We pulled together some of the most interesting articles we’ve read recently–and included the quotes that got us talking most.
Animal Planet and Pedigree Add VR and Branded Content to This Year’s Puppy Bowl
Source: AdWeek
The biggest game in adoption just got bigger with the addition of ten new sponsors and sought after technology. For the first time, the Puppy Bowl, an annual telecast featuring adoptable puppies playing football, is providing viewers with a “pup’s-eye view” using VR technology on a cute puppy named Buttons. Jason Goldberg from Discovery Communications said that VR “has been a corporate priority for [them]” and “was a good fit with Pedigree, which has been sponsoring the Puppy Bowl for 12 years straight and was looking to ‘reinvigorate’ its involvement.” The use of this technology is very timely as many brands look to utilize it in a way that suits their audience. Pedigree and Animal Planet released promos for the event on their social channels, which are a great way to get the daily recommended dose of cuteness.
Snapchat Discover Takes a Hard Line on Misleading and Explicit Images
Source: New York Times
For those of you who tune in to Snapchat rather than your nightly news, you can expect less risqué photos and more trigger warners. After accusations of publishing fake, misleading and risqué news, Snapchat Discover is cracking down on its publisher guidelines. According to Rachel Racusen, Snapchat spokeswoman, the changes aim to “empower our editorial partners to do their part to keep Snapchat an informative, factual and safe environment for everyone.” In addition, Snapchat announced a tool for publishers that will allow them to “age-gate content, or stop minors from seeing some content all together.” Snapchat reported 100 million users viewing content on Discover each month, which consist primarily of teenagers or 20-somethings.
Super Bowl or Trump Bowl?
Source: AdAge
TV’s biggest event of the year, Super Bowl LI, is set to take place just two weeks after the presidential inauguration. With that, it is likely that some advertisers address politics head on while others steer clear of the topic altogether. You may have heard that 84 Lumber, a family owned construction supplies company, secured a 90-second spot from Fox. However, Fox turned down their ad for being too political. The spot by Brunner featured the wall promised to voters by Trump and was accepted after the wall was edited out. Meanwhile, other brands like Bud Light and Mercedes-Benz are keeping politics on the sidelines. The political landscape colliding with the biggest event in TV provides advertisers with quite the decision to make: to align the brand with a side or not.