Staying updated on the biggest marketing and advertising stories doesn’t have to be hard. We’re here to help. Check out our Weekly Must Reads for the news you need to know this week.

Disney Fuels the Streaming Service Fire

The battle between streaming services has spilled over into advertising. Last week, Walt Disney Co. announced a ban on Netflix ads on all their entertainment TV networks in support of their new service, Disney+. This is a big change in the world of TV advertising. Disney is the first broadcaster to reject ads from competing streaming services, and they stand to lose millions because of their decision. In 2018, Disney received 13% of Netflix’s $99 million TV ad spend.

In a statement, Disney said their decision on which services to ban was partially based on the mutual advertising relationships it has with the companies. Netflix is one of the only streaming services that is completely commercial-free. Read more about this story here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/disney-bans-netflix-ads-as-streamings-marketing-wars-intensify-11570199291

Tinder Invites You to Swipe Night

We all know Tinder as one of the original dating apps, but now they’re expanding into new territory. Tinder has created new original, interactive pieces of video content that its users can experience in the app each Sunday night throughout October. To participate, users will watch videos swipe back and forth to make choices in an “apocalyptic chaos.” The idea is that users will be matched based on their answers to the questions, giving both people something to talk about right off the bat.

The content, called “Swipe Night,” is directed to Tinder’s youngest users, who they believe prefer interactive experiences to advertisements. Even the apocalypse theme was picked to feel authentic to the audience, creating a “heightened reality” of what’s currently going on in our country. Find out more here: https://www.adweek.com/creativity/tinder-debuts-swipe-night-its-apocalyptic-choose-your-own-adventure-series/

Behind the Success of Meat-Free Burgers

Veggie burgers have been around for years, but much to vegetarians’ disappointment, they never took off at fast-food restaurants. All that has changed this year thanks to Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, two major plant-based burger brands that have recently partnered with major chains like Burger King and KFC. There are key differentiators between plant-based and veggie burgers, including differences in taste, protein content and marketing.

Instead of promoting plant-based burgers exclusively to vegans or health-conscious eaters, most restaurants are marketing the burgers as the trendy or sustainable choice. It’s a strategy that seems to be working, as the burgers continue to make headlines and join menus each week. Check out more details here: https://www.businessinsider.com/impossible-foods-beyond-meat-fast-food-advantage-over-veggie-burger-2019-10

Apple’s Update Has Major Marketing Consequences

Another major tech company is cracking down on data privacy. In September, Apple introduced an operating system update that now asks users to opt-in to share their location. Previously, users had to give apps access to explicitly tracking their location, but there were many workarounds for apps through services like Bluetooth. Now, in addition to requiring publishers to ask for access to Bluetooth, the operating system also prevents companies from learning your location via public WiFi hotspots.

Though the update isn’t designed to affect legitimate retailers, it does make it harder to track about half of all US smartphone users, according to Statista. It will also create challenges for retailers looking to make sales attributions to their digital advertisements. Do you think this is a positive or negative move for Apple? Read more details here: https://adage.com/article/digital/apples-latest-update-cripples-location-based-marketing/2202256