The 10 things in advertising you need to know today
1. In just two years, Instagram could surpass Google and Twitter in terms of mobile ad revenue. That's according to eMarketer, which has released its first ever revenue estimates for Instagram.
2. Here's what people are saying it's like to work with Snapchat right now. We spoke to advertising executives about what it's been like working with Snapchat, which is currently trying to poach top-level sales staff from the likes of Twitter and News Corp.
3. Former MySpace CEO Chris DeWolfe has shared the mistakes he won't be repeating at his new startup. DeWolfe's latest act is a mobile gaming company called SGN that he founded in 2010 along with fellow MySpace alum Aber Whitcomb (former MySpace CTO) and Josh Yguado (a former Fox executive who worked on the MySpace/Fox transaction.)
4. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said the company is growing because it invested in technology, rather than digital ads. The company has turned digital payments into a key revenue source.
5. McDonald's uncovered a secret in France that could solve its problems in America. Self-service kiosks are used by around 40% of McDonald's customers in France during busy hours.
6. Gawker is set to relaunch today. It may even change its name.
7. Publishing company Pearson has confirmed it is in discussions to sell its 50% stake in the Economist Group, Politico first reported. The confirmation comes days after Pearson sold The Financial Times to Nikkei for £844 million ($1.3 billion.)
8. Showtime has canceled its advertising-themed comedy "Happyish," Adweek reports. The series, starring Steve Coogan, didn't make a dent in the ratings and won't be renewed for a second season.
9. Dentsu and WPP were the most acquisitive companies in the digital, media, marketing, and tech sectors in the first six months of this year, The Wall Street Journal's CMO Today reports. That's according to a new report from corporate finance advisory firm Ciesco.
10. San Francisco-based ad agency Mekanism has acquired branded content company Epic Signal. Mekanism spent "several million" on the acquisition, according to Adweek.