The 10 things in advertising you need to know today
1. UK mobile carrier O2 is in the "well advanced" stages of looking at technologies to block mobile ads. The UK's second biggest carrier has been testing technologies such as network-level ad blocking, apps, browser extensions, and working with the industry to raise mobile advertising quality standards.
2. E-commerce startup Jet has raised another $350 million. It has raised $570 million since its launch last year, and has a $1 billion valuation.
3. Netflix is so secretive even its directors don't know how many people are watching their shows. The director of Netflix's first original movie "Beasts of No Nation" said there's a strict policy of silence around viewership and he had to accost the company's head of content Ted Sarandos and keep naming numbers until he finally nodded to get some answers.
4. Google research reveals you should really start your Black Friday shopping at 6 a.m. Along with releasing shopping data, Google also announced advertisers will be able to see which search keywords drove the most actual physical store visits.
5. Target has expanded its LED customer tracking to 100 stores. It has been testing beacons installed in LED light bulbs that sync to its Android app to track and guide shoppers through a select number of stores.
6. Urban Outfitters is getting into the restaurant business. Here's what it's like to eat there.
7. Coca-Cola's chief science officer has stepped down following the outcry over the company's funding for an anti-obesity group. Rhona Applebaum was involved in Coca-Cola's funding of the Global Energy Balance Network, a group that claims exercise, rather than cutting calories, is the key to maintaining a healthy weight.
8. YouTube's kids app is facing complaints about showing ads for "junk food," The New York Times reports. Two consumer advocacy groups have filed complaints to the Federal Trade Commission that argue the ads are deceptive.
9. Amazon has pulled its "Nazi-like" "Man in the High Castle" ads from New York subways. The decision was made as Mayor Bill de Blasio made a statement asking Amazon to remove the promotion, which saw it wrap some subway cars with images of the US flag with a German imperial eagle and iron crosses on one side and Japanese rising sun flags on the other.
10. The Justice Department is investigating whether Comcast's business practices in the "spot" cable ad sales market violates federal antitrust law, The Wall Street Journal reports. The probe is focused on "monopolization or attempted monopolization" of the cable ad sales business and whether its ad deals with pay-TV rivals are "an unlawful restraint of trade," according to the report.