S T U D I O 1 2 : Shot: Gin. Chaser: Mobile Phone

Shot: Gin. Chaser: Mobile Phone

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First Things First

November 26, 2019

By Kimeko McCoy

Ryan Reynolds Purchases Ownership Stake in Mint Mobile

Dry-humored movie star, owner of a gin company, family man and advertising genius. Is there anything Ryan Reynolds can't do? He's adding another title to his resume after purchasing a majority stake in Mint Mobile, because what pairs better with dry humor and gin than budget phone service? Reynolds admits the move is unconventional, but the company sees itself as a disruptor of the mobile network carrier industry. So maybe it's a match made in heaven.

Fox Sells Out Super Bowl In-Game Inventory, Fastest Market in 9 Years

Just 11 days ago, Fox said that 78% of the Super Bowl was already 78% sold out. Now, there's no more inventory left. Earlier this year, CBS didn't sell out of Super Bowl LIII inventory until hours before kickoff. In 2018, NBC said it had finished sales two days before the game. For brands who wanted to get into the game, all is not entirely lost. Pre- and post-game spots are still up for grabs.

The Role of the CMO Hasn't Changed, but the Way It's Carried Out Has

It's becoming a regular part of the news cycle to hear of brands forgoing the CMO role. But as more brands eliminate the position, is it the end of an era or just an adjustment period? We posed the question to several high-level CMOs that left their posts and were not replaced. The common answer: The role of CMO hasn't changed, but the way it's carried out has. What does today's CMO look like?

Read more: What it means to be a CMO today.

Cable News Readies for 2020 Presidential Election Ratings Bump

Fox News, CNN and MSNBC cashed in during the 2016 elections. It propelled all three cable news networks to what, at the time, was each of their most watched years ever in prime-time total viewers, but can they recreate the magic? That's what the cable news networks are betting on as we get closer and closer to the 2020 presidential election. One thing the networks agree on is that there's a passionate electorate hungry for information. Where they differ is how to best reach them. Another thing to consider: How do they keep the momentum post-elections?

You Can Thank Prohibition for Martinelli's Sparkling Cider

While Prohibition may have decimated many businesses across the nation, one company managed to save itself with a little forward thinking. Martinelli's, the sparkling cider brand you can expect to see at your holiday parties every year, turned to virgin champagne and created what is now the No. 1 brand of nonalcoholic fizz in America. What's more is as Americans continue to drink less alcohol, they're turning to brands like Martinelli's.

Best of the Rest: Today's Top News and Insights

Ad of the Day: In Apple's Poignant Holiday Ad, an iPad Offers a Family Far More Than Distraction

When it comes to ads about holiday travel, most skip past all the messy and frustrating bits, jumping instead right to the perfectly inviting family home waiting at the other end of the journey.

Apple takes a different—and far more realistic—approach in its 2019 holiday ad, "The Surprise."

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What are you thankful for in your professional life?

Diego de la Maza, evp, head of production, Deutsch LA

I'm thankful for working in an industry where it's OK to fail. Surgeons and firefighters have no margin for error, but failing is almost encouraged in advertising. The only way you can make truly creative work is by trying things that haven't been done before.

Lindsey Seyman, managing partner, Fancy NYC

I'm thankful to have joined an agency that puts what matters to women front and center, especially because my work now has the unique ability to make my husband (and kids and friends and parents) blush.

Jim Misener, principal and president, 50,000feet

Of the few possessions that I have seemed to keep throughout the years, one of the most valuable is a hand-drawn note that a member of our team gave me. On it, written in big letters is the word Gratitude. It's the simplest gesture that reminds me to be thankful for all of the gifts that I have been given, which is truly one of life's most precious gifts in and of itself. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.