300th Edition

Edition #300 - 300th Edition

One big thing

This week marks our 300th edition! What a milestone. 🎉

We have quite an active subscriber base and thought it might be nice to shout out some of them, so a special thanks goes to …

Maxime Meillassoux, Google
Gitte Ceyssens, DPG Media
Krystle Davis, Forbes
Rick Edmonds, Poynter
Sam Slaughter, Lighthouse Creative
Kevin Delie, Triplelift
Jeremy Bradley, CBS News Digital
Justin Silva, Comcast Cable
Mads Elsøe, Politiken Creative
Andrew Hughes, Publicis Media

Thank you all for your support, here's to the next 300. 🍸

Notable stories this week

How publishers are getting around the branded content slump. Some are seeing Q4 as the best ever.
Contently shared how they used their own on-site inventory to drive webinar leads. Smart.
Brands confidence in content marketing up.
Outbrain launches Carousel ads, similar to Facebook’s carousel.
Brian Morrissey leaves Digiday. End of an era!
Axios is growing and profitable. Plans to launch local editions.
Pandemic spurs journalists to go it alone via email. For example, Casey Newton to set up shop on Substack.
The art of brand collaborations.
Mercedes sponsors League of Legends eSports.
Google to pay publishers over $1b over the next three years for curated news content shown in its app.
Sports publishers look to blow out their betting content.
Permission to think long term: The Atlantic digs for deeper, smarter client partnerships.
Apple’s latest anti-tracking changes present fresh headache for publishers.
Google Android has been auctioning off search slots on its phones. Even Microsoft bids on (and wins) them.
Verizon scrambling to unload HuffPost. Kerry Flynn highlights the flip-flopping on whether it is or isn’t for sale.
‘Not a lot of experimenting going on’: Ad buyers cut back on ad format experimentation and how brands are going back to Facebook.
Attention as a metric in programmatic is picking up steam.
Facebook's content oversight board to launch before the election.
Spotify, Chernin entertainment to adapt podcasts into screen content.

Deals/M&A

Buffett backs deal for EW Scripps to buy ION Media for $2.65b.
Quibi explores strategic options.

Campaign of the week

Vanguard on NYT, Financial Advisors Swap Insights on Tough Client Questions. A good, educational piece.

Datapoints of note

See all our Covid-19 data here.

82% of brands struggle to create high quality branded content.
Axios revenue is on track for $100m in 2020. Newsletters contribute more than 50% of revenue. And Sara Fischer’s media newsletter exceeds 100,000 subscribers.
More than 6 million cable customers will cut the cord this year.

Thanks,

Ben

This is a new section, where we shout out newsletters we like or readers enjoy. Just hit reply to send us any you rate.

Emailroll

Why is this interesting.
Front Office Sports.
The Operating Partner.
Axios Media Trends.
Ben Dietz SIC Newsletter (released via Google Docs)

Enjoyed this edition? Forward it on to your CMO, team or smartest marketers you know.

Forward to a friend!

Subscribe to our weekly note.

unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences