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YouTube takes measure

The video site, owned by Google, added new measurement partners to provide marketing insights to advertisers. It’s a move that opens more independent verification to brands and helps them understand how their ads appear on YouTube. But according to Ad Age technology reporter George P. Slefo, one previous partner, OpenSlate, is holding out because YouTube imposed limits to the reporting that partners can conduct. Slefo writes: OpenSlate “is refusing to sign a contract with YouTube, which, under the terms, would prevent it from reporting whether ads ran next to videos with questionable or harmful content.”

Newly added companies include DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, Channel Factory, Sightly and VuePlanner. Third-party measurement is viewed as an independent way to value internet platforms like YouTube, without just taking the platform’s word on how ads are performing. Since 2017, advertisers have been working with YouTube on quality controls after brands discovered their ads supported objectionable channels and videos.

Candidly Cannes

In the latest installment of “Ad Age Remotely,” Michael Kassan, founder, chairman and CEO of MediaLink, joined Ad Age senior editor Jeanine Poggi to discuss the implications of canceling the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Kassan says the event will survive the coronavirus shutdown as it looks to return in 2021. “We’ve already reserved our spot on the beach,” Kassan says. “We believe the importance of Cannes, which at its core has always been about the celebration of creativity, will not become less important. We believe, candidly, it will become more important.”

Kassan also talked about how TV networks, with broadcast calendars in disarray, can still work with advertisers this year. The TV upfronts have been interrupted and it’s harder to lock in brand dollars. “As a deal junkie, I would hope deal-making is going to continue,” Kassan says.

Fox fix

And on the upfronts front, Fox News has been working on its pitch to advertisers. Ad Age’s Poggi also recently spoke with Jeff Collins, the head of Fox News’ sales team, who says the network is finding new opportunities as more people tune into news channels during the pandemic.

Even young people are watching Fox News now, says Collins, who is navigating his first upfront at the channel. “We wrote more younger-skewing advertisers in the last month than we did in the last year.”

Facebook uninvites protesters

Many of the protests being seen around the country, with angry demonstrations against coronavirus lockdowns, are being organized on Facebook, according to The Washington Post. Far-right, pro-gun activists on Facebook are behind some of the biggest marches taking place in states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas and Maryland. More protests were being planned for California, New York and New Jersey.

Nearly 100,000 people joined a Wisconsin Facebook Group against the quarantine. A Pennsylvania group attracted 63,000 members. “The online coordination offered additional clues about how the protest activity is spreading nationwide, capturing the imagination of the president and of Fox News, even though it represents the views of a small minority of Americans,” The Washington Post reports.

By Monday, Facebook started pulling down some of the Groups and events, if the protests were in violation of state orders by the governors, according to NBC News.

Vudu deal

The video site owned by Walmart will be sold to Fandango, which is a part of Comcast. The sale price was not disclosed. Vudu, which streams digital shows and movies to homes, was a centerpiece in Walmart’s plans for its advertising business. But Walmart is more focused on its e-commerce platform than video content, according to TechCrunch. Vudu users will still be able to log into Vudu through their Walmart accounts and access their video libraries. Comcast also owns NBCUniversal, which launched Peacock, the streaming video app, this month.

Just briefly

Shop chop: WPP is closing down its marketing agency Triad, which once counted Walmart as its largest client. Last year, Walmart took its retail marketing services in-house, no longer relying on Triad. Now, WPP plans to close Triad’s operations within the next 90 days, reports Ad Age’s Jack Neff.

Five on fire: Ad Age’s Creativity editor Ann-Christine Diaz brings her roundup of the top 5 great brand ideas for the week. One of the most inspired creative choices comes from copywriter Samantha Geloso with a lighthearted short film entitled “Hey, We’re a Brand.”

In the weeds: Yesterday was 4/20 and marketers know that’s the best time to light up that Twitter feed and pass the dutchie. This year, the weed holiday was forced to go virtual and Ad Ag's Ilyse Liffreing rummaged through the haze of pot brands to find some marketing highlights, including plenty of fundraising efforts.

That does it for today’s Wake-Up Call, thanks for reading and we hope you are all staying safe and well. For more industry news and insight, follow us on Twitter: @adage. 

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