www.cablespots.net Published Daily For Subscriptions, call 1-888-884-2630 [email protected] $300 Per Year Copyright 2017 Tuesday, October 24, 2017 GOOGLE’S TV ASPIRATIONS ARE HUGE NEW ‘STAR TREK’ IS MAJOR TEST ADVERTISER NEWS “Google wants to own the future of TV ad infrastructure,” Target’s holiday push will start on November 1, and declares the headline of a Business Insider story. But Advertising Age reports the retailer will be looking to whether it will succeed remains to be seen. The article notes reach a broader audience this year. The chain focused that Google has attempted to “wedge its way into TV” several its holiday messages largely on Hispanics and families times over the past decade—“with very mixed results.” with kids last year, and its Chief Marketing Officer now The latest attempt is highlighted by Google’s new says, “We feel we left a lot of sales on the table last year… partnership with CBS to handle on-the-fly digital ad insertion This is an opportunity to evolve the conversation to be for Star Trek: Discovery, the new anchor series more inclusive.” Target spent $148.3 million for CBS All Access. “The CBS partnership is in measured media last November-December big for us,” Rany Ng, Google’s Director of according to Kantar Media and is expected Product Management told Business Insider. to increase the budget this year by mid-single Indeed, the story noted, the Internet search digits……Sears got another loan from its CEO’s and digital advertising giant is trying to displace investment fund, the second one during October. another giant, Comcast Corporation, whose This one is for $40 million (the first was $100 Freewheel is the current leader in delivering million), and is secured by 66 properties held by ads to people streaming TV shows online. “The the chain. The loans carry an 11% annual interest rate…… stakes are high, as Google would love to get a slice of the While speculation grows about a possible merger of $72 billion U.S. TV ad market.” T-Mobile and Sprint, the former posted a very strong third But that is just one Google initiative aimed at the television quarter with $550 million net income compared to $336 in industry. Just a few days ago Ng announced a series of the same quarter last year. T-Mobile also said it added TV-related moves at Google’s Partnership Leadership 1.3 million customers during the quarter, but avoided any Summit 2017. “I believe that the future of TV is one that’s discussion of a possible merger in the quarterly report. smarter—that brings together the TV content you love with The quarter was seen as a quiet one for the industry, with the seamless experience of digital—on every screen or little new phone activity driving sales……Skechers had surface,” Ng wrote in a company blog post. a strong third quarter, with domestic comp store sales up As Google prepares to convince TV companies that they 3.1% (despite, it notes, some temporary store closings in should embrace the Internet ad giant, Ng says Google’s Texas and Florida). It’s planning to open an additional video platform has been rebuilt from the ground up in recent 12-15 company-owned stores in the current quarter…… years. “We knew that TV was a very different experience On the downside, The New York Post reports Fashion from the web and we knew that broadcasters had different to Figure, a 26-store chain specializing in plus-size challenges, infrastructure, distribution partners and content apparel, will close almost half its stores after the holiday from web publishers,” said Ng. And she notes that in just season, with diminishing mall traffic said to be the primary the past couple of years Google has seen a four-times reason. “We rolled out mall stores at a time when the increase in ad impressions delivered by its DoubleClick world was changing,” the chain’s CEO told the paper…… Dynamic Ad Insertion product. “We’re also bringing new While noting “significantly cooler weather than a year updates to a key feature of our platform—smarter TV ad ago and the near term disruptions from the hurricanes,” breaks,” Ng announced. “For example, a ninety second Lennox International was still able to deliver record third ad break can now be filled by two 15-second and two quarter revenue and profit, coming from both residential 30-second ads or one 15-second, one 60-second and two and commercial business. The Residential Heating & 6-second bumper ads depending on what will bring in the Cooling business segment was up 3% and the company most revenue,” she explained. noted higher volume, favorable price and engineering-led Google also claims it can help better monetize content cost reductions. The company was founded over 100 by understanding the audience with TV Content Explorer, years ago by Dave Lennox, made famous in commercials coming in beta later this year. Already in beta are new many years after his death……Here are a couple of small forecasting and pacing models, which Ng says will make restaurant chains looking to become bigger restaurant better use of data to predict inventory volumes across a chains: One year old Florida-based Hank and Harry’s “multitude” of devices for TV content. And Google is starting is launching a nationwide expansion push for its upscale limited tests to help partners package digital inventory more fast casual deli concept. And in the pizza segment, San like the way ads are bought and sold. Diego-based Flippin’ Pizza NY Pies & Slices currently “TV is here to stay because there’s no such thing as too has commitments for 25 new locations in Texas, Georgia, much good content,” concluded Ng. “By bringing everything and California and says it’s now “scaled for rapid growth.” that’s good about digital to TV, we’re only making it unstoppable.” CABLENET CHATTER BUSINESS BYTES Mayans MC, the spinoff of Sons of Anarchy on FX, will AT&T made a filing with the Securities and Exchange begin production next week in Los Angeles. The action Commission in which it said the termination date of its drama from co-creator Kurt Sutter has undergone several planned deal to buy Time Warner has been extended changes including the recasting of several key characters. “for a short period of time.” The deal, which had been Among the new group of actors in the pilot is real-life Army announced about a year ago, had set October 22 as a Ranger turned actor Vincent “Rocco” Vargas (Range 15, termination date, but the two companies have yet to win Not a War Story) as the good-natured MMA fighter Gilberto government approval for their proposed marriage. “Gilly” Lopez. His character rides for the Santo Padre Chapter of the Mayans. Vargas joins JD Pardo, Edward TOYOTA, LEXUS LEAD ON RELIABILITY James Olmos and Michael Irby in the cast. The pilot is set The Japanese sibling pair Toyota and Lexus led the in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of Sons of Consumer Reports rankings for reliability for the fifth Anarchy’s seventh season……American straight year, but there was a lot of Heroes Channel and People Magazine movement below the top with some have partnered with the Welles Remy manufacturers scoring better and others to present in the downward column. Automotive Crowther Charitable Trust I love autumn in L.A., when the to Red Bandanna Hero Award the leaves change on my News reports that generally Fiat retired Navy Seal Lieutenant Jason screensaver photos. Chrysler made some gains (especially “Jay” Redman. Redman is the founder for the Chrysler brand), while General of the Combat Wounded Coalition, a non- Motors tumbled (Chevrolet, Cadillac profit based in Virginia Beach, VA that is and GMC were all in the bottom ten) and dedicated to inspiring combat-wounded Ford was up slightly. (GM’s luxury brand veterans overcome adversity. The award Conan O’Brien Cadillac was actually in last place of 27 is in memory of Welles Remy Crowther, brands). Tesla rose four spots to number a 9/11 hero also known as The Man in 21. Consumer Reports said it found the Red Bandana. AHC will air a special entitled 9/11 Hero: “growing pains” among manufacturers with their new and The Red Bandanna Legacy, that will also highlight three updated models, with some engines, transmissions, and Red Bandanna Heroes, on Saturday, October 28th, at 10 especially the infotainment systems producing problems. PM (ET)……The all-new cast has been revealed for BBC’s CR’s director of automotive testing said, “These new long-running series Doctor Who. The new season will be technologies can add features and improve fuel economy, highlighted by the appearance of Jodie Whittaker, the first but are prone to have more issues. More often than not, female to play the lead character of The Doctor. Whittaker our data suggests it’s prudent for consumer to wait for the will be the 13th Time Lord, taking over the role from Peter technology to mature.” Capaldi. Capaldi will officially depart the series following In the heavily-advertised auto insurance category, the the Doctor Who Christmas Special airing during the vast majority of the commercials running pin their appeal holiday season. Whittaker will be joined by Bradley Walsh, to price, with relatively little said about processing claims Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill and Sharon D. Clarke. The next if the insured driver does have an accident. While most season of Doctor Who debuts with an hour-long episode (not all) of the biggest TV advertisers in the category on BBC America in the fall of 2018……CNN is launching a score above the industry average in the new J.D. Power new branding campaign to push back against the portrayal study of consumer claims satisfaction, some much smaller by critics and members of the Trump administration companies do very well in handling their customers’ that claims the cable news network dispenses made-up claims. New technology such as digital appraisal and stories to their viewers. The network will use the slogan status updates are factors in creating satisfaction, but claim Facts First in the new promotional campaign. “CNN has servicing is by far the top driver of satisfaction. Amica never been more relevant than we are now,” says Allison Mutual leads the study with 901 points on Power’s usual Gollust, CNN Worldwide’s executive vice president and 1,000-point scale, with Auto-Owners Insurance second chief marketing officer. She went on to say in an interview, (892) and Erie Insurance third (881). Among the many TV “There’s a conversation happening around journalism and advertisers in the study, The Hartford scored 878, GEICO media and the First Amendment. It’s happening right now. 870, State Farm 865, Allstate 864 and Nationwide 863, We felt compelled to participate in that conversation with a all above the industry average of 858. Esurance was brand campaign that reminds people who we are and what below the average at 854, and Flo will not be happy with we do and why we do it”…Emmy Award winner RuPaul a below-average 853 for Progressive. MetLife was at announced the contestants for the upcoming third season 850, Farmers at 849, and Liberty Mutual scored just 841. of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars last week. Returning will Safeco was at the very bottom with an 820 score. “U.S. be Aja, BenDeLaCreme, Chi Chi DeVayne, Kennedy auto insurers have invested heavily in technology that will Davenport, Milk, Morgan McMichaels, Shangela, help them gain efficiencies in claims handling, but there Thorgy Thor, and Trixie Mattel. Michael Visage, Carson are still certain areas of the claims process where the Kressley, and Ross Mathews will judge the competition human touch is proving difficult to replace,” Power’s David along with RuPaul. The third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Pieffer said. “As insurers continue down this path, it will All-Stars debuts on VH1 this winter. be critical that communication with their customers is not negatively affected.”

PAGE 2 www.CableSpots.net Tuesday, October 24, 2017