PUBLISHERS

And HubSpot’s Blog Grew Three Sizes That Day…

HubSpot, the marketing tool stack I’m 99% sure most of you have used before, now owns a business newsletter company that promises to make you smarter in five minutes. 

No, not Morning Brew—why would you think that? It’s called The Hustle, and HubSpot is pretty thrilled about it. 

• Axios reported that the deal is valued at $27 million, though some shareholders have disputed that number’s accuracy.

If you currently use HubSpot and are now freaking out about your CRM tool shapeshifting into a newsletter before your eyes, not to worry. HubSpot CMO Kipp Bodnar told us the acquisition won't change anything about the HubSpot product—read on for more details from our interview. 

On competitors following suit

KB: “I think you're going to see a convergence of technology companies and media companies. Most media companies are trying to build software and technology as part of their offering. Most really great technology companies are trying to educate and inform their audience. So I would certainly expect that you're going to see [a convergence] across the space—specifically, the SaaS landscape—over the next couple of years.”

“That being said, there's only a very limited number of really awesome media companies out there. So it's not going to be a daily thing, but based on what you're seeing in the market, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few months from now we saw a similar deal happen.”

On industry-wide reverberations 

KB: “I think we're at the early stage of seeing the next transition of marketing and media converging. Right now, marketers think about marketing channels versus media channels and media operations. And I think more marketers will [begin to] understand that it's not just about marketing channels.”

“It's not just about product marketing [and] email. It's about telling really effective education and industry stories through a whole variety of channels. Marketers are going to think more like media companies.”

My takeaway: Although the HubSpot platform itself might not change as a result of The Hustle acquisition, the deal illustrates an industry-wide shift as marketers go from being channel-oriented to media-oriented. 

AD TECH

The Latest Third-Party Cookie Exit Strategy Is…

From Google and Kantar, of course. On Wednesday, Google officially joined Kantar’s Project Moonshot—a coalition of companies working to find a transparent (and privacy law-compliant) way of measuring ad performance after the third-party cookie monster comes through.

• “All of the largest publishers and platforms” are participating in Project Moonshot, Stephen DiMarco, chief digital officer at Kantar, told MediaPost.
• DiMarco said 100+ companies participate now, and 300+ will by December.
• Google was the missing puzzle piece to Kantar’s third-party cookie solution task force.

How the magic happens: Currently, Kantar’s Brand Lift Insights tool handles the campaign effectiveness measurements for Project Moonshot, with more than 25,000 digital campaigns as references. But Google Ads Data Hub will add more comprehensive measurements and insights to the Moonshot via Google ad platforms like YouTube, Google Ads, and Display & Video 360.

Bottom line: “Advertisers prefer cross-publisher ad effectiveness measurement,” said Kantar's global head of advertising effectiveness Jane Ostler, per Ad Age. “Today’s announcement is a further giant step in that direction.”

SPONSORED BY ORACLE NETSUITE

Your Customers Have Expectations

Your customers expect an e-commerce BLT: convenient omnichannel experience in Buying, fuLfillment, and reTurns. As a merchant, it’s on you to bring them that tricky dish on the fly. 

But...how? We humble newsletter writers aren’t sure—sandwiches are more our forte—but our wise pals at Oracle NetSuite served it up on a panini. This white paper outlines how you can: 

• Centralize order management to keep customers munching happily on your wares 
• Gain inventory visibility to avoid major costs and failing those customer cravings 
• Coordinate fulfillment locations so the process is creamy peanut butter-smooth 

It’s possible that we wrote this ad while a little peckish. Point is, Oracle NetSuite’s white paper is a delicious, insightful three-course meal. Sink your teeth into it here. 

EVENTS

It’s Another Virtual...Wait for it...Ad Industry Event

Cannes Lions: Allegedly happening in person. 

Virtual CES: Deemed “a snooze” by many a Zoom-fatigued ad maven.

NBCUniversal: Just decided it’s a great time to launch a major virtual ad event!

What happened: NBCU recently announced a new advertiser conference called ONE21, happening this March. 

• The ONE21 name stems from NBCUniversal’s advertising platform for TV distribution and measurement solutions, called One Platform. 
• Ideally, ONE21 will introduce developers to how the customizable platform works. 

So...is it an upfront? “It’s not. This is not an upfront,” Josh Feldman, CMO of NBCU’s advertising and partnerships division, told AdExchanger. Feldman explained that while inventory won’t be reserved at ONE21, NBCU will provide programming updates later this year.

Big picture: Some experts are less concerned with the virtual aspect of ONE21 and more interested in its lasting legacy. 

• “The fact that ONE21 exists at all underscores how the worlds of traditional broadcast and digital advertising continue to merge,” wrote Ryan Joe for AdExchanger. 
• “It also demonstrates how in this new world, NBCU is dead set on maintaining control of how its inventory is bought and sold.” 

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING

• Publicis Groupe Marketing Services tapped Tim Jones as US COO. Dave Penski will succeed him as CEO, Publicis Media Americas.
• Snap said its TikTok clone has 100 million monthly users already. 
• Walgreens Boots Alliance’s former CMO, Vineet Mehra, is now grocery startup Good Eggs’s chief growth and customer experience officer.
• Walmart acquired the tech and IP behind ad tech solution Thunder to further build its self-serve display ad platform.
• Twitter quietly removed its ad transparency center last month, and people are just now starting to notice.

SPONSORED BY ASANA

Don’t let burnout bring you down. Almost 89% of US workers are experiencing burnout. (Yikes!) But there’s a way out: Asana’s report on global work practices has the insights your team needs to tackle burnout, reclaim your productivity, and thrive in the year ahead. Download Asana’s full report here.

FRENCH PRESS

Marketing tips to make you fancy

Chatbots: This infographic provides a solid list of pros and cons about using chatbots in your marketing strategy.  

Influencer marketing: Later asked four Black marketers to share their thoughts on the state of diversity in the influencer marketing space. 

SEO: If your kind of party trick is an SEO party trick, find out how to optimize URLs for search here. Also, RIP parties. 

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

METRICS & MEDIA

Stat: Although it might seem like the internet is covered in Super Bowl commercial teaser videos, there are actually 73% fewer teasers for Super Bowl 2021 than there were last year.   

Quote: “This year, African Americans don't need a sales pitch or heartwarming social media posts. They need brands to serve as advocates that join their cries and pleas, not only during Black History Month but year-round.”—Christine Alexis for Inc. on what consumers want from Black History Month 2021.

Read: This “deep dive” piece from Marketing Dive about how the Super Bowl's “status as marketing bellwether diminished” as brands played it safe this year.

ICYMI

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

• Everlane and IBM appointed new CMOs
• What you need to know about TikTok and WPP’s new partnership
• Facebook’s new prompt: The Apple IDFA feud continues