Home Depot's 8-ft Giant Nutcracker with LCD LifeEyes.
This week's winners, losers and newsmakers.
WPP: It was a winning week for the holding company, after taking home the massive Coca-Cola Co. account. WPP also hung onto Modelo, as the beer brand picked Grey as its new creative agency after cutting ties with Cavalry, which is also owned by WPP.
Rise Brewing: It remains to be seen how much of a hit Mtn Dew will take after being forced to remove “Rise” from the name of its new energy drink due to a trademark challenge. But the company that filed the lawsuit, canned coffee maker RIse Brewing, is a clear winner. Not only did it get a bigger company (PepsiCo) to back down, but it got some nice free media from the dispute—not a bad thing for a small brand looking for attention.
Aldi: Following news that it could be the most expensive Thanksgiving ever as food prices rise and supply gets squeezed, Aldi has a solution. The German grocer, which has been ramping up its presence in the U.S. in recent years, is marketing a traditional Turkey Day feast for under $30 including a Butterball bird, sides such as carrots and stuffing, and a pumpkin pie. As it seeks to grow its market share here, Aldi has been competing on the price front—the marketer claims its prices are 40% lower than the average competitor. The strategy could prove fruitful this holiday season as consumers become more price-conscious.
State Farm: In the latest example of how no celebrity endorsement is ever safe, the insurer is still recovering from last week’s Aaron Rodgers drama. The GreenBay QB has been under fire for his stance on vaccinations after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month and was unable to play in the Packers game last weekend. Though State Farm has focused its recent ads on Terry Bradshaw rather than Rodgers, the marketer still said it respects Rodgers’ “right to have his own personal point of view” in not getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. Critics called the company a “bad neighbor” and noted a lack of trust in the brand as a result of the decision.
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Disney: It was a tough week for the entertainment giant, which reported disappointing quarterly results that included slower-than-expected growth for Disney+. The streamer is trying to recapture some of its momentum with today’s “Disney+ Day” which includes premieres and a special deal for new customers.
Big conglomerates: Thin is in when it comes to corporate strategy. Johnson & Johnson is the latest behemoth to split—it announced today plans to break into two public companies, one for drugs and medical devices, and the other for consumer products. It follows a move by General Electric Co. to split into three. Even companies that are not breaking up are shedding brands: General Mills is reportedly looking at whether to offload Hamburger Helper and Progresso Soup and Coca-Cola has significantly pared down; it now sells about 200 brands compared with about 400 several months ago.
$10,000: The top value of bonuses paid by Instagram to creators for posting on Reels, as the Meta-owned platform looks to compete with TikTok.
“Set the tone for festive celebrations with this animated nutcracker yard sculpture.”—how Home Depot is promoting its 8-foot “Giant Nutcracker with LCD LifeEyes,” which Mashable points out is Home Depot skeleton's holiday cousin.
PepsiCo hired Jane Wakely as an executive VP for its international foods division, where she will carry the combined title of chief consumer and marketing officer and chief growth officer. She was previously CMO of pet nutrition at Mars. PepsiCo also moved Ram Krishnan into the newly created role of CEO of International Beverages.
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