CMOS

A Tale of Two CMOs

As snow fell across the east coast this week, we also saw a flurry of major CMO appointments. 

• On the DTC retail side, Everlane appointed Sophie Bambuck as its first CMO.
• And way up north in B2B land, Carla Piñeyro Sublett became CMO of IBM.

An Everlane first

Despite Everlane’s cult favorite DTC status, Sophie Bambuck doesn’t hail from Glossier, Outdoor Voices, or even Entireworld.

Most recently, Bambuck served as VP of global brand marketing for this little cobbler called Nike, wrapping up 13 years at the brand. Bambuck told Adweek she looks forward to joining Everlane because it “has quickly become a leader within the fashion and environmental impact space over the past decade.”

Radical transparency? Everlane’s search for a CMO began in August and didn’t exactly start under great circumstances. Just a month before, the NYT published findings from an internal Everlane investigation confirming company leaders used disparaging language to discuss Black models and employees.

• And in April, Everlane workers said the company illegally laid them off, causing the employees’ union to make rehiring requests. 

Bambuck also told Adweek that she plans to keep “purpose and transparency at the forefront” in her new role, an attempt to realign Everlane with the brand motto some found hypocritical after 2020’s events. 

The new queen of IBM

This isn’t IBM’s new SVP and CMO Carla Piñeyro Sublett’s first rodeo in the B2B software space. Pre-IBM, Sublett was National Instruments’s (NI) Portfolio Business unit’s EVP, CMO, and GM.

• And pre-NI, she became CMO of Rackspace after spending 16 years at Dell in multiple roles, including CMO of Latin America.
• At IBM, she’ll oversee all global marketing, brand initiatives, and client feedback.

Why it matters: Did we say CMO enough times just now? Sublett is not only an experienced marketing exec, but an experienced B2B tech marketer. 

It's also worth noting that she’s one of relatively few Latinx CMOs in the industry—the percentage of Hispanic and Latinx CMOs “slipped from 5% in 2018 to 4% last year and 4% this year,” per a 2020 ANA survey cited by Marketing Dive in November. 

AGENCIES

TikTok Makes WPP’s Heart Tick

TikTok continued its quest to become a late but great social media advertising platform this week, entering a “first of its kind” global partnership with WPP. 

What’s in it for WPP: Let’s just say if WPP weren’t WFH, its TikTok team would be popping champagne on the rooftop right now. Because of this partnership, WPP now has an exclusive opportunity to offer clients… 

• Early access to any and all developing TikTok ad products
• Exclusive access to the TikTok influencers who shape platform trends
• And access to customized TikTok training and certification programs. 

And for TikTok: The WPP partnership could set TikTok’s ad business up for even faster growth.

• WPP will produce creator-focused TikTok applications so brands can learn more about specific TikTok influencers and “more easily connect with diverse voices,” per Marketing Dive. 
• The holding group will also take steps to increase TikTok brand safety and ad verification controls. 

My takeaway: Although the wins seem more obvious for WPP than TikTok, having a major global holding company on board should make TikTok a more competitive ad platform. 

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AD TECH

Hey Hey IDFA, How Much Did You Bug Facebook Today?

Last week, Apple announced its proposed Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) changes will go in effect “early this spring.” So it was only a matter of time before Facebook fired back. 

• Because Apple’s IDFA alterations allow iPhone users to more easily opt out of in-app tracking, Facebook announced plans to launch a counter-prompt encouraging users to continue letting the social giant access their data. 

Some backstory: Apple thinks its IDFA—a device-specific ID that most mobile marketers use—is not only too invasive, but also mostly beneficial to big companies that rhyme with Pacebook. 

• Facebook historically hasn’t been cool with Apple’s plans—like, “took out full-page newspaper ads opposing the changes” not cool. 
• Additionally, FB has argued small businesses will suffer the most under the changes, but it obviously spells trouble for the platform itself, too. Some analysts estimate FB’s revenue could drop by 7% when Apple presses "Go." 

Zoom out: “Facebook will keep trying everything in its power to fight this change by suing Apple and optimizing the platform pop-up to the last percentage point, but will not succeed,” Steffen Schebesta, CEO of SMB digital marketing company Sendinblue, told Marketing Brew. 

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING

• Robinhood decided that it hasn’t been in the spotlight enough recently, so it’s airing a Super Bowl commercial. 
• Publicis will reimburse all the voluntary salary cuts its leaders made in 2020, due to the pandemic’s economic impact.
• Snapchat published new insights regarding its user engagement during the Super Bowl.
• Amazon’s ad business reported major growth as Jeff Bezos retires his CEO title.

SPONSORED BY ASANA

Nothing to see here...now that our boss isn’t reading, we have to tell you something. We have way too many unnecessary meetings on our calendars. And it turns out that knowledge workers have spent 70% more time in unnecessary meetings since 2019! We learned that in Asana’s “Anatomy of Work 2021” report. While we have some words with our boss, you should read the report here.

ADWEEK OR ADWEAK?

Which headlines are real marketing news, and which one is satirical à la Twitter account ADWEAK?

1. Super Bowl LV Will See Commercial for the First Civilian Space Mission
2. Dunkin' Offers Drive-Thru Weddings for Valentine's Day
3. Dixie Cups Rebrands to Trixie Cups After Backlash 
4. GameStop Redditors Start Spreading Their Gospel Via OOH

Keep scrolling for the answer.

FRENCH PRESS

Marketing tips to make you fancy

Social media: Whether you work in the DTC space or are just interested in the sector’s #SocialSuccess, read these seven social media marketing lessons from D2C brands. 

Super Bowl: A Marketing Brew reader built a search engine to find every Super Bowl commercial ever aired, and I couldn’t help but share it with you.

SEO: A year into this Covid-19 nightmare, check out the most popular pandemic-era Google searches.

CRM: Marketing automation software like HubSpot’s Marketing Hub helps you create and deliver personalized experiences and brings the power of CRM data to the center of everything you do.*

*This is sponsored advertising content

ADWEEK OR ADWEAK? ANSWER

As far as I know, unlike the band formerly known as The Dixie Chicks, Dixie Cups are keeping the Dixie brand name.

ICYMI

Catch up on a few Marketing Brew stories you might have missed.

• Super Bowl LV’s newest advertisers: What to expect from the first timers
• Facebook plans “topic exclusion” tools for newsfeed brand safety
• What your target audience will snack on during the Big Game