Right as TikTok became the biggest thing to hit social media, it also became the center of controversy. The platform’s bumpy relationship with the Trump administration keeps unfolding, and it’s unclear how this battle will resolve. Meanwhile, brands and their agency partners are left worrying about the marketing dollars they’ve funneled into the platform and what this means for their futures.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the U.S. economy through the wringer, and the impact has sent shockwaves through the agency world. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, 46% of media buyers, planners, and brands were forced to adjust their ad spend this year — and 24% of them halted spending altogether. 

Last week, we hosted the first in a series of webinar summits based on our Rise | Set agency newsletter. Google delivered a compelling presentation, “Helping CMOs in Today’s Uncertain Market.”

As many of you have seen in the news these past weeks, many voices have called for businesses to remove their ad business on Facebook and other social media platforms during the month of July in response to the civil rights movements occurring across the world, stating that “Facebook has not done enough to stop racism across its platform”.

Generator is proud to welcome two companies to our client roster this month. Quantic School of Business and Technology offers accredited MBA programs delivered on computers and mobile devices in bite-size, interactive lessons.

Are paid cable and linear TV on the way out? The numbers would certainly suggest it. There has been a massive migration from linear TV packages to subscription-based services, with more than 6 million cable and satellite subscribers cutting the cord in 2019. By 2021, an estimated 50 million people will abandon their cable and satellite subscriptions. In response to this shift, numerous broadcast companies have released their own digital offerings: Disney+, Apple TV+, CBS All Access, HBO Now, and countless others.

As I watch the news about Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the havoc it's causing around the world, it makes me wonder if it will send the U.S. and the other economies of the world into a recession. Several WhatsApp groups that I am part of were active all week about the disruption to business as usual. Today it hit home when I had two speaking events in April canceled.

With billionaire candidates controlling traditional spend, brands must test new ground to cut through the clutter.

Each year, it seems like the list of marketing conferences grows exponentially, which isn’t a bad thing. After all, they serve as an effective means for keeping abreast of what’s trending in the industry.

Most executives agree that customer experience (CX) is critical to maximizing profits and driving loyalty in 2020 and beyond, according to a PwC report on the future of CX. A hot topic of corporate conversation in 2019, CX will continue to be a strategic directive for consumer-facing companies in every industry.