What you need to know in advertising today
BuzzFeed News is asking readers to donate to the news outlet to support its journalism. Specifically:
- For $5 a month, readers can get access to exclusive newsletters with some of the publisher's biggest scoops as well as behind-the-scenes content.
- And for $100 a year up front, they can receive all of the above and a limited edition BuzzFeed News tote bag, along with other merchandise down the road.
The membership program comes on the heels of a pilot program kickstarted in late August, when the company started working with Google to test contributions directly from its audience to gauge readers' willingness to pay to support its stories.
It also marks BuzzFeed's latest move in its ongoing bid to continue to diversify its revenue streams.
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In related news:
Jonah Peretti, the chief executive of BuzzFeed, told The New York Times that his company could eventually merge with other online publishers to negotiate better terms with tech platforms like Facebook. Initial preliminary discussions involving a few companies reportedly have already taken place.
In other news:
Bank of America's CMO breaks down its new rebrand, including its biggest logo change in 20 years. The refresh is centered around the tagline "What would you like the power to do?" and is the latest example of brands touting their purpose in recent campaigns.
'We outperform all of them': Roku is readying itself for competition from the likes of Amazon and Comcast as the streaming war heats up. Roku is commonly seen as the leading aggregator of OTT content, but other content distributors, like Comcast, have shown interest in offering similar services.
'Your show may be a "fantasy" but we live in reality': Lingerie startup ThirdLove slams Victoria's Secret exec in a full-page New York Times ad. This isn't the first time ThirdLove and its CEO Heidi Zak openly criticized Victoria's Secret. In the run-up to Victoria's Secret's annual fashion show, ThirdLove set up an online petition asking shoppers to boycott the show.
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