Morning Update: Snapchat’s Specs hit the market; Heathrow’s cute bears go viral; should clients pay agencies to pitch?
Ad Week: What It’s Like to Buy Snap Inc.’s $140 Spectacles in New York
Getting your hands on a pair of Snap Inc.’s Spectacles is the equivalent of striking gold for early tech adopters, but you better be prepared to work for them—even the president of Snapchat’s ad agency Truffle Pig had to fight to get a pair.
On Monday, the buzzy Spectacles went on sale in New York at a pop-up store. Since launching a few weeks ago, Snap’s marketing team has taken an unusual approach to distributing Spectacles, selling them in vending machines called Snapbots in places such as Venice and Big Sur in California; Tulsa, Okla., and near the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Ad Age: Heathrow Joins the Viral Video Chart With Unbearably Cute Bears’ Arrival
Heathrow Airport’s ‘Coming Home for Christmas’ campaign earned the top spot on our latest Viral Video chart courtesy of Visible Measures, covering the week through Sunday. Its effort features a stuffed bear couple arriving at Heathrow Airport after a flight. At the end of the spot, the stuffed bears are revealed to be an elderly human couple, who are then greeted by their grandchildren. The campaign received more than 67.3 million views in seven days.
Marketing Week: The big debate: Should clients pay agencies to pitch?
Following columnist Mark Ritson’s assertion earlier this month that clients should pay for agencies to pitch, Marketing Week asked both clients and agencies where they stand.
To pay or not to pay. That is the question. Or at least, that was the question posed by Marketing Week columnist Mark Ritson earlier this month when he asked whether clients should pay agencies to pitch for marketing services.
Digiday: Facebook is testing real-time ads for live videos
Facebook is pouring resources into making Facebook Live catch on, even running outdoor ads for the service to teach people how and when to use it. Now, Facebook is testing real-time ads brands and publishers can use to alert people to live broadcasts.
At the moment, brands and publishers are promoting their Facebook Live content through sponsored posts prior to the broadcast or once the live video has ended.
Campaign Live: So what is behind the talent exodus at Hearst?
The latest issue of Hearst’s Good Housekeeping carries “tried and tested” tips for Christmas, but the US-owned magazine giant is facing its own housekeeping issues after a wave of senior departures in the last month.
Anna Jones, chief executive of Hearst UK, quit after two-and-a-half-years in charge to co-found All Bright, an investment company that backs female entrepreneurs. Lorraine Candy, editor of Elle for 12 years, left to take up the role of luxury content director at News UK. And Andy Hart, chief revenue officer of Hearst Magazines International in London, has exited after only a year.
Mumbrella Asia: Why it’s wrong for PRs to ask for questions before an interview
Amateurish. Rude. Censorship. In this post written by Tim O’Brien, and originally published in Muck Rack, it is argued why PR executives should stop asking journalists for the questions before an interview.
More and more, public relations pros are brazenly asking reporters to submit their questions prior to an interview.
To those unfamiliar with conventional practice, it’s common on the PR side to prepare for an interview by trying to anticipate the questions. Typically, the PR pro works to draft questions that might be asked in order to gather any necessary background and reference material or information for both interviewer and interviewee.
