The 10 things in advertising you need to know today
1. US advertising trade bodies, The 4As and the ANA, have created a cross-industry task force to tackle recent concerns about media transparency. The task force comprises agency and brand executives, including Procter & Gamble's chief brand officer Mark Pritchard, and Omnicom Media Group chairman and chief executive Daryl Simm.
2. Facebook's top product person has displaced the top sales person in the company's ranking of its highest paid executives. Chris Cox, Facebook's chief product officer took the spot of David Fischer, Facebook's VP of business and marketing partnerships.
3. A luxury fitness chain with an insanely loyal following is taking over the industry. Equinox has managed to create an air of exclusivity while also appealing to the masses.
4. Google insiders spoke to Business Insider about why Google+ failed. The main problem with Google+, one former Googler says, is the company tried to make it too much like Facebook.
5. Abercrombie & Fitch says it will ditch its "sexualized marketing." The retail chain says it will stop using photos of half-naked men and shirtless models at events.
6. Adobe gives all its employees a $1,000 gift card with basically no strings attached. It's part of an initiative called "Kickbox," which it hopes will encourage employees to develop innovative ideas.
7. The Comcast/Time Warner merger was officially called off on Friday. The deal would have created the biggest cable company in the US.
8. Diet Pepsi is getting rid of one of its cornerstone ingredients in a desperate attempt to sell more soda. Pepsi is removing aspartame from the Diet Pepsi range.
9. Here's how much each "Mad Men" character's dwelling cost then and now. Peggy would have stood to make the most if she held on to her property into old age.
10. Jay Z says his new music streaming service is doing "just fine." The rapper took to Twitter to dismiss recent rumors about Tidal's downfall.