Adweek September 27, 2021

In a world where audiences are constantly fragmenting, the prospect of getting in front of 48.2 million people on any given day is appealing—to put it mildly. Roblox is a user-generated gaming destination and social platform with its sights set on being the virtual gathering place for all the things we do in the real world. It’s also known as the metaverse, what some say is the future internet where we’ll connect through shared 3D experiences. Many brands are already flocking to Roblox—Gucci, Epic Records, Netflix, Lego, Nike—with a wide range of experiences, from digital gardens to a Lil Nas X concert and selling virtual merchandise, or “verch.” But creating these digital activations is expensive and time-consuming; meanwhile, Roblox is still working on the traditional metrics that interest advertisers like user tracking…

Residents of Charlotte, N.C., were riled by an odd out-of-home message urging them, “Don’t Get Vaccinated.” The now-viral ad was for a fake business—Wilmore Funeral Home—created by agency BooneOakley to serve a sobering reminder about Covid-19. The ad directed people to a website ostensibly for the business that presented visitors with two options: “Get vaccinated,” with a hyperlink to the vaccination page for a walk-in clinic nearby, or “We’ll see you soon.” As of Sept. 22, the funeral site has generated nearly 150,000 pageviews and the clinic’s page has seen a 500% increase in traffic.…

Brittany Bosco’s many talents make it hard to categorize the multidisciplinary artist. In the past five years, she started her own creative shop and record label, released two albums and led branding work for Facebook, Instagram, HBO and Snap. At its core, her non-agency Slug Global is more of an art collective: It’s a passion-driven, purpose-focused group of artists who only take on projects that are collaborative in nature and in line with Slug’s vision of “creating spaces and opportunity for marginalized voices.” Upon receiving her BFA in fashion design from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2008, Bosco already knew she wouldn’t spend her career designing apparel. While she spent the next several years building her music career, she said her time in school opened her up to the world…

The planet is in trouble, and it’s pretty obvious who’s to blame. “We are meant to be the more intelligent species, [yet] we’re producing a hell of a lot of waste in a way nature never does,” said Oliver Dudok van Heel, head of client sustainability and environment at international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. “Clearly, we’re doing something wrong.” To prevent Earth from turning into a giant landfill of empty shampoo bottles and toothpaste tubes, we have a few options. The first is recycling, which we already do, though not very well. (Just 9% of plastic waste gets recycled, according to the World Economic Forum.) Another is to buy less, which, though possible, isn’t likely due to a growing global middle class and the notion that everyone needs basic household goods. A third…

“Over the past several decades, all of us have gotten very accustomed to single-use and disposable packaging,” said Denise Osterhues, Kroger’s senior director of sustainability and social impact. That’s not good. Beginning next month, the Kroger Company plans to start selling about 20 Loop products, such as dry food and hand soap, in 25 Fred Meyer stores in the Portland, Ore., area. Once shoppers are done with the goods, they can return the empty containers in a Loop tote that contains a QR code to reimburse their deposit fee. Loop ambassadors will be on-site during peak times to explain how it all works. “We are hopeful that our socially conscious and environmentally minded customers in the Portland market will respond favorably,” Osterhues added. PAUL HIEBERT IS A CPG REPORTER AT ADWEEK, WHERE HE FOCUSES…

To further mitigate against fraud, Omnicom Media Group has developed a certification program for buyers across all its agencies to help clients better protect their ad dollars: Educate your organization on fraud, common attack vectors and areas of risk across all areas of the supply chain. Develop strong 1:1 relationships with content makers, device manufacturers and service providers. Access CTV inventory through vetted private methods, not on the open exchange. Demand more transparency and granularity from your platforms and partners. Partner with fraud verification companies to develop new detection methods for fighting fraud. SOURCE: OMNICOM MEDIA GROUP RONAN SHIELDS IS ADWEEK’S PROGRAMMATIC EDITOR, FOCUSING ON ADTECH. @RONAN_SHIELDS…