The Week Ahead: Internet of Things conference goes virtual and Walmart begins parking lot movies

A look at some of the happenings over the next five days of interest to marketers, agencies and media players.
Aug. 10
IAC—the digital media conglomerate behind Vimeo, The Daily Beast, Dotdash, Angie’s List, Home Advisor and other properties—reports its second-quarter financial results.
Aug. 11
IoT World kicks off its three-day virtual conference. The conference will include panels on how the internet of things is helping businesses adapt to the “new normal” amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 13,000 people attended last year’s event.
Aug. 12
TikTok is not the only Chinese-based company that is of interest to U.S. investors and advertisers. Tencent reports earnings today. It owns WeChat, one of China’s most important digital platforms, and it has a stake in Epic Games, the U.S. maker of Fortnite.
Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s Grill & Bar, posts fiscal fourth-quarter results. Casual dining chains such as Chili’s have been under enormous pressure during the pandemic, posting steep sales declines even at locations that were able to reopen their dining rooms.
Lyft reports second-quarter earnings. The company is widely expected to report a loss as a result of COVID-19. Although rival Uber has also been hit hard by the pandemic, its meal delivery service, Uber Eats, has helped offset those losses: Eats is now larger than the company’s ride hailing business.
Aug. 13
Dentsu, the parent of Dentsu Aegis Network, is expected to report its second quarter earnings. The company delayed the release of its first quarter earnings due to the pandemic, when it posted a total revenue decline of 2.6 percent. The company’s first quarter results were pushed back one month, from April to May, so there’s no guaranteeing this Aug. 13 release date will stick.
Nominations for 40 Under 40, Ad Age’s annual special report on rising stars in marketing and media are due by 5 p.m. ET. Previous honorees include Georgina Gooley, co-founder of women’s brand Billie and Lisa Checchio, chief marketing officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
Aug. 14
Walmart begins showing drive-in movies in its parking lots. But if you are looking for tickets, you are out of luck. The six venues slated for today—Houston, Pinellas Park, Florida; Olathe, Kansas; Prosper, Texas; and Streamwood, Illinois—are sold out, according to the retailer’s web site. In fact, all dates are sold out through October, but Walmart is asking people to “check back soon for added events.”