As COVID-19 lockdowns continue to restrict in-person production, advertisers are increasingly turning to digital technologies to produce new creative assets. Recently, there has been increased interest in using “deepfake” technologies to repurpose archival footage.  A “deepfake” is essentially a video or audio that has been manipulated in a way that is undetectable to people viewing or listening, resulting in a piece of media that appears authentic.
Continue Reading “Deepfake” Technology: Very Real Marketing Value … and Risks

Around 311 million people in the United States—roughly nine out of ten Americans—are under instructions to “Stay Home!”

These captive audiences have resulted in a 17% increase in TV viewership across all demographics.  Indeed, adults aged 18-34—a demographic that has been increasingly difficult for advertisers to reach on ad-supported television—spent 83 million more hours watching TV during the first week of the lockdown as compared to the last week in February.
Continue Reading How the COVID-19 Lockdown will Disrupt the Upfront TV Ad Market

On Wednesday, amid growing concern over the spread of  Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19” or “coronavirus”), the Italian government announced that all sporting events in Italy will resume.  The catch?  They will all take place behind closed doors—no spectators will be allowed to attend for at least the next month.

Italy, as the epicenter of Europe’s coronavirus outbreak, previously undertook drastic measures to slow the virus’ spread—closing all schools in the country, cancelling sporting events, and instituting bans on other public gatherings across the country.

While the epidemic has not yet reached similar proportions in the US, the virus’ spread has also not shown any sign of slowing down.  Could similar measures be taken in the US?  If so, what does this mean for event organizers and brand sponsors?

Brands pay big bucks—in some cases hundreds of millions of dollars—to sponsor high profile sporting, entertainment, and cultural events. What are the repercussions if event organizers are forced to cancel sponsored events because of the coronavirus outbreak?  Does the analysis change if the events go on as scheduled, but spectators are banned from attending?

force majeure; CVOID 19; Coronavirus
Continue Reading Coronavirus: Are Spectator Bans the Worst Case Scenario for Brand Sponsors?

With the continuing spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19” or “coronavirus”), retailers are sure to face a number of issues that they can and should prepare for. The primary issues facing retailers will likely be supply chain issues, covered here (The Impact of Coronavirus on Supply Chain), and employment issues, covered here (What Employers Need to Know to Prepare for Coronavirus). This post addresses certain pricing and advertising issues that may also arise as a result of the spread of coronavirus.
Continue Reading Coronavirus And The Retail Industry: Pricing and Advertising Issues