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sales@spotsndots.com Copyright 2019.The Daily News of TV Sales Monday, December 9, 2019

DOORDASH, WHITE CLAW TAKE TOP HONORS When it comes to the fastest-growing brands of this year, it was a year dominated by the kings of food delivery, plant-based meats and hard seltzer, Yahoo Finance reports. Food delivery leader DoorDash and hard seltzer giant White Claw topped the list of a new ranking of the brands making the largest strides in purchasing consideration, according to market research firm Morning Consult. Both brands beat out thousands of others to show the largest jump in the share of consumers who said they would consider purchasing from a brand over the course of 2019. Fellow food delivery company Postmates, plant-based meat startup Impossible Foods and the PayPal-owned payment company Venmo rounded out the list of brands making the largest strides this year. In total, 11 of the top 20 spots were earned by food brands and delivery services. For DoorDash, the SoftBank-backed food delivery company founded in 2013, it’s been a year of success and stealing market share from competitors like Grubhub to become the market leader. The company has funded most of that growth by raising an impressive sum — even by today’s standards — attracting more than $2 billion from investors in its relatively short rise to become the top delivery app. Much like DoorDash, the Mark Anthony Brands subsidiary White Claw has risen to prominence despite increased competition from the likes of Boston Beer Company’s Truly hard seltzer. A survey by Bank of America Merrill Lynch revealed that White Claw was able to edge out Truly in terms of preferred brands among younger drinkers by about a 20 percent margin. Truly has since invested heavily in revamping its flavors with a new and improved formulation. Both brands enjoyed a strong preference among younger consumers, including Gen Zers and millennials, to top the list, according to Morning Consult. In the case of Impossible Foods, its name became more recognizable after the company inked a deal in April with fast-food chain Burger King, getting on the menu boards in thousands of its locations. Among all adults, the percentage who say they’re inclined to buy the company’s plant-based burger increased from 8 percent in September 2018 to 15 percent in September 2019, with an outsized amount of interest from people earning more than $100,000 per year. One notable company that was named in the same report as boasting the largest gain in brand awareness in 2018, vaping company Juul Labs, did not make the list for the fastest-growing brands due to negative headlines. From health concerns associated with vaping, to negative press associated with lawsuits and investigations into Juul’s marketing practices that allegedly targeted teenage consumers, Juul did not positively benefit from added brand awareness in the same way as its counterparts did.

FOOD BRANDS, DELIVERY RULE FASTEST-GROWING LISTADVERTISER NEWS Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Stefano Pessina says partnerships remain the most cost-effective way for the global drugstore chain to remain competitive and grow in the future. Forbes reports that Walgreens currently has pilot projects and tests in place with companies like Kroger, Microsoft and primary care providers like Humana’s Partners in Primary Care and VillageMD, a developer of primary care clinics... As Aldi climbs toward its goal of

having 2,500 stores by 2022 — which would make it the third-largest grocer in the U.S. by store count — converts are putting aside old perceptions of the brand and embracing the no-frills ethos that allows Aldi to sell quality products for cheap, the Chicago Tribune

reports. Though behemoths like Walmart and Kroger dominate the market, analysts say the companies are watching their backs as the German-born chain reshapes expectations of the shopping experience. Known for cost-saving measures such as requiring customers to bag their own groceries and pay a quarter deposit to access a grocery cart, Aldi says its customer base has swelled as it modernizes its digs and broadens its selection to include items like fresh salmon, organic strawberries and artisan cheeses... Rent the Runway will now offer clothing rental services at select W hotel locations, Modern Retail reports. The rental service has expanded its physical presence through other partnerships this year, namely by adding order pickup and dropoffs at select WeWork and Nordstrom locations... J.Jill is looking for a new chief executive. The women’s apparel retailer says Linda Heasley has stepped down as president and CEO. It named board member Jim Scully as interim chief executive while it searches for a permanent replacement. Heasley’s departure comes on the heels of a disappointing third quarter for J.Jill. Sales fell 4.6 percent to $166.1 million; same-store sales were down 7 percent... Kroger is divesting the natural and organic food chain that it has helped grow during the past two years, Chain Store Age reports. The nation’s largest supermarket chain last week said it’s selling its stake in Lucky’s Market following a review of its portfolio. Kroger invested in the Colorado-based, value-priced Lucky’s in April 2016. At the time, it had 17 stores. The store count has since grown to 39 locations... Burger King and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen both booked double-digit third-quarter sales growth, while sibling brand Tim Hortons saw sales dip slightly, Restaurant Business online reports. Parent Restaurant Brands International is focusing on store remodels, beverage programs, technology and other long-term investments to fuel Tim Hortons’ growth, CEO Jose Cil said... Target is offering a 10 percent discount today for gift card purchases up to $300 in stores and online, USA Today reports. Gift cards remain the most wished-for Christmas gift among Americans, with 59 percent having them on their wish lists, according to the National Retail Federation.

PAGE 2 The Daily News of TV Sales @ www.spotsndots.com

AVAILS Hearst Television’s KCCI-TV in Des Moines, Iowa, has an opening for an experienced National Sales Manager. This is an important leadership role that encompasses national revenue management for our top-rated TV station, digital platforms and two multicast platforms. Ideal candidate must be able build client relationships and be excellent in broadcast sales negotiation. Click HERE for details or to apply now! EOE. Nexstar, Indianapolis (WXIN/WTTV) is searching for a

Director of Sales. The DOS oversees all aspects of the sales department for this duopoly, including staff management, advertising inventory throughout all channels, revenue goal setting and achievement, and budgeting. This is a unique opportunity to run a duopoly with two separate sales organizations for their FOX and CBS stations and sell the wealth of programming that comes with that rare combination. CLICK HERE for more info or to apply now (Job ID #2019-

50291). EOE. Key Account Coordinator, WRAZ-TV, Raleigh, N.C. This person will be responsible for all aspects of sales fulfillment including order entry, makegoods, program changes and report generation. Proficiency in Wide Orbit Traffic, Wide Orbit Sales, Medialine, Matrix and MS Office required. Qualified applicants can APPLY HERE. EOE M/F. All Capitol Broadcasting Company properties are tobacco free. Capitol Broadcasting Company participates in E-Verify.

See your ad here tomorrow! CLICK HERE for details.

AS THE MALL STRUGGLES, SANTA IS THRIVING Retailers looking to get Americans off e-commerce sites and into physical stores this holiday season may be relying on Santa Claus more than ever, CNN Business reports. “We can’t go on Amazon and put our child on Amazon’s knee and put a beard on it,” said Amanda Nicholson, professor of retail practice at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management. “Getting your child’s photo with Santa is a generational thing to do. It’s a compelling reason for malls to do it.” Nicholson said mall Santas are some of the few remaining advantages that physical stores have over digital marketplace giants. As a result, Santa is in higher demand. “We can never fulfill all the requests we’re getting just because we don’t have enough Santas,” said Megan Price of GigSalad, a digital platform used to book entertainers for private parties and events. The online company offers more than 600 categories for entertainment and event services. The company said bookings for Santa, its most-requested attraction by far, have risen 128 percent over the last four years. The bulk of the company’s clients are looking to book a Santa for family or community holiday parties, usually at a rate of about $200 an hour. “The number of Santas we have on the site has grown about 102 percent over the last four years,” Price said. “People come every year and say they want to book a Santa. Usually we run out fairly quickly.”

BILLIONAIRE CANDIDATES OPEN CHECKBOOKS Since announcing his run for president almost two weeks ago, Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 campaign has placed around $7.1 million in TV commercials of the intended $37 million that the campaign announced it would be spending, Television News Daily reports. Four different creative advertising spots with 297 national/regional airings of commercials have aired since Nov. 23, according to iSpot.tv, earning 536 million impressions. Nine TV networks have aired those spots so far: CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, The CW, CNN, MSNBC, MyNetworkTV and ESPN. The most individual airings have been on MSNBC with 66, followed by CNN at 53, CBS with 46, ABC at 37, Fox with 36, The CW at 23, MyNetworkTV with 18, NBC at 17 and ESPN with 1. Top-rated shows (in terms of impressions gained by the media campaign) include: CBS’ 60 Minutes followed by CBS’ The NFL Today, ABC’s World News Tonight, CBS’ The Late Show, NBC Nightly News and ABC’s Good Morning America. But Bloomberg is not the biggest spender over the period. That would be Democratic presidential contender Tom Steyer. Steyer has spent $9.1 million over the period (with 1,942 airings) and over the past 30 days, has spent a total of $18.5 million (14 spots, 3,617 airings). Major networks getting his spend include CBS, NBC, HGTV, ABC, Discovery Channel and Fox. Over the month-long period, Steyer’s ads have run on 31 different networks, including Oxygen, Oprah Winfrey Network, BET, Weather Channel, Cooking Channel, Lifetime Movies and Viceland.

NETWORK NEWS ABC’s first telecast of the Pac-12 Championship, which featured Utah and Oregon (Friday at 8 PM), was the conference’s most-watched championship game since 2014 and the annual game’s second-best audience in its nine-year history. ABC’s presentation averaged 5.856 million viewers for the Ducks’ 37-15 victory, up 44 percent from last year... Paul Schulze (The Punisher) has booked a recurring role opposite Edie Falco on the CBS drama Tommy. Tommy stars Falco as Abigail “Tommy” Thomas, a former high-ranking NYPD officer who becomes the first female police chief for Los Angeles. Schulze will play Len Egan, a retired LAPD “hero cop” who has made a name for himself as a best-selling author and the head of a private security firm, who looks to Tommy (Falco) for help when one of his clients ends up in a tricky situation... Ryan Dorsey (Marvel’s Runaways) is set for a recurring role opposite Cobie Smulders on ABC’s drama series Stumptown. Stumptown follows Dex Parios (Smulders), a strong, assertive, and unapologetically sharp-witted Army veteran working as a P.I. in Portland, Ore. Dorsey will play Leo, the boss of a car theft ring... NBC has given a script commitment with penalty to Fallback, a one-hour sci-fi thriller crime drama. Written by Martin Gero and Brendan Gall, Fallback is a sci-fi thriller centered on an-off-the books task force that solves the most difficult and dangerous crimes through a top secret government program.

12/9/2019

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The Daily News of TV Sales @ www.spotsndots.com PAGE 3

PARKS: CBS MAKES GAINS AMONG OTT SERVICES Parks Associates says SVOD platform CBS All Access has moved from eighth place to fifth in its annual Top 10 list of OTT video services. The list, based on estimated number of subscribers through October 2019, was compiled prior to the launch of Disney+ and Apple TV+, and includes paid subscriptions, Media Play News reports. Major League Baseball’s MLB.TV dropped from sixth to eighth place, despite having gained subscribers since 2018. Sling TV remained consistent with more than 2.5 million

subscribers and the No. 1 rating among online TV services, which includes Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and AT&T Now (previously DirecTV Now). The Top 10 includes Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu (SVOD), HBO Now, CBS All Access, STARZ, Showtime, MLB.TV, ESPN+ and Sling TV. “Competition in live streaming services is intensifying as several big brand names are competing for a small but growing slice of the OTT subscription base,” Brett

Sappington, senior research director and principal analyst, said in a statement. “Consumers continue to sign up for multiple OTT video services. If this trend holds, many services can continue to grow as the market grows. However, a slowdown will suggest that consumers are finally drawing the line on the amount they will spend each month.”

POLL: VOTERS SAY TV STILL TOPS FOR NEWS A new Hill-HarrisX poll found that TV is still the most widely used news platform among Americans, despite the rise of the internet and social media. The survey showed that 53 percent of registered voters across the U.S. named TV as their primary source for news, according to The Hill. Just 21 percent said they prefer to get their news from the internet. An equal amount (9%) said they’d rather turn to social media or newspapers for the latest updates. Six percent said they’d rather listen to the radio, while 1 percent said they prefer to get their news from magazines. Older generations were understandably more inclined to name TV as their preferred mode for news. Sixty-nine percent of those 50-64 said they preferred to get news by watching TV, compared to 34 percent of those 18-34. The Hill-HarrisX survey of 1,001 adults, conducted Nov.30-Dec. 1, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

12/9/2019

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17M U.S. AUTO SALES? THE DOUBTS FADE AGAIN The auto industry has always been cyclical, but in recent years, a whole new industry cycle has emerged, Automotive News reports. Call it the pessimism cycle — the annual belief, usually expressed very early in the calendar year, that auto sales will have fallen off by several hundred thousand vehicles by year end. Then that pessimism fades away as vehicles continue to sell and sell until it looks at the end of the year like the market might be flat, or even up. As it did last year and the year before, the pessimism cycle has returned to its late-year upswing as the industry recorded a seasonally adjusted annual selling rate of 17.05 million in November. It appears to be in line to finish the year having sold 17 million-plus vehicles in the U.S. for a record fifth consecutive year. The strong finish has again so far materialized despite broad predictions by analysts and industry executives alike that sales likely would be in the mid- to high-16 million range. “To have another year at 17 million is a fantastic thing for the industry,” Bob Carter, head of sales for Toyota Motor North America, recently said. Carter admitted that he, like most of his industry counterparts, had predicted a market closer to 16.7 million for 2019. “Now it looks like the only question left is whether we’ll be rounding up to 17 million or rounding down,” he said.

ECONOMY ADDED 266,000 JOBS IN NOVEMBER The U.S. job market strengthened in November, as hiring jumped and unemployment fell to a half-century low, adding fuel to the economy, The Wall Street Journal reports. Employers added 266,000 jobs in November — the fastest pace since 312,000 in January — and the jobless rate dipped to 3.5 percent, matching September as the lowest level since 1969, the Labor Department said. Wages also advanced 3.1 percent from a year earlier. “This is a ‘who would have thought moment?’” said Becky Frankiewicz, president of staffing company ManpowerGroup’s North America division. “No one would have ever guessed we could be sitting at 3.5 percent unemployment with 110 months of job gains.” Jobs have grown an average 205,000 a month in the three months through November, a pickup from the pace earlier in the year but less than 223,000 a month in 2018. The stronger pace of hiring could help juice up the broader U.S. economy, which is still expanding but at a slower pace than last year.

ACCOUNT ACTION Wieden & Kennedy New York will add Michelob Ultra to its Anheuser-Busch InBev workload starting next year, Ad Age reports. The shop is expected to take a key role on the brand but incumbent FCB Chicago will remain involved. W&K has worked on Bud Light since 2015. The agency’s New York office won McDonald’s earlier this year and has been handling Ford since last year. Measured media spending in the U.S. on the Michelob brand family totaled nearly $118 million last year, according to Kantar Media.