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BUT OVERALL SCORES DOWN ACROSS THE BOARD Trader Joe’s kept its customer satisfaction score steady during 2020, which is more than most other retailers can say. The celebrated grocery store topped the supermarket industry – and all retailers – with a stable score of 84, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) retail and consumer shipping report 2020-2021. The overall customer satisfaction score declined 2.3% to a score of 75.5 (out of 100), which is the lowest ACSI score posted for the retail sector since 2015. ACSI covers six retail industries – department and discount stores, specialty retail stores, health and personal care stores, supermarkets, Internet retail, and gas stations – as well as consumer shipping and the U.S. Postal Service. For 2020, online retail lost the most ground among all retail categories, tumbling 3.7% to an ACSI score of 78. Nordstrom captured the industry lead despite retreating 1% to 81. In second place, Costco (down 1%), Etsy (down 2%), and Newegg (down 1%) all deadlocked at 80. Former industry leader Amazon fell 5% to an all-time low score of 79. With a stable score of 78, Target was the only e-commerce retailer to buck the downward trend. Walmart and Sears remained the category’s bottom-dwellers. Walmart fell 1% to 73. Sears dropped 1% to 72. Following two years of customer satisfaction stability, the department and discount store industry retreated 1.3% to an ACSI score of 75. Costco remained in first place for a fifth straight year, despite declining 2% to a score of 81. Nordstrom (including Nordstrom Rack) is second, up 1% to 80, while Dillard’s is third, up 1% to 79. Kohl’s and TJX (Marshalls and TJ Maxx) both slipped 1% to 78. Customer satisfaction with specialty retail stores receded 1.3% to an ACSI score of 77, the category’s lowest point since 2015. L Brands topped specialty retailers for a seventh straight year, slipping 1% to 81. Hobby Lobby and Nike both debuted in second at 80, joined by Sephora (unchanged). For a third year, customer satisfaction with the drug store industry fell, dropping 1.3% to an ACSI score of 75. A group of smaller drug stores remained the industry leader while falling 4% to 79. CVS is next, steady at 77 for the third straight year, followed by Kroger, which slid 3% to a score of 76. Walgreens stayed below the industry average, inching back 1% to 74, followed by Walmart, slipping 1% to 73. After four years of near-stable customer satisfaction, the supermarket industry plunged 2.6% to 76. Following top performer Trader Joe’s (84), four companies tied for second place with scores of 82: Costco (down 1%), H-E-B (down 2%), Publix (down 1%), and Wegmans (down 2%). The remaining top-tier performer from 2019, Aldi, slipped 4% to tie with a stable Sam’s Club at 80. Customer satisfaction with consumer shipping slid 1.3% to an ACSI score of 76, an all-time industry low. FedEx remained in the lead despite declining 3% to 78.

ACSI: TRADER JOE’S TOPS IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTIONADVERTISER NEWS Volvo Cars made official yesterday something CEO Hakan Samuelsson revealed in December: the automak-er wants to be an electric-only brand by 2030. All of those EVs will only be available to purchase at the automaker’s flagship online store, volvocars.com, the automaker said. When asked what this means to Volvo’s global retail net-work, Lex Kerssemakers, head of global commercial op-erations, said no closures are planned… U.S. light-vehicle sales fell at Hyundai and Kia last month, in line with fore-casts for what is expected to be a weaker February with fewer selling days as the industry slowly recovers from the pandemic. Volume dropped 8.8% at Hyundai and 7.9% at Kia in February, the companies said yesterday. Hyundai, which has enjoyed strong consumer demand for an ex-panded crossover lineup, said retail deliveries slipped 2%

last month, with fleet off 47%... Target ended an impressive year on a strong note, with sales and earnings that topped analysts’ estimates as the discounter got a boost from holiday spending and $600 stimulus checks. Target said its 2020 revenue grew by more than $15 billion —

greater than its total sales growth during the prior 11 years. More than 95% of Target’s Q4 sales were fulfilled by its stores… Kohl’s ended a tough year on an upbeat note. The department store retailer reported better-than-expect-ed Q4 profit earnings and sales along with an outlook that predicts sales will increase by mid-percentage this year. Kohl’s reported its results as it has come under pressure from a group of activist investors who want to seize con-trol of the company’s board… Payless has opened its first store since the footwear brand closed down all locations in 2019. The retailer returned with an e-commerce chan-nel last year, and the new Miami store boasts high-tech features including an augmented reality foot measurement system and touchscreen wall panels… COVID-19 vaccine programs are providing CVS Health, Walgreens Boots Al-liance and Walmart with a rich source of customer data, The Wall Street Journal reports. The retailers can use the information to market their other products and services and personalize offers… Contactless payment options are in high demand during the pandemic, and PayPal is leverag-ing its lead role in e-commerce to grow its presence in brick-and-mortar stores. About 600,000 retail locations now offer PayPal as a payment option, including 29 that signed on last year, such as Five Below, Foot Locker, Macy’s and Uniqlo… A quick-service restaurant operator is purchas-ing an artificial intelligence (AI)-based consumer insights and marketing performance analytics technology provider. Yum! Brands has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Kvantum Inc. By acquiring Kvantum, Yum! intends to drive calendar and marketing spend optimization at its KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill brands by applying consumer insights and data analytics.

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FUBOTV ENDS 2020 WITH 548,000 SUBSCRIBERS Sports-themed online TV service FuboTV reported a base of 548,000 subscribers for Q4 and the fiscal year ended Dec. 31. That was up 73% from 316,000 subs during the previous-year period. FuboTV gained 92,800 subs in Q4. Revenue in the quarter topped $105.1 million, up 98% from the previous-year period. Subscription revenue was up 91% to $91.4 million, while ad revenue rose 157% to $13.1 million. FuboTV continues to hemorrhage money, losing $570.5 million in the fiscal year compared to a loss of $34.9 million in the previous-year period. Much of the loss was due to content acquisition infrastructure costs, including purchase of online sports wagering software. FuboTV plans to launch online sports gambling in Q4.

MARKETERS, BRANDS AWAITING SALES SURGE Spring is the new Christmas for marketers preparing to unleash media spending in anticipation of an explosive sales uptick as the weather warms and consumers rush to resume their everyday lives, Ad Age reports. From retailers to airlines and hospitality, special-occasion brands and media vendors, the marketing industry is looking to spring, typically a time of rebirth and renewal, to reconnect with customers eager to get out and spend as COVID-19 vaccines roll out and the threat of the coronavirus diminishes. In a recent survey conducted late last month by Ad Age-Harris Poll, 30% of households making $100,000 or more a year said they’ll spend more this spring compared to last; the majority of this group said the vaccine rollout has influenced this decision. And shopping will extend beyond e-commerce to brick-and-mortar stores as well as consumers get comfortable again with in-person experiences. Some 62% of consumers say they plan to shop in stores this spring at least once a week, the Ad Age-Harris Poll found.

NETWORK NEWS The 73rd Emmy Awards will air live on CBS on Sunday, Sept. 19, CBS and the Television Academy announced yesterday. The ceremony will start at 8 PM (ET)/5 PM (PT) and broadcast on the CBS network as well as stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Paramount+ is owned by CBS parent ViacomCBS... Fox is expanding animation to Mondays this summer, with the series premiere of Housebroken on May 31, followed by Duncanville, which begins Season 2 on Sunday, May 23. Housebroken follows a group of neighborhood pets and stray animals “as they work through their issues inside and outside their therapy group,” Fox said. Lisa Kudrow, Tony Hale, Will Forte and Sharon Horgan are in the voice cast. From Amy Poehler and Mike and Julie Scully, Duncanville is about an average teen boy, his family and friends. Ty Burrell, Riki Lindhome, Rashida Jones and Wiz Khalifa are in the voice cast... Superman & Lois will be flying in for another season. Following its strong multiplatform series premiere last week, the CW has renewed the superhero drama for a second season. It marks one of the fastest renewals for a freshman series; in 2014, the CW ordered a second season of The Flash two weeks after that DC series’ big debut... Tiffany Dupont (Brian Banks) is set as a series regular opposite Billy Campbell, Angel Parker and Gerardo Celasco in National Parks, ABC’s drama pilot co-written and executive produced by Yellowstone star Kevin Costner. National Parks follows a small group of elite national parks service agents as they solve crimes while protecting the parks — which, while being known for their sweeping, beautiful landscapes, also attract a vast array of criminal activity. In addition to Campbell, Parker and Celasco, Dupont joins previously announced series regulars Ashleigh Sharpe Chestnut and Blu Hunt.

SCRIPPS SET TO LAUNCH MULTICAST NETWORKS The E.W Scripps Co. said it will launch two multicast TV networks, Doozy and Defy TV, adding to the stable in its new national networks business. The new networks are set to light up on July 1 and the company said it has secured distribution over 75% of the U.S. Station-owner Scripps created its national networks business after acquiring the Katz Networks in 2017 for $302 million and Ion Media in a $2.65 billion deal completed in January. Following on Katz’s strategy, the new networks are aimed at specific demographics. Scripps said Doozy is aimed at women ages 25-54 with unscripted drama. The channel will feature off-network shows including Storage Wars, Married at First Sight, Hoarders and Little Women: LA. Defy TV is for men ages 25-54, Scripps said, with programming featuring fascinating people living life to the fullest. Shows include off-network series such as Pawn Stars, Forged in Fire, American Pickers and The Curse of Oak Island. Doozy and Defy TV join Ion, Bounce, Laff, Grit, Court TV, Court TV Mystery and Newsy in the Scripps Networks national portfolio.

3/3/2021

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SPOTIFY’S PODCAST LISTENERSHIP IS SURGING It appears that Spotify’s podcast investments are paying off. For the first time, Spotify’s U.S. podcast listenership will overtake that of Apple Podcasts, according to eMarketer’s latest forecast. This year, 28.2 million people will listen to podcasts on Spotify at least monthly, while 28 million will listen via Apple Podcasts. Spotify has experienced significant growth in recent years; the company will grow 41.3% this year. Despite its growth, Apple Podcasts has been losing its podcast listener share since the research firm started

tracking it in 2018. At that time, it represented 34% of podcast listeners, which will fall to 23.8% in 2021. Overall, there will be 117.8 million overall monthly podcast listeners in 2021, a 10.1% year-over-year increase. This year, podcast listeners will represent 53.9% of monthly digital audio listeners, surpassing 50% for the first time. eMarketer anticipates that more audio listeners will start listening to podcasts monthly, leading to a 60.9% share by

2024. This year, $1.28 billion will be spent on podcast advertising, surpassing $1 billion for the first time, representing a 41% year-over-year increase. Podcast advertising is continuing to gain share of total digital audio ad spending, representing 24% in 2021.

WALMART ADDS 3 PARTNERS TO AD NETWORK Walmart is building up the advertising partner network it launched in January 2020. The discount giant is adding digital ad platforms Stackline, Tinuiti and Harvest Group to the Walmart Advertising Partners program. The latest participants join initial partners Flywheel Digital, Kenshoo, Pacvue and Teikametrics. According to Walmart, the new additions will allow advertisers of all sizes – from enterprise and mid-market suppliers to emerging first-party and third-party suppliers – to partner with its Walmart Connect omnichannel advertising platform more efficiently and effectively. The retailer says it will offer solutions, in collaboration with its partners, that will enable advertisers to more easily manage their budgets, as well as consolidate media purchases and reporting.

3/3/2021

iSpot.tv

Nearly $910 million in total estimated paid advertising

and media value frompromos on TV networks

was placed from December through February.

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VIDEO STREAMERS STEP UP NATIONAL TV SPEND Premium video streamers’ national TV efforts have risen dramatically over the last three months — 47% higher in estimated paid spending and media value from TV on-air promos. In part, this is due to new entrants, but also to tout potential trophies as award season ramps up, Television News Daily reports. Nearly $910 million in total estimated paid advertising and media value from promos on TV networks was placed from December through February, according to iSpot.tv. That’s $369.2 million in paid-advertising and $540.8 million in media value from TV promos. The latter is an estimated media value from messaging on TV networks-based companies that also own premium video services. This is up from the previous three-month period — $617 million from September through November — with $406.5 million in paid ad spending and $210.5 million in estimated TV promo media value. The biggest paid spenders over the current period were Disney+ at $72.8 million; Amazon Prime Video, $58.6 million; Apple TV+, $56.5 million; Netflix, $37.9 million; Hulu, $19.6 million; and Discovery, $15.6 million. When adding in TV on-air promotions, the largest number of impressions has been for the new discovery+ service, which launched Jan. 4. It witnessed a dominant 37.3 billion, with much of it coming from ad messaging run on Discovery-owned TV networks.

THIS AND THAT Taking advantage of its new majority-stake ownership by TV set manufacturer LG Electronics, TV and media measurement company Alphonso is being rebranded as LG Ads. LG Ads will offer connected TV ad inventory on its smart TV platform — as well as TV data for activation, measurement and attribution across CTV, linear TV and digital — on 20 million U.S. smart TV and connected TV devices. Overall, on a worldwide basis, LG’s smart TV footprint is more than 120 million TV sets... Vizio yesterday filed its S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as the TV and soundbar maker heads toward an initial public offering. The filing reveals that Vizio has sold more than 80 million TVs and 11 million soundbars since the company’s founding. It sold 7.1 million TVs in 2020... Omnicom and Comscore have signed an extended agreement in which Comscore will provide privacy-safe e-commerce and audience behavioral data to Omni, the marketing operating system that supports Omnicom’s global network of agencies.

REPORT: CONSUMERS SAY THEIR CAUSES MATTER Consumers seem to put their “money where their mouth is” for their favorite causes, Campaign US reports. Eighty-two percent say they are willing to pay more if a brand supports social causes important to them, and 43% would pay double, according to a Vrity report that analyzed consumer sentiment on social media. In addition, 55% said they monitor brand values more now than a year ago and 37% would boycott brands for failing to take a stand on issues.