Morning Update: Best Xmas ads (so far); what’s the point in PR agencies?; NBC spruiks musical on Snapchat

Buster the Boxer, Mrs Claus, a doll that comes to life and an adventurous carrot feature in this year’s Christmas ads. Campaign rounds up the best ads from the season.

Mumbrella Asia: How much do PR agencies know about their clients?

n the 13,204th rant a journalist has written about the failings of the public relations industry this year, Robin Hicks wonders if there is really any point to PR agencies if they know so little about their own clients.

So, the short answer to the question in the headline appears to be: not very much. This piece is inspired by frustration, and is one that should probably have – like many an angry email – stayed in drafts.

Ad Age: NBC Will Unlock ‘Hairspray’ Snapchat Lens During Thanksgiving Parade

In an effort to better exploit a Snapchat ad buy, NBC will use traditional media to promote its Snapchat lens for the upcoming live broadcast of ‘Hairspray’ the musical.

During the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC will air a commercial that includes a Snapcode, which viewers can scan with their phones using the Snapchat app to get a ‘Hairspray’ lens ahead of the live broadcast on Dec. 7.

Digiday: Confessions of a national newspaper exec: ‘Publishers haven’t got their shit together’

In this latest instalment of our Confessions series, in which we grant anonymity in exchange for candor, we spoke with a publishing executive at a national newspaper, who is frustrated at how slow publishers continue to be when responding to the biggest threats in digital media, whether it’s how to deal with the platforms, or believing in the “mirage” of promised revenue created by ad tech.