our in-house team of researchers compiles top media agency hires to help sellers become aware of potential opportunities before their competition. If you’re an ad seller, read on for five agency shifts that are bringing several hot opportunities your way.
Lumber Liquidators
In order to assist with new marketing strategies, Lumber Liquidators hired a media planning agency, a creative agency, and new channel partners to contribute to digital marketing capabilities.
The flooring retailer plans to shift spend towards more effective channels such as digital as opposed to print and direct mail. The brand plans to develop an omnichannel presence and revamp their website in order to improve the customer experience.
Most goals are centered around high ROI, and increased spend throughout the year will support this. New campaigns were released in March, so sellers should reach out for last-minute revenue. Following the campaign, dollars will be available from spend increases, new stores, and a typical high spend from Q3-Q1. Keep in mind their main demographic consists of female homeowners.
Lumber Liquidators is still on the search for a media buying account, so those pitching should reach out with ways to support the brand’s numerous recent marketing shifts.
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Prestone Products
According to AdAge, Prestone selected Doner as it’s new creative AOR and Assembly as it’s new media AOR. These shifts follow recent leadership changes including the hire of Gretchen Hickman, brand CMO function in April 2018.
A campaign is expected this fall, so sellers are encouraged to reach out immediately in order to stay top-of-mind. Revenue is available year-round due to the fact that no top spending period has been named. The typical target audience consists of males via digital, TV, and social channels. With a new agency team in place, spend is expected to increase as well. Major competition includes Castrol, Total, Exxon Mobil and Goodyear, so make sure your pitch highlights effective ways the brand can stand out.
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Dickey’s BBQ
The growing restaurant chain has selected Slingshot as it’s media AOR to handle media research, planning, and buying after their longtime AOR, Levinson and Hill, went out of business.
Historical spikes in spend fall during Q4, with investments going toward broadcast, digital, outdoor, print, radio, and social media channels. The chain’s target demographic is made of parents, with a skew towards male millennials.
Since reviews tend to follow each other, potential creative and digital work should become available in the near future. Don’t hesitate to reach out soon in order to remain top-of-mind.
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Etihad Airways
Crossmedia London took over as global media AOR for Etihad Airways. The agency’s work will cover all brands and will position the UAE capital Abu Dhabi as a destination. Major focuses will include data-driven approaches as well as operational transparency.
With work already in progress, sellers are encouraged to reach out immediately with pitches. Spend spikes are typically Q1 and Q4. Keep in mind their target demographic consists of endemic peoples, especially with a recent push toward millennials.
In 2018, the airline experience a $1.28 billion loss following struggles in the previous years as well. The hope is these declines will cease to exist with an improved marketing strategy. However, there are also rumors circulating of a potential acquisition by a competitor, Emirates.
In an effort to combat struggles, Etihad recently partnered with the Special Olympics World Games and also just put into place partnerships with Gulf Air and Saudi Arabian Airlines.
As you know, reviews tend to follow each other, so keep a close watch on any available creative or PR work. Be sure to focus pitches on plans to bring Etihad back to profitability.
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Regions Bank
m/SIX was named Regions Bank’s media AOR to lead strategy and buying for the company. m/SIX is developing a planning team to cover the roughly 1,500 retail locations across the South, Midwest, and Southwest.
Throughout the year, focuses for the company will include technology and new capability investments, including market expansion according to CEO John Turner.
Look out for spend spikes throughout Q1 and Q3. Their typical demographic has a male skew with an emphasis on business decision makers. Highest channels of investment are historically broadcast, digital, print, radio and social.
Since reviews tend to follow each other, creative and digital work is expected to be available within the next 12-18 months.
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CMO Sweetspot: 5 Retail CMOs to Target Now
in Agency New Business, Business Developmentby Anna CrochetUnderstanding when CMOs are likely to rotate up and out of their roles is essential to knowing the right time to approach a brand, particularly in the agency space.
Winmo predicts new business opportunities months in advance using an unparalleled view of shifts across advertisers, agencies, and decision-makers in their ranks. One of the key indicators in our predictions? New CMO hires.
According to our CMO Tenure Report, the sweet spot for engaging CMOs is within 3-12 months after beginning their role. During that time, it is likely agency reviews and media vendor shifts will occur.
This report examines a variety of industries, with 296 data points specifically coming from CMO tenure data in the retail space. Retail spans 14 subcategories with four outlying categories including aftermarket, beauty, convenience, and home. While retail brings the overall average industry tenure up, a majority of its subcategories fall below the 39-month total category average.
Intelligence like this enables you to refine your pitch understanding the timeline they are working under to launch campaigns and prove ROI. This way, you know exactly when to approach a newly hired CMO and proactively target accounts at the right time.
We’ve surfaced five marketing executives in the retail space that fall into the “CMO sweet spot” that you should be targeting right now:
IKEA
With a new focus on modernization, IKEA named Work & Co it’s digital product AOR in an effort to improve engagement across e-Commerce, mobile shopping and in-store experience as well. A rise in digital is a crucial part of the company’s growth plan, including the creation of a shopping app and increased use of AI.
Peter Wright was selected as global CMO in October, so these changes don’t come as a huge surprise. Further modernization efforts under his leadership are testing out new store formats with 30 small stores (one-fourth the size of traditional locations). With all of these changes occurring, a spike in spend is expected. 2018 sales were reported at $40.4 B, a 4.7% increase from 2017.
IKEA has also been shuffling its executive team, so expect continued shifts and changes in the radio and out-of-home channels as well. Sellers with high ROI and an omnichannel strategy will have the biggest advantage. Keep in mind the retailer primarily targets female homeowners, with a recent millennial push. Spend is typically highest in Q4, but keep an eye out for new product launches also.
Agency and martech readers, since reviews typically come in pairs, reach out for work soon. IKEA retained Wavemaker as media AOR about a year ago, but with a new CMO, changes are possible. Creative and digital have been out of Ogilvy since 2010, while PR has been with APCO Worldwide since 2013.
IPIC Entertainment
Carla D’Alessandro took over IPIC’s CMO position, effective January. D’Alessandro brings digital expertise and will lead marketing initiatives concerning theaters, restaurants, experiential content, and membership/partnership strategies. Previous experience includes SVP and managing director for Zimmerman Advertising as well as marketing leadership positions at Inbox US, ModernAD Media and MUNDOmedia.
The company has not yet established a top spending period, so sellers are encouraged to reach out year-round in order to secure ad dollars. Traditional channels of investment are digital, outdoor and print. While overall spend has seen declines, it could easily reverse with a new CMO and other new marketing hires in the mix.
There are signs of an agency review within the next 6-9 months following the new addition of D’Alessandro to the team. Agency and martech readers are advised to reach out sooner rather than later in order to stay top-of-mind. Competition will include PR agency The Gab Group, who has been on the account since 2016.
New Seasons Market
Last September, better-for-you New Seasons Market promoted Mary Wright to the CMO position. In January of 2019, more leadership changes followed with the promotion of co-presidents Forrest Hoffmaster and Kristi McFarland to the roles of CEO and chief strategy officer.
New Seasons Market’s strategy for growth has consisted of continued investments in core stores, staff, local communities and partners such as Matt Lightner, Ruby Jewel, and local nonprofits as well.
The company has not yet established a top spending period, and their target demographic is traditionally better-for-you millennials focused on sustainability. Heaviest channels of investment include digital, experiential, and social media.
Digital display spend increased to $192,400 in the past year from the $162,700 the year before according to Adbeat. Agency and martech readers are encouraged to reach out with an agency hire likely within the next 6-9 months.
Badcock Furniture
After Amy Yeager’s departure last year, furniture company Badcock named Barb Scherer it’s marketing VP (brand CMO function), effective January. Previous experience includes leadership positions at Fifth Third Banks, Engauge, Push, and Cramer Krasselt to name a few.
Partnerships have been the main focus for Badcock recently. Main partnerships include Storis and Snap Finance in an effort to grow customer credit options and Sheriff’s Cause with Santa Clause to provide families in need with Christmas gifts and meals.
Top spending period is typically Q3-Q1, with main channels of investment consisting of broadcast, digital, outdoor and print. The target demographic is made of boomers with a slight female skew. All locations are in the Southeast as well.
The company saw a decrease in digital display over the past year, but with new hires and an effort towards expansion, spending shifts are a huge possibility. Agency and martech readers are encouraged to reach out to Scherer in her new position. Keep in mind Badcock has previously worked with FKQ on media and Hill+Knowlton on PR.
Kum & Go
Convenience store chain Kum & Go named Tj Freeborn CMO, effective January. Freeborn will oversee lead insights, analytics, category management, food service, marketing communications, merchandising and space planning. Previously serving as the customer experience SVP at loanDepot, Freeborn brings marketing leadership experience.
Freeborn isn’t the only new hire, with several other hires and promotions in 2018. The company is currently on the search for a VP of marketing & communications to act as second-in-command to the CMO position.
Sellers are encouraged to reach out year-round for revenue considering Kum & Go has not yet established a top spending period. In an effort to engage their millennial and Gen-Z demographic, Kum & Go has placed an emphasis on digital and social channels. Although overall spend has been low, it could easily increase under a new CMO.
With plans for expansion throughout the year, Kum & Go is aiming to open 22 new stores most likely in the Midwest and West where they historically have the most traction. Local sellers in these areas should keep an eye out for opportunity. Agency and martech readers are encouraged to reach out for work following the new CMO hire, with reviews likely in the next 6-9 months.
Winmo helps agencies and media sellers track important decision-maker shifts like this every day. To start targeting CMOs based on their tenure, request a trial today.
Hit List: Emerging Cannabis Brands Lighting Up Marketing Spend in 2019
in Ad Sales, Agency New Business, Business Development, Marketing, Marketing Tech, Sponsorshipby Erynn LaFlammeUpdated: May 24th, 2019
Predicted to reach $22 billion by 2020, the cannabis industry is booming with potential media and marketing revenue opportunities.
As the industry grows, so do the opportunities for those who can help the evergrowing number of emerging cannabis brands overcome a number of hurdles, including regulatory ones, and those of perception. And though federal legalization is still far off, now is the time to be creating relationships before the market becomes over saturated.
Currently, marijuana has been legalized across 32 states. Recreational use is legal in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Alaska, Michigan, Vermont, Massatusates and Maine. Medical use is legal in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakoda, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Louisianna, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.
When seeking marketing opportunities with cannabis brands, keep in mind that there are currently four federal bans on cannabis marketing, enshrined in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Your best bet is to consult each state’s regulations and get creative with your pitches!
To help you get a head start, we’ve hand-selected a list of cannabis brands who have are looking to grow their brand marketing in the near future.
1. Cura
Following CEO shifts, Cura, one of the largest cannabis brands in the world, tapped new CMO Jason White, effective February, to drive awareness for the Select Oil and Select CBD brands.
Cura seeks to become the leading provider of cannabis oil in the legal US and international markets, and since it got started early in 2015, the company has already attracted $125 million in capital. In the past year alone, the company has tripled its revenue and raised $75 million in funding.
With increasing difficulty in national marketing for cannabis products, Cura has not yet established a top spending period but agencies and martechs are encouraged to reach out as soon as possible to secure revenue. The company primarily invests in social media and experiential with target audiences largely consisting of millennials and Gen-X.
Cura currently serves markets in Oregon, Nevada, California, and Arizona so local sellers will have the advantage. However, local sellers in other areas where cannabis is legal should keep an eye out as the brand has plans to expand.
2. Honeydrop Beverages
A cold-pressed raw honey lemonade company, Honeydrop Beverages launched a new line of CBD lemonades in December to capitalize on the growing cannabis industry.
In order to better market the new line, the company has promoted Andrew Lorig to the newly-created CMO position and Mareill Kiernan to SVP of sales & marketing. With these promotions, it is expected that Honeydrop Beverages will be seeking outside agency help to catapult the brand’s growth.
Agency and martech readers with beverage experience are highly encouraged to reach out. We suggest focusing pitches on what differentiates Honeydrop from other ready-to-drink beverages.
Though the brand primarily relies on social media and it is expected to remain at the forefront of the company’s spend, it is also expected that Honeydrop breaks into more traditional digital formats.
3. Hill Street Beverages
Hill Street Beverages specializes in alcohol-free beers and wines and non-alcoholic cannabis-infused drinks. The brand believes in supporting those who want to live healthier lives, suffer from conditions that conflict with alcohol consumption, or simply don’t want to partake in drinking. To pioneer this mission, Hill Street hired its first CMO, David Pullara in April 2018.
Having just completed its first marketing campaign led by Pullar, the brand is truly defining itself as a leader in the growing cannabis space. Pullara explains most brands focus on cannabis’ THC euphoria-including nature, but forget about its medical properties. “Rather than take a pill, because you have chronic headaches, for example, you could potentially enjoy a glass of [alcohol-free and cannabis-infused] wine and achieve the same effect,” he said. Cannabis-infused product launches will also be underway as soon as the government allows.
Hill Street hasn’t allocated any budget towards national TV or digital display, but it’s possible that will change up as Pullara reviews spend. With this brand still emerging, we encourage sellers to keep this brand on their radar for potential future opportunities.
4. Henry’s Original
LA-based Cannabis farmer Henry’s Original is currently seeking a head of marketing. The new hire will oversee brand marketing activities across social and content, packaging, experiential, PR and dispensary marketing. The company has previously partnered with One Tree Planted.
With products only being available in California, the brand has yet to allocate spend on TV or digital advertising. As marijuana laws continue to pass across the US, there could be more opportunity here down-the-line, but for the time being, we encourage California sellers and agencies to keep this company on your radar.
The new marketing head will likely review budget, relationships and strategy so get your pitches prepared and begin establishing relationships with Henry’s team members to remain top-of-mind should ad revenue become available later this year. It’s expected that those who can provide high ROI across digital and earned efforts will have the advantage.
5. Hound Labs
Oakland, CA-based maker of the first breathalyzer for cannabis, Hound Labs, has named Todd Grantham as its new CMO.
An outside CMO hire is the number one indicator that an agency review is on the horizon so B2B agencies should begin reaching out and preparing their pitches. Additional opportunities are possible after Hound secured $8.1 million in a Series B round last year. That combined with Grantham’s onboarding indicates that the brand is ready to take marketing to the next level.
Sellers should also begin reaching out to secure campaign dollars targeting law enforcement and employers, the two first target audiences for Hound.
6. Cannabis One Holdings
In an attempt to become the “House of Brands” for cannabis, Cannabis One Holdings is on an acquisition spree. It acquired LV 3480 Partners and Agro Finance for $27 million, bought certain assets from Honu Enterprises for $10.3 million, purchased a majority stake in a pot dispensary currently owned by Liht Cannabis Corp for $350,000, and acquired certain assets from Fat Face Farms.
The purpose of these acquisitions is to strengthen Cannabis One’s presence in Washington, Nevada, California, and Denver. This wave of acquisitions will most likely be followed by more in Canada and other states where marijuana is legal. The plan for states of expansion throughout 2019 and 2020 can be viewed here.
In order to support this rapid growth, Cannabis One bolstered its leadership team and once the acquisition of Evergreen Organix closes, president Jerry Velarde will become Cannabis One’s new CMO. Jaan Tonisson was also hired as product manager, effective March.
These new hires are likely to review agency relationships within the next 9-12 months. Keep in mind the company works with a data-driven focus, using social media and digital as its biggest channels. Spend is expected to increase with more expansion, and when pitching incorporate ways to stand out from competitors MedMen, Acreage Holdings, and Tilray.
7. Halo Labs
Q1 was a success for cannabis company Halo Labs with a reported 302% revenue increase from $2.2 million to $8.7 million. The company operates in Oregon, Nevada, and California with the majority of its growth stemming from the California market.
On the mission to expand even further, their growth consists of seven goals:
To support these goals, we will see an increase in spend and sellers are encouraged to reach out for revenue. There is no top spending period since new products are constantly being launched. Pitches should focus on building awareness through earned media and social media channels.
Agency and martech readers with cannabis experience will have an advantage in securing creative, media and digital work. Focus pitches on helping Halo Labs with growth plans and standing out from its extensive number of competitors.
8. MA’s Cannabis Control Commission
The Cannabis Control Commission recently issued an RFP. The agency seeks a vendor under statewide contract PRF60 to conduct an assessment of its ability to provide media training, crisis communications risks, and develop crisis communication planning tools, including action steps and case studies.
The scope of the work will include working in collaboration with the agency’s commissioners, communications staff, and other key staff in order to determine how to improve crisis communications risks. The vendor will also provide suggestions on how to enhance these operations, including the development of a strategic communications plan.
The due date for the RFP is May 27th, and the main contact for the opportunity can be reached at adriana.campos@mass.gov.
9. Nature’s Medicines
Non-profit medical marijuana dispensary, Nature’s Medicines, is looking for its first CMO in an effort to expand. The CMO will focus on creating processes for localized retail, inventory, and duplicatable programs.
CMO hires are the number one signal and agency review will occur, so agency and martech readers are encouraged to reach out to current marketing team members in order to remain top-of-mind once someone takes over the position. Focus pitches on helping Nature’s Medicines grow by differentiating it from other competitive cannabis brands.
Sellers are also likely to see increases once a new CMO is hired. Those near its dispensaries locations will have the advantage, but sellers in any state where marijuana is legal can compete.
No top spending period has been established, so we recommend reaching out year-round in order to secure revenue. Nature’s Medicine began running through digital display in June 2018 according to Adbeat, so expect this channel to continue increasing.
10. Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte’s Web reported on in our recent emerging report, hired Eugenio Mendez as its first chief growth officer, effective January. He brings experience from positions like global marketing VP of water, enhanced water and sports drinks at Coca-Cola.
The company also brought on Stephen Lermer as COO, effective January. The shifts continue as Deanie Elsner was promoted to CEO in May. With all the new personnel, Charlotte’s Web continues its rapid growth and expansion after raising $100 million at the end of August. This funding resulted from an IPO, which was the largest in the hemp industry, and the brand plans to use the money on expansion nationally and internationally along with acquisitions.
While we don’t know for certain which states Charlotte’s Web will expand to, it will most likely target areas of little traction such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Main, and Wyoming.
These large growth plans will be supported by heft spend increases. The company’s Q4 earning releases stated that sales and marketing expenses for Q4 2018 increased to $4.4 million from that of $1.7 million in Q4 2017. High spend will continue with new leadership attempting to spread brand awareness.
With so many personnel and strategy shifts, agency changes are likely within the next 6-9 months. Sellers are encouraged to reach out for revenue year-round since no top spending period has been established. Focus pitches on differentiating Charlotte’s Web from competitors by highlighting that its product is completely plant-based, non-GMO, cruelty-free and BPA-free.
Winmo’s always been “the plug” for the hottest opportunities and verified decision-maker contact info, but we’re taking it to the next level this year by releasing monthly emerging industry reports. To deliver you with even more potential opportunities with cannabis brands and, of course, kick off this 4/20 right, download your free digital copy of our latest eBook, A Growing Industry: 10 Cannabis, CBD & Hemp Brands You Need To Know About.
Prospect List: Travel & Tourism Brands With Marketing Opportunities On The Horizon
in Ad Sales, Agency New Business, Business Development, Marketing, Sponsorshipby Erynn LaFlammeIt’s officially Spring Break season and as the weather continues to get warmer, the opportunities for marketing and advertising work within the travel and tourism industry just keep getting hotter.
Utilizing Winmo’s smart filters and predictive intelligence, we’ve gathered a list of travel and tourism brands that have ripe upcoming opportunities for sellers and agencies.
We’ve also attached a downloadable prospecting list with the names, titles and LinkedIn handles of the decision-makers on these accounts. For their direct phone numbers and emails, request a free trial of Winmo so you can reach them before the competition.
Visit Seattle
After a record-breaking 40 million visitors in 2018 who spent $7.8 billion, Visit Seattle has announced its specific marketing focuses in 2019 in hopes of maintaining the growth. Additionally, the DMO just hired marketing director Mellie Lutz in October and special events manager Stephanie Huling Craig last July. More revenue typically means more marketing and more opportunities for you.
The DMO wants to put greater reliance on data and personalization across each of its channels, which includes earned media, social media (specifically influencers), experiential, partnerships, targeted addressable TV, national TV, print and digital.
Seattle’s vast music history and immigrant-friendly culture are substantial selling points, and the DMO just released a new campaign (created by PB&) promoting those backgrounds. Sellers with high reach among the DMO’s target audiences should go after last-minute revenue dollars.
Aruba Tourism
Aruba Tourism named Zeno Group its PR AOR to boost island travel. The indie agency replaces Zimmerman, incumbent AOR since 2012.
Though the organizations spend spikes typically during Q4-Q1, expect to see summer spend as well. It targets adventure-seeking millennials and Gen-Z with digital, TV, social, influencers, print, events and local media throughout NYC. It recently extended its partnership with Airbnb.
Since PR hires often precede other reviews, agency, and martechs with travel and hospitality experts should reach out for potential creative, media and/or digital dollars.
NYC & Co
After sitting down with Digital Dive, marketing lead of NYC & CO Nancy Mammana revealed details about the tourism group’s ongoing marketing strategy and its increased focus on events.
This year the organization is relying heavily on digital and influencers, offering travelers the option to explore NYC authentically. Typically spend spikes during “economic need periods” (January-February and July – August) with events such as Restaurant Week, Broadway Week and Must-see Week. The organization also runs a campaign throughout winter.
Target demographics primarily consist of millennials, and recent partners include Mastercard and Nickelodeon.
NYC & Co also just promoted Mammana to CMO in February, and Jonathan Tesser was promoted to research and insights VP in October. The organization handles creative, video production, research, and analytics in-house, but does not have a media AOR and is open to project-based work.
Etihad Airways
The airline recently selected Crossmedia London as its global media AOR after a review that kicked out incumbent Starcom, who had previously managed the account since 2015. Struggling for several years, the airline hopes increased marketing initiatives will help spread influence.
Crossmedia began work immediately, so sellers should start sending pitches their way. Etihad typically spends the most during Q4 and Q1 and is targeting millennials who are avid travelers.
Etihad tested national TV for the first time last year with a small allocation. It is not known whether they will reinvest in this channel, but media sellers should keep an eye out. Digital display is a top advertising channel, primarily across Google.
Reviews tend to follow one another, so martechs and agencies should look out for future creative and/or PR work. Focus pitches on assisting the airline with profitability. Reviews tend to follow one another, so martechs and agencies should look out for upcoming creative and/or PR work. Focus pitches on assisting the airline with profitability.
Skip
The growing scooter-share company, Skip, tapped Shalin Mantri as head of product, effective November and he brings extensive experience from his previous position at Uber. Additionally, the company has brought on Max Pike as head of growth, also coming onboard after a career with Uber. Being tasked with helping Skip grow, these two will likely influence future agency relationships.
With new hires comes potential agency reviews so upon reaching out, focus pitches on leveraging Skip’s government-friendly relations as it got permission from City Hall before releasing its scooters, and its tech savviness (the scooters have latches as well as cameras and locks) to help the brand stand out from competition such as Bird, Spin and Lime.
Skip has primarily relied on social media, earned media and word-of-mouth to attract attention. Though with the increasing competition within this space, it is expected that the company will move beyond PR and into traditional or digital mediums.
Expect to see a more substantial investment in marketing as Skip just secured its $25M Series A round and $100M in debt financing. Sellers with high ROI through PR or digital should keep an eye out for increased spending. The brands top spending period is unknown, however, spend will likely spike this spring and summer as their product is mostly used during warmer seasons.
Capital Region International Airport
We will keep this one short and sweet. Capital Region International Airport has issued an RFP soliciting proposals from qualified agencies to develop and implement marketing, branding and website services on a project and ongoing basis, according to the RFP.
Check out the RFP and be sure to get them over by the deadline, April 12th. Bonnie Wohlfert is the main point of contact.
As promised, below is the downloadable sheet for contacts on these accounts complete with names, titles, and Linkedin URLs. Be sure to request your free Winmo trial for each of their contact information and insights on brands like these 24/7.
Millennial Media Opps: American Express, Miller Lite & 4 Other Brands
in Ad Sales, Business Developmentby Anna CrochetThe generation of younger consumers makes up 21% of consumer discretionary purchases, which is estimated to be over a trillion dollars in direct buying power and a huge influence on older generations.
With this in mind, we’ve hand-picked six brands who are actively targeting the millennial demographic. The opportunities presented below vary from last-minute campaign dollars to brands that are currently planning their media spend.
As you can tell, capturing this demographic is crucial to brand success, so capable media sellers should reach out to these six brands spending now:
American Express
In an effort to reach the millennial audience, American Express has shifted its focus toward digital marketing in order to drive efficiency and channel optimization. Content personalization has also become a main investment for the company.
After recently being promoted to Digital Engagement & Measurement VP, Arun Yang has led the charge assisting with these new media objectives. AmEx’s top spending period is typically Q4, with top channels of spend historically TV, digital, outdoor, experiential, print, radio and social.
Roughly 50% of the company’s new customer base is made up of millennials. However, moves to begin targeting a Gen-Z audience are being made as well. Keep in mind the target demographic has a slight male skew.
According to iSpot, a YTD national TV spend of $21.3 million has targeted millennials through programs such as Jimmy Kimmel Live, This Is Us, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Competition includes Universal McCann who picked up global media duties in October, mcgarrybowen with creative since 2017, and Digitas managing digital.
Yuengling
In order to attract millennials, Yuengling released its first new beer in 17 years along with a new campaign in support. The Golden Pilsner campaign was created by Laughlin Constable, creative AOR. “Make Your Day Golden” will rollout across video, audio, outdoor, social and retail content.
There should still be last minute dollars available from the campaign, so sellers are encouraged to reach out as soon as possible. Top spending period for the brand is typically H1, and keep in mind their millennial demographic also has a male skew.
Yuengling spent national TV dollars for the first time last year with one spot via NBC Sports and Olympic Channel. The spot ran throughout July, so keep that possibility on your radar for the upcoming summer. In the past, Ashley Advertising and Havas have been responsible for media duties.
Miller Lite
Created by DDB Chi, Miller Lite’s most recent Game of Thrones-themed campaign takes a dig at Bud Light. “Aftermath” and “Snow” have rolled out across numerous TV, digital, and social channels.
According to sources, Miller Lite’s planning and buying periods are typically Q1 and Q2, with the NCAA tournament being the brand’s largest advertising push of the year. Historical channels of investment include broadcast, experiential, digital, outdoor, print and social media channels in order to target their millennial demographic with a male skew.
According to iSpot, YTD national TV spend totaled $19.7 million going towards male and sports-oriented programs. Adbeat reports within the past year the beer brand has spent $3 million on digital display ads, mostly site direct.
Saint Archer
Saint Archer, a craft brewer owned by MillerCoors, is testing its new beer, Saint Archer’s Gold, in four markets. In Austin, Indianapolis, Charlotte, and various Arizona cities. If the product is received well, it will become Saint Archer’s first nationally-distributed beer with a national rollout by 2020.
To support the new product, Saint Archer worked with Preacher to roll out a campaign across earned and paid social channels, radio, outdoor, and in-store content. The target audience for the campaign includes 25-44-year-olds who want a craft beer they can consume over a longer period of time.
Last minute revenue dollars should still be available throughout the campaign, so sellers should reach out soon to secure revenues. Keep in mind Saint Archer targets a millennial demographic with a health focus. Local sellers in the test market cities mentioned above will have the advantage. Keep the brand on your radar year-round since a top spending period has not yet been named.
Sellers should expect a continued rise in spend from the emerging brand as it pursues national growth. Agency and martech readers are also encouraged to reach out for opportunities.
National Association of Realtors
In an effort to improve customer engagement, the National Association of Realtors bolsters their marketing team with the addition of PR & Communication Strategy VP Mantill Williams and Creative & Content Strategy VP Susan Welter, both effective in March.
While personnel shifts typically signal reviews, Havas Boston has handled media since 2015 and it seems that creative and media are being brought under one roof. However, with the release of a recent campaign, there should be last minute dollars available, so sellers should reach out immediately.
The brand has seen increased engagement among millennials, particularly after launching their new campaign. Recent decreases in spend should be reversed with the addition of new personnel and continued growth. Most increases will likely take place through digital and social channels that are most effective among millennials.
Humm Kombucha
After it’s review concluded in February, Humm Kombucha, who brews healthy and tasteful beverages, named North it’s new AOR. The agency will oversee brand strategy, creative strategy paid media and influence execution as well.
North’s first work featured people’s initial expressions when trying the drink, released at the end of March. Media sellers- opportunity still exists to secure revenue from this initiative, so we recommend reaching out as soon as possible. With no top spending period established, this brand is one to reach out to year-round for revenue.
Keep in mind they appeal to millennials, particularly ones with an interest in organic and health-focused products. The brand has historically used earned media and social media, as well are local marketing surrounding its taproom in Oregon.
Netflix, Nissan, & 5 Other CMO Shifts New Business Pros Need To Watch
in Ad Sales, Agency New Business, Business Development, Marketing Techby Anna CrochetWhen you’re looking to pitch your services to brands, timing is everything. If you wait until the review is announced, you’re too late.
Lucky for you, Winmo is doing the hard work for you and tracking all the latest CMO shifts so you can stay a step ahead of competitors. In order to guide you to the most pitch-worthy accounts, we factor in a range of activities. Changes in the CMO position serves as the number one indicator of agency changes, media spending shifts, and new martech investments.
To start April on a strong note, we’ve picked five hot off the press opportunities to pursue now:
Netflix
Reported March 7, Netflix is losing Chief Marketing Officer Kelly Bennett. Under his leadership, Netflix expanded to 139 million customers with a market value of $155 billion.
Bennett led Netflix from its stage of existing as a relatively small streaming service to one of the world’s largest studios. At this time, no replacement has been named and Netflix continues to shake up its marketing department. Earlier this month, the company made the move to dissolve its entire global brand marketing team, a relatively small department that formed in 2017.
Several new competitors are rising in the streaming world, especially since Disney’s acquisition of Fox and Apple’s venture in the market. Netflix typically focuses on millennial and Gen-Z audience through its content.
With all of the marketing shifts, agency and martech readers are advised to reach out in order to stay top of mind when a new CMO is named. Competitors will include Deustch as creative AOR since 2013 and MullenLowe Mediahub as global media AOR since around 2016. These relationships are approaching average agency tenure of 3-4 years, and Netflix also handles a portion of its media buys and creative in-house.
Access Netflix Decision-Maker Contact Information
MGM Pictures
Netflix makes the newsreel again due to the fact that their previous VP Stephen Bruno was recently named MGM Picture’s new CMO, effective March. In his former role at Netflix, Bruno oversaw global campaigns for series such as Stranger Things, The Crown, Bird Box, Mudbound, and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
Anyways, back to MGM. They also hired David Wisnia as EVP and Head of Global Networks. With no top spending period, sellers should stay alert for year-round revenue, especially surrounding upcoming movies. Target demographic varies based on the film, so sellers with a wide reach will have an advantage.
Typical channels of investment consist of broadcast, digital, radio and social. According to iSpot, YTD national TV spend totaled $15.5 million and targets younger, sports-oriented audiences. Total 2018 spend was reported at $47.9 million.
As you’re well aware, Bruno’s recent hire signals potential for agency reviews, so agency and martech readers are encouraged to reach out for opportunities.
Access Stephen Bruno’s Contact Information
Alice + Olivia
After former marketing lead EVP Aliza Licht departed in March, A+O is in search of a CMO to lead the retail and e-Commerce businesses as well as brand, digital and DTC marketing. New hires over the past year include CRM and Digital Marketing Director Renee Nicholson in July and Social Media Strategy Director Sophie Carrel in January.
With no top spending period yet established, sellers are encouraged to reach out year round. However, keep in mind spend does spike ahead of product launches and seasonal fashion shows. A+O traditionally invests in influencer, digital and social media with a female target audience.
According to sources, the company spent about $1.1 million measured US media in 2017. With new leadership on the horizon, reviews are likely within 12-15 months. Agency and martech readers are encouraged to reach out sooner rather than later in order to stay ahead of the competition.
Access A+O Decision-Maker Contact Information
Nissan
Allyson Witherspoon is taking over as VP of Marketing Communications & Media (brand CMO function) as Nissan’s replacement for Jeremey Tucker, who is pursuing other opportunities. Witherspoon will begin after she moves back to the US, as she currently works as Nissan Japan’s General Manager of Global Brand Engagement.
This shift follows the departure of chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was let go in January due to financial misconduct, who they are still attempting to find a replacement for. These personnel changes will work to combat sales declines and implement “MOVE to 2022”, a six-year plan to grow global revenue by 30% and invest in advanced technologies.
In order to meet these goals, Nissan will have to appeal to a millennial and Gen-Z audience, which explains the increase in spend toward digital and social channels. Nissan has also established new partnerships with eSports teams OpTic Gaming and FaZe Clan, with a historically wide variety of sports sponsorships and local activations.
Under Witherspoon, agency reviews are likely. When reaching out, keep pitches focused on the most effective ways to implement their new marketing strategies and ways to differentiate Nissan from competition such as Ford, Honda, and Toyota. Expect competition from Omnicom’s “Nissan United”, which is made up of TBWA ChiatDay and Zimmerman for creative, OMD for media, and fluent360 in the multicultural realm.
Sellers, remember Nissan is attempting to engage a younger crowd using strategic partnerships and an increase in digital and social investments, so those who can assist in those efforts are more likely to win business. Planning period is typically Q2, but keep an eye out for new product launches as well.
Access Allyson Witherspoon’s Contact Information
Deputy
According to The New York Times, Deputy was recently named the next $1 billion unicorn. They are on the path to success and recently hired Jennifer Shambroom as their first CMO. Her previous experience includes CMO at YouAppi, and additional time at companies such as Crittercism, Payfone, and Motricity.
The startup has not yet named a top spending period, so sellers with a B2B background should reach out year-round to secure revenue. The target demographic consists of decision-makers, specifically those at small businesses.
According to Adbeat, Deputy has spent $18,800 on digital display within the past 12 months compared to $8,500 the prior year.
With a new CMO taking over, agency reviews are likely to take place within 9-12 months. Agency and martech readers are encouraged to reach out soon in order to stay on Shambroom’s radar. Since Deputy is an emerging company, they will likely seek PR work for the purpose of fueling brand awareness first.
Access Jennifer Shambroom’s Contact Information