Ad Age: Reddit Finds Matthew McConaughey’s Tiny YouTube Channel
Just because you win an Oscar doesn’t mean you’re a YouTube star. Just ask Matthew McConaughey.
The seemingly super-chill star had an “official” YouTube channel with only 240 subscribers, but that may change now that Reddit has discovered it. A Reddit poster linked to Mr. McConaughey’s YouTube page on Thursday, and it’s trending to the top of the site, driving traffic to the celeb’s videos. As of this afternoon he was up to more than 8,000 subs.
Ad Week: These Brands Are Killing the Wearables Game in Brazil
ADVERTISEMENT
It’s safe to assume that many athletes competing in Brazil trained extensively with the help of GPS watches, heart rate monitors, connected garments or other wearable technologies. And while the wearable device channel remains something of a niche to marketers, things could change this summer.
Wearables are enjoying a banner year, with IDC forecasting 101.9 million units sold by the end of 2016, a 29% year-over-year growth. Further, major sporting events provide valuable, high-profile proving grounds for new devices—and what they mean for marketers. 
Gawker: Gawker.com to End Operations Next Week
After almost 14 years of operation, Gawker.com will shut down next week. The decision to close Gawker comes days after Univision successfully bid $135 million for Gawker Media’s six other websites, and four months after the Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel revealed his clandestine legal campaign against the company.
Nick Denton, the company’s outgoing CEO, informed current staffers of the site’s fate on Thursday afternoon, just hours before a bankruptcy court in Manhattan will decide whether to approve Univision’s bid for Gawker Media’s other assets.
Poynter: To boost its subscription business, The New York Times shutters NYT Now
The New York Times is “shelving” its daily news app, NYT Now, in response to limited interest from readers, a rapidly-fluctuating news environment and a desire to increase paid subscribers.
Launched in early 2014, NYT Now was heralded as an attempt to capture and monetize a rapidly growing audience on smartphones. In the spring of 2015, NYT Now transitioned to a paid model. Now, the app will go dark at the end of the month.
Ad Week: These Clever Mobile Ads Challenge People’s Perceptions of Black Men and Police
With the flip of a phone, a mobile video debuting today challenges viewers on how quickly we judge strangers not just by the color of their skin but by the context of their clothing. The video begins with a black man in a white tank top standing in front of a black backdrop. He speaks straight into the camera, candidly but earnestly.
There’s a fast-talking, flannel-wearing Southern guy who says he has the perfect product to save your broken stuff, your ruined weekend or even your marriage. Oh, and it’s 100 times tougher than duct tape and “strong as steel.”