If journalists shouldn’t bury the lede, then influencers shouldn’t bury the #ad.

That’s at least what new guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggest. Earlier this summer, the commission released a new set of guidelines around online reviews and social media endorsements, some of which could impact how influencers and advertisers disclose sponsored content.

The last update to its endorsement guides occurred in 2009, and while much has changed in the influencer space since then, those working in the industry tell us that many of the changes were pretty predictable. Under the updated guidelines, influencers will likely have to be clearer about differentiating regular content from branded posts.

“The most important thing to say about all the updates is the basic principles haven’t changed,” Michael Atleson, senior staff attorney at the FTC, told us, noting that the FTC’s “Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers” brochure from 2019 is the same, as is the FTC’s definition of “clear and conspicuous” disclosures.

“What we’re doing is clarifying or expanding on how we think these principles…apply in a world in which social media ads, including influencer campaigns and the use of online reviews, are more and more prevalent,” he said.

Still, the new guidelines have raised some questions, so we broke down some of the basics. Click here to keep reading.—KH

Ready to land your dream job? It all starts with a killer resume. But crafting one that truly stands out can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate guide to building a strong and effective resume.

Our guide is jam-packed with practical tips and real-world examples to help you craft a resume that will impress even the toughest hiring managers. We’ll show you how to highlight your skills and experience in a way that makes you stand out from the crowd. So if you’re ready to take your career to the next level, download our guide today.

Linear TV viewership officially dipped below 50% of total TV time last month, an all-time low, while time spent streaming TV in the US reached an all-time-high, according to new data from Nielsen.

The data underscores the business challenges media companies face as US viewers increasingly spend more time streaming and less time watching traditional television. TV titans are struggling to make money from streaming platforms, which require considerable programming costs, to offset losses from linear TV ratings declines and the continued erosion of the traditional cable bundle.

Stream on: In July, streaming reached nearly 39% of total TV usage, driven by viewership of dramas like Suits, children’s programming like Bluey, and streaming YouTube videos on television screens, Nielsen found. Year over year, streaming viewership has increased by a quarter, Nielsen said.

• Suits, available to watch on both Netflix and Peacock, accounted for nearly 18 billion combined viewing minutes in the month of July.
• The three most-watched streamers included YouTube, which accounted for 9.2% of total TV usage; Netflix, at 8.5%; and Hulu, at 3.6%.

Change the channel: Meanwhile, data under time spent on broadcast TV (20%) and time spent on cable (29.6%) each represented record low shares of total TV usage, Nielsen reported. Year over year, broadcast viewing was down 5.4%, and cable viewing was down 12.5%, Nielsen found.

The takeaway: Legacy media’s lucrative cable bundle business, long a cash cow for the industry, continues to shrink, making media companies’ forays into streaming crucial to figure out. As businesses look to cut costs and find a path to profitability, streamers are raising their prices and cracking down on password-sharing. Several are also exploring bringing more live sports to their platforms to attract audiences and advertisers—something that could further accelerate linear TV declines.—KS

Parade, the four-year-old DTC brand that bills itself as “the internet’s favorite underwear,” was acquired by clothing manufacturer Ariela & Associates International this week.

Moving forward, Parade will retain its “unique identity and creative vision,” according to AAI, which will offer the brand its sourcing and design resources to help it scale domestically and abroad. Parade joins AAI’s portfolio of clothing brands, such as Fruit of the Loom and Curvy Couture.

Parade, which emphasizes body inclusivity as well as sustainable manufacturing, was valued at $200 million last August. Its growth has been partly fueled by its influencer marketing strategy:

• Instead of leveraging big-name celebrities or influencers, Parade has largely turned to micro-influencers, sending its products to people with small followings who then post about their gifts.
• As The Cut wrote earlier this year, “Parade has dominated many of our feeds. If you’re under 30 and the algorithm deems you demographically appropriate, you’ve likely scrolled past someone you know posting selfies in their Parade underwear.”
• However, Parade has faced some criticism for this strategy; in 2020, comedian and writer Dana Donnelly “questioned if the entire Parade marketing campaign foundation was founded on stoking feelings of exclusion,” according to the New York Times. “I can’t tell what their objective is besides making the girls they’re sending it to feel cool and the girls they’re not sending it to feel uncool,” she told the publication.

Beyond influencer marketing, the brand has also experimented with other types of advertising, like pop-ups and video ads. Earlier this year, it started selling some of its items in Target.

Amid higher interest rates and lower venture capital funding, many DTC brands are being acquired. In 2023 alone, brand management firm Bluestar Alliance acquired lifestyle brand Scotch & Soda, financial firms Cerberus Capital Management and Jefferies Finance nabbed makeup brand Morphe, and FullBeauty Brands bought intimates brand Cuup.—JS

There are a lot of bad marketing tips out there. These aren’t those.

Extra, extra: Why some companies are putting print marketing back into the mix.

Chic: A look at why Macy’s is upping its investment in influencers to promote its new private-label brand geared toward women between the ages of 30 and 50.

Jet set: TikTok created a playbook for travel marketers.

Snazzy site: Design a completely custom website with Squarespace Blueprint’s professionally curated layout and modern styling options. Personalize, publish, and promote, all in one place. Start with a 14-day free trial.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content.}

Stat: $100 million. That’s how much X’s “promoted accounts” ads brought in annually, according to Axios, which reported that the company is shutting the advertising format down.

Quote: “We need to make sure that people understand that this is an elevated brand, that this is an elevated product experience.”—Amanda Calabrese, co-founder and CMO of tampon startup Sequel, speaking to the Wall Street Journal about the company’s marketing strategy now that its product has been cleared by the FDA

Read: “How much does it cost to get married at the mouse’s house?” (Morning Brew)

Here’s a fun game: Name three prescription drug names without Googling. You might have heard of them in the news or from a doctor, or maybe one of their catchy jingles is stuck in your head as you read this.

As you may have noticed, prescription drugs have some pretty weird names. But that’s not (just) because pharmaceutical executives have a weird sense of humor. There are actually a lot of science and safety regulations behind drug names.

Find out exactly how drug manufacturers come up with drug names—and how they work with companies like Brand Institute to create names that resonate—in this Healthcare Brew resource.