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VALASSIS: NOT ALL PURCHASES ARE THE SAME Purchase behavior varies across different product categories, according to a new survey. According to The Future of How People Shop, a new survey from marketing technology and consumer engagement firm Valassis, 71 percent of grocery consumers say they want to get their shopping done as quickly as possible. Yet nearly four in 10 grocery consumers also say they wish ads would help them break out of purchasing habits to discover something new or better. Among small consumer electronics (smartphones, earbuds, etc.) shoppers, 63 percent would welcome targeted advertising that guides them through the store to locate a product, compared to 43 percent of all consumers. More than six in 10 (62%) appreciate when companies use their data to serve up personalized ads, compared to 34 percent of all consumers. In addition, 60 percent wish that advertising helped them discover new or better things, compared to 38 percent of all consumers, and more than half (56%) say they frequently try products based on the recommendation of influencers and celebrities, compared to 30 percent of all consumers. When it comes to shopping for skincare items, 73 percent of consumers say they love advertising that “teaches me something new,” compared to 65 percent of all consumers. Quick-service and fast-casual restaurant consumers are drawn by experience. Sixty-four percent love advertising that features “a product or service that satisfies an immediate need or want,” and 43 percent said being hungry or thirsty made them start thinking about a purchase. The study was fielded on behalf of Valassis in conjunction with Kantar, a global marketing research and consulting firm, among 1,000 shopper-respondents 18 years and older.

NFL SPONSORSHIP REVENUE TOPS $1.47 BILLION Total sponsorship spending on the National Football League and its 32 teams exceeded $1.47 billion in the 2019-20 season, with nearly 1,500 existing partnerships and more than 350 new deals signed, according to sponsorship authority IEG. The top categories for new sponsorship deals signed in the NFL during the 2019-20 season were lottery and gambling, insurance, apparel, wine, technology, investment services, retail, spiked seltzer, spirits and building and home improvement. Newcomers trying out NFL sponsorships include meal kit companies, cryptocurrency, and meat substitutes, says Peter Laatz, global managing director, IEG. Anheuser-Busch InBev was once again the biggest sponsorship spender in the NFL, promoting brands including Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer, Corona and Labatt Blue labels in addition to its Bud Light and Budweiser brands. PepsiCo had the largest volume of partnerships, activating with the Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi, Quaker Oats and Tostitos brands.

SURVEY: CONSUMER BEHAVIOR DEPENDS ON PRODUCT ADVERTISER NEWS Drivers can switch their vehicles every day if they sign on to a vehicle subscription service Nissan North America is testing in the Houston area, Marketing Daily reports. Called Nissan Switch, the program offers a variety of vehicles, including the all-electric Nissan Leaf Plus, Titan pickup and GT-R. There is no long-term contractual commitment.

Customers can enroll at www.nissanswitch.com through August 2020. The program is a way for the automaker to test alternatives to the notion of traditional mobility, without long-term financial commitments for customers, says Andrew Tavi, vice president, legal,

external affairs and business development, Nissan North America... S&P Global has downgraded Macy’s long-term and short-term credit ratings. The downgrade pushes the company’s rating out of investment grade territory, while S&P’s outlook is stable. The firm also downgraded Macy’s senior unsecured debt. The downgrade follows the retailer’s release of its turnaround strategy... Instacart is introducing a virtual community for its customers, Chain Store Age reports. The on-demand grocery delivery platform is launching Shop Talk, a virtual community designed to bring shoppers and the company together. Within Shop Talk, customers will be able to discuss anything related to Instacart. This includes giving or receiving advice to and from other shoppers, asking questions of Instacart, and publicly sharing shopping experiences... Online fashion platform Shopbop has largely operated separately since it was acquired by Amazon in 2006, but there’s an increasing amount of crossover, Glossy reports. Fashion brands that sell on Shopbop say many of their styles also end up on Amazon’s marketplace as part of the e-commerce giant’s push to increase fashion sales... Groupon is going back to selling experiences at third-party locations and getting out of the business of selling products directly to consumers after posting another annual loss, The Verge reports. “We believe our plan to exit goods will allow us to dedicate the focus and resources necessary to build a winning position as the purchase of experiences continues to migrate online,” said CEO Rich Williams. The decision to stop selling physical products comes as the company faces a saturated market dominated by giant retailers like Amazon, Walmart and eBay... L Brands is near a deal to sell control of Victoria’s Secret to a private-equity firm in a transaction that values the lingerie brand at about $1.1 billion, people familiar with the matter tell MarketWatch. Sycamore Partners is expected to buy 55 percent of Victoria’s Secret and take the struggling business private, the people said. L Brands is expected to keep a 45 percent stake in the separate company, which will include the Pink chain. After shedding several brands in recent years, L Brands’ operations would be reduced to running the Bath & Body Works chain. Leslie Wexner, the embattled billionaire who has run the retail company for more than 50 years, will step down from his roles as CEO and chairman, the people said.

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 to build client relationships and be excellent in broadcast sales negotiation. Click HERE for details or to apply now! EOE.

Account Executive: WSIL, serving Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, is looking for an experienced marketing sales professional with market-leading knowledge and a passion for broadcast and digital marketing for our Paducah – Cape Girardeau – Harrisburg office to fill an Account Executive position. We’re a family-owned TV station focused on providing news, weather and sports to its viewing communities. Owned by Quincy Media, Inc., a nimble and forward-thinking

powerhouse committed to our markets and our teams. We would love to see your cover letter and resume. Please send resume and related materials to jobs@wsiltv.com. Tegna-owned KHOU-TV, CBS 11 in Houston is seeking a rock star Local Sales Manager to join an elite leadership team managing day-to-day responsibilities of key accounts with team members. The LSM will ensure that each member of the local sales team functions exactly as their role is intended, so advertisers benefit and company revenue goals are met. Four years of media or related sales leadership in television preferred, and digital sales leadership experience is a plus. CLICK HERE for more details or to apply. EOE. WYFF 4, the Hearst Television NBC affiliate in beautiful Greenville, S.C., seeks a superstar Account Executive. We are looking for an experienced sales professional who can excel with some of the top accounts on the station while achieving goals across all platforms. Do you have a commitment to excellence, the ability to own transactional business, a track record of New Business success, and like to have fun? Then come work at one of the best television stations and best cities in the country. Google “Greenville, SC Top 10” and see why everyone wants to live here! Click HERE to apply. EOE.

See your ad here tomorrow! CLICK HERE for details.

ACCOUNT ACTION MDC Partners has added more Pabst businss. Less than one month after naming 72andSunny as creative agency of record for its flagship Pabst Blue Ribbon brand, the brewer is appointing Assembly as its media agency of record for its broader portfolio of beers following a competitive review. Florida-based Connectivity Media Strategy previously handled the business. Under the remit, Assembly will oversee data and media strategy, audience strategy, performance strategy and integrated planning and buying across the Pabst portfolio. That includes well-known beer brands such as PBR, Lone Star, Rainier, Stroh’s, Old Style, Not Your Father’s, Olympia and Stag.

NETWORK AUDIENCE DELIVERY DIVES IN Q1 Halfway through the first quarter, the network TV marketplace appears to be getting off to a troubling start, according to the tracking of a leading Wall Street securities firm following the sector. Broadcast network delivery is projected to be down 9.4 percent and cable network delivery is down 2.4 percent, forcing both broadcast (+8.8%) and cable (+6.4%) to boost CPMs to cover shortfalls, according to the analysis from the equities research team at UBS, whose findings were reported by MediaPost. “Viewership declines have accelerated to start 2020 with Person 2+ PUT trending down 7.5% quarter-to-date vs. -6.3% in the fourth quarter of 2019, and -7.0% a year ago,” writes UBS analyst John C. Hodulik in a note to investors. By “PUT,” Hodulik is referring to the Nielsen acronym for persons using television, which seem to be eroding at an accelerated rate due to a variety of macro factors. “If the trend holds, it would represent the largest quarterly decline for TV viewership in our data set,” he explains, adding: “Trends have worsened across most age demos with persons 25-34 now falling -17% vs. low double-digit declines throughout 2019. The persons 55+ demo continues to trend down ~2%, similar to 2019 (the first year of declining ratings for the demo).”

NETWORK NEWS NBC has issued an early Season 4 renewal to the Ellen DeGeneres-hosted primetime game show Ellen’s Game of Games. In the series, audience members compete for a potential four rounds and the chance to win cash prizes. They try their hands at “Blindfolded Musical Chairs,” “Dizzy Dash,” and “Scary Go Round,” as well as other contests. To advance to play “Know or Go,” a player must win in a given round. The one who makes it all the way to the final round ultimately gets the chance to play “Hot Hands,” in which they have to supply correct answers to questions in a set amount of time... James Wolk (Watchmen) has been tapped as the lead in the NBC drama pilot Ordinary Joe. Written by Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner, Ordinary Joe explores the three parallel lives of the show’s main character Joe Kimbrough (Wolk) after he makes a pivotal choice at a crossroads in his life. The series asks the question of how different life might look if you made your decision based on love, loyalty or passion. The choices he makes upon graduation from college change the trajectory of his life and the results of his decisions are seen in parallel time... Ja’net DuBois, who is remembered for her six-season stint on the CBS sitcom Good Times, was found dead in her Glendale, Calif., home on Tuesday. Her family told TMZ the actress died unexpectedly in her sleep. She was believed to be 74 years old. Born Jeannette DuBois in Brooklyn, N.Y. (according to one source), her status as supporting character Willona Woods on the Maude spin-off was upgraded to lead in the fifth season (in 1977-78) after Esther Rolle temporarily exited the show. At the time, DuBois’ Willona adopted a young girl named Penny Gordon, played by Janet Jackson, and remained on the series through the series finale on Jan. 30, 1980.

2/20/2020

Larry The Cable Guy

I don’t personally know anyone who has the

Corona virus. However, I’ve known a few that have had the Schlitz.

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

SLING TV LOSES 94,000 SUBSCRIBERS IN Q4 Dish Network yesterday disclosed that its online TV platform — Sling TV — lost 94,000 subscribers in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31. That compared to a gain of 47,000 subs in the previous-year period. It was the online TV platform’s first subscriber loss in more than two years. Sling TV, which ushered in the standalone online pay-TV market in 2015, ended the fiscal period with 2.59 million subs, up from 2.42 million subs a year ago. At the same time, online TV continues to stagnate as an antidote to subscription video-on-demand and ad-supported VOD.

High-profile YouTube TV just topped 2 million subs, while Disney-owned Hulu with Live TV recently surpassed Sling TV with 2.7 million subs. Sony’s PlayStation Vue shuttered with reportedly about 500,000 subs. Meanwhile, Dish’s legacy satellite TV operations finished the year with almost 9.4 million subs — down more than 500,000 subs from the end of 2018. For the quarter, Dish lost a combined 194,000 subs when combined with Sling TV. That

was a significant improvement from the 334,000 combined subs lost in the previous-year quarter.

DONE DEALS Chuck Poduska, VP and GM of Meredith Corporation’s KCTV/KSMO in Kansas City, will retire on March 31 after 38 years of service. Poduska’s distinguished career at Meredith spans management roles at individual stations and group roles overseeing strategies and finances for the Local Media Group. Prior to becoming VP/GM of KCTV/KSMO, Poduska spent four years as VP of finance for the Local Media Group and one as group controller... Joan Barrett has been named president and GM of Tegna’s WCNC in Charlotte, N.C., an NBC affiliate. Barrett joins the company from Nexstar’s KDVR-KWGN Denver (formerly Tribune stations), a Fox and CW affiliate, respectively. Barrett was formerly president and GM of Sunflower Broadcasting/Schurz Communications in Wichita, Kan., a five-station TV group.

2/20/2020

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CBS, TURNER SEE MARCH MADNESS SELLOUT Marketers that haven’t yet lined up a date to the Big Dance will be staying at home this March, as CBS and Turner Sports have sold out the linear TV inventory for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament in record time, Ad Age reports. According to the executives who oversee tourney ad sales, every last in-game commercial unit in the three-week college hoops showcase has been auctioned off to a client roster primarily made up of automotive, insurance, telco, fast food and financial services brands. According to John Bogusz, CBS’s executive VP of sports sales and marketing, those who may have dragged their feet on a March Madness buy will not be saved by a half-court heave at the buzzer. Not a scrap has been held back for scatter, Bogusz says, thereby closing the books on the tourney a full month before the opening tipoff. “All the inventory has been spoken for,” Bogusz says, dispelling any notion that a few 30-second spots might still be kicking around somewhere in the recesses of an Excel file. Last year, roughly 5 percent of the in-game units were still in play when the first of the tournament’s 67 games tipped off. “March Madness is the biggest sports-media event of the spring, if not the entire year,” one national TV buyer tells Ad Age. “The audience is younger, they’re more affluent, and you have their undivided attention for the better part of three weeks. I’m not surprised it sold as fast as it did.”

WALMART PURSUING MORE AFFLUENT SHOPPERS Walmart is reeling in higher-income customers — including some who are new to the retailer — with its online grocery business, company executives say. As its online grocery business grows, the company is seeing pricier items like choice cuts of meat and organic fruits and vegetables in customers’ virtual baskets, said John Furner, president and chief executive officer of Walmart U.S. He said the convenience of the service “aligns well with someone who is time-starved and has higher income levels.” The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant has an expansive footprint across the U.S., but has tended to have stronger loyalty among shoppers in suburbs, small towns and rural areas. It bought Jet.com for $3.3 billion in 2016, with the hopes of winning over the e-commerce company’s customers that tended to be younger, more affluent and urban. Jet.com has been wound down, but the company has bought other brands to expand its customer base — such as menswear company Bonobos. Walmart offers online grocery pickup at about 3,200 stores and same-day grocery delivery at more than 1,600 stores, as of the fourth quarter. It’s testing a new service called InHome that delivers groceries straight to customers’ refrigerators. It is only available at some stores in Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Vero Beach, Fla. Furman says Walmart’s range of groceries, including prime beef and organics, has helped draw in different kinds of customers. Once they buy groceries, he said those new or more affluent customers may purchase an item in another department of the store or part of Walmart’s website.