As the year winds down, we’re seeing major changes to the way marketing may function in the coming years. Check out the news you need to know this week in our Weekly Must Reads.

NCAA Lifts Endorsement Ban

After years of controversy, the NCAA officially voted unanimously last week to allow student-athletes to accept sponsors and endorsements from brands. For years, the NCAA banned sponsorships for its athletes to protect the amateur status of college sports. Board members said in a statement that the change was made to give student-athletes the same financial opportunities as other students. The NCAA will implement the new ruling by 2021, although official rules and parameters have not yet been decided.

This decision comes after a number of states introduced legislation that would prohibit universities from punishing athletes for accepting endorsement money. Do you think the NCAA will allow athletes full freedom to accept profits, or will there be stipulations? Which brands and athletes do you think will be the first to jump on this new opportunity? Check out all the details here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-ncaa/ncaa-board-votes-to-let-student-athletes-endorse-brands-accept-sponsors-idUSKBN1X82FX

Twitter Bans All Political Advertising

Back in September, Facebook announced they were removing fact-checking requirements from political ad campaigns on their site. If you expected other social media channels to follow suit, you’re sadly mistaken. Last week, Twitter revealed they were banning all political advertising from their platform. They will still allow ads that encourage voter turnout, but are “stepping back” to address

Facebook has defended their decision to run unchecked political ads, saying their company believes free speech should be protected. Meanwhile, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey called digital political ads risky because they influence votes that affect the lives of millions. Read up on both sides of the argument here: https://apnews.com/63057938a5b64d3592f800de19f443bc

Airpod Pro Launches with Out-Of-Home Campaign

Today, most companies introduce their new products via digital campaigns or even traditional TV commercials. Instead, Apple launched one of their biggest products this year via an out-of-home campaign. There was no keynote address, no introductory video – just larger-than-life outdoor ads splashed across Apple’s retail spaces and billboards. The ads feature real images of dancers seemingly lost in their music, highlighting the noise cancellation feature of the new earbuds.

The images look distinctly un-ad-like, with the exception of a small apple logo tucked into the background. They’re also reminiscent of the old iPod “Silhouettes” ads that depicted shadows of people jamming out to their iPod – with wired headphones on, of course. Learn more and see examples of the ads here: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-apple-used-dramatic-outdoor-ads-for-the-surprise-reveal-of-airpods-pro/

Watch for Major Ad Spend Growth in 2020

Paid ads aren’t going anywhere in the coming year. According to reports from the World Advertising and Research Center, global media spending will grow 6 percent in 2020 to a projected $656 billion. That’s more than double the marketing growth we saw between 2018 and 2019. Major marketing events next year, including the Summer Olympics and US election, will likely have a significant impact on the overall increase in ad spend.

Perhaps most notably, the center predicts that digital advertising will account for more than half of the total media spend for the first time ever. Google’s global share of the market is projected to be a whopping 23 percent, followed by Facebook at 13 percent and Amazon at about 2 percent. Why do you think more advertisers will jump on digital trends next year? Read more about the report and predictions here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/ad-spending-growth-will-accelerate-to-6-worldwide-in-2020-study-says/565925/