Gen-Z, Millennial Opps: AMC Networks promotes marketing head (Score 75)
Apr 19, 2023

Sales Lead: AMC Networks (AMCN) named Kim Granito as its marketing head, effective April 2023. Granito joined the company in November 2018 and was most recently its integrated marketing EVP. She will continue leading integrated marketing, creative, production, events, and the digital and franchise studio for AMCN's branded entertainment division, the Content Room. Granito's expanded responsibilities, though, now also include marketing and brand strategy, which includes media and per...

Home Depot promotes marketing VPs amid significant spend increases (Score 64)
Apr 19, 2023

Sales Lead: Melanie Babcock became the Retail Media+ and monetization VP at Home Depot (HD) in February 2023. Babcock joined the company in December 2013 and was most recently its integrated media VP. She will now focus on providing improved supplier experiences and driving new sources of ad revenue, sales, and profitability. She helped launch HD's Retail Media+ in 2019 and will continue working to support the platform.​ Allison Kolber succeeded Babcock as HD's integrated media VP...

Campaign Imminent: Party City taps media AOR amid CMO search (Score 49)
Apr 19, 2023

Sales Lead: To drive social engagement despite a slump in sales, Party City (PC) has picked 22squared as its new media AOR at the end of 2022. The agency now handles media planning, paid media investment, digital strategy, ad tech consulting, and analytics. The account is led by a 15-person team headed up by 22squared's group AD and SVP, Austen Tully, and its media strategy and planning director and SVP, Jenny Yeend. Right now, PC is particularly focused on driving in-store and onli...

Male Opps: Bonobos announces upcoming acquisition as digital spend skyrockets (Score 67)
Apr 19, 2023

Sales Lead: Walmart officially announced that it will soon sell menswear brand Bonobos for $75m, a steep loss for the company. The brand will be acquired by a management firm, WHP Global, and a retailer, Express. Walmart acquired Bonobos for $310m in 2017 as an effort to diversify its online presence, with which it had little luck. I've got Bono-bonus details; per Express CEO Tim Baxter, “Bonobos is delivering double-digit sales growth and we plan to continue that momentum while als...

Seated loses marketing chief amid spend declines (Score 43)
Apr 19, 2023

Sales lead: Keep an eye on this company because a CMO hire will affect its marketing strategy & may lead to agency appointments. Seated lost its CMO, Lucia Varela, in March 2023. Varela joined the company in 2021. We will be sure to update you as soon as a replacement is announced.  Target demographic: Gen-Zers & millennials Once it finds a new CMO, the company will likely: Ramp digital spend back up Diversify ad spend Seek agency assistance Digital and social...

BFY Opps: Heineken Silver launches first campaign
Apr 19, 2023

Sales Lead: Heineken recently rolled out a new US campaign that highlights the superior taste of Heineken Silver (HS). Made by BBH, "All the Taste, No Bitter Endings" launched across TV, OOH, digital, and social and involves experiential activations via partnerships with Coachella and Formula 1. Heineken will reportedly spend over $100m on marketing HS, which has low calories and carbs. The brand will likely: Pursue additional experiential opportunities Keep increasing dig...

UScellular taps creative AOR, releases fresh creative (Score 55)
Apr 19, 2023

Sales lead: Reach out now to offer ad space & inquire about potential agency opportunities.  UScellular appointed The Martin Agency as creative AOR in April 2023. The agency has already released a spot called "US Mode." This is part of a campaign called "Phones Down For 5" that launched earlier this year.  It is currently being supported across TV, OOH, social, radio, and digital.  This replaces incumbent shops Droga5, Leo Burnett, and Ketchum.  Target demographi...

Media Edge: Lawn Doctor reminds people of summer with new initiative
Apr 19, 2023

Media Sales Lead: The latest campaign from Lawn Doctor (LD) was designed by HeyLet'sGo to make customers think about their lawns in the middle of winter. The company launched Grasslippers, custom-made grass-covered slippers that help people remember what it means to stand outside in the summer. Key Lead Takeaways: LD will likely return to higher spend as it ramps up for the summer, so get in touch soon to secure dollars. Target Demographics: Millennials and Gen-X with a strong male skew...

Gen-Z, Millennial Media Opps: Vans loses two DMs amid spend increases (Score 35)
Apr 19, 2023

Sales lead: These departures will affect the company's marketing strategy & agency roster. Vans recently announced that David Tichiaz (VP & GM of Americas) and Kristin Harrer (global CMO) have left the company.  Tichiaz joined the company in 2006 as a regional account manager.  Harrer joined the company in 2021 as senior Americas brand marketing director.  We will be sure to update you as soon as Vans announces replacements.  In other news:  Vans promoted Marc Johns to ...

Male Millennial, Gen-Z Opps: Wingstop taps 72andSunny as creative AOR (Score 24)
Apr 19, 2023

Sales lead: This appointment may lead to spend shifts & additional agency reviews.  Wingstop has concluded the creative review we told you about last year.  The chain selected 72andSunny as its lead creative agency in April 2023. This replaces Leo Burnett, which won the account in 2018.  Joanne Davis Consulting handled the review process.  Wingstop's target demographic: Male Gen-Zers & millennials The company will likely: Release fresh creative/launch a campaign Ra...