Posts made in June, 2016

on Jun 30, 2016

By Doug Zanger An investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been opened after it was revealed that the driver of a Tesla electric car was killed in a crash while the car was in “autopilot” mode. The accident took place in a Tesla Model S on May 7th in Williston, Florida, around 100 miles northwest of Orlando. The NHTSA investigation is focused on the automated driving system’s design and performance. The Wall Street Journal noted that this “preliminary evaluation is an initial official probe by the agency and could later be elevated to a more significant engineering analysis if widespread, Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jun 30, 2016

By Minda Smiley Mondelez International has made a bid to buy Hershey, a move that would bring together two of the world’s largest snack and candy manufacturers. People familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that Mondelez recently sent a letter to Hershey proposing the acquisition. Hershey’s stock surged following the news. Hershey, maker of iconic candies including Reese’s, Jolly Rancher and its own chocolate bars, is currently valued at $23bn, while Mondelez is valued at $70bn. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mondelez – whose brands include Cadbury, Oreo, and Ritz – has pledged to protect jobs if a merger goes Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jun 30, 2016

By John McCarthy It’s been another chaotic week, the Euro 2016 brand lad banter is still in flow, supplemented by some Wimbledon activity and more German semi-nudity. 1. England or Iceland? Supermarket Iceland rebranded after it’s sponsorship with the national side Iceland threatened to (and eventually did) topple the English. 2. The mother of UK tennis stars Andy and Jamie Murray has adopted a bizarre brand ambassador role at Pimm’s ensuring that mint levels in the drinks are optimal. She’s the chief foliage officer. 3. And finally, the Germans are teaching men to be proud of their beer bellies. Check out Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jun 30, 2016

By Rebecca Stewart Manchester City has signed up to Facebook’s bots on Messenger service, becoming the first football club to launch on the platform. Facebook’s Messenger bots let brands chat with users online to offer customer service, and are being implemented by publishers like CNN to send Facebookers who opt-in news updates. Subscribers who sign up to Man City’s chatbot will be able to receive updates on the following topics: pep talk, transfer news and social buzz. Meanwhile, a matchday topic will include coverage of key events and video highlights expected once the 16/17 season kicks off. Messages from the club will also Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jun 30, 2016

By Staff Writer To celebrate the Ad Club of New York’s 120th anniversary, The Drum is inviting readers to share their favorite marketing moments from the past 120 years. Today’s marketing moment was chosen by Laura Lefever, senior partner & strategic planning director at Maxus. Below, find out why Barbie’s ‘You Can Be Anything’ campaign is one of her favorite marketing moments. It was a proud moment when Mattel launched the “You Can Be Anything” campaign last year. I still remember playing Barbies with my best friend Jenny in the 80s, and imagining all the possibilities for my Read full story › Source: The Drum...