In my latest Digital Digest from September 1st, I talk about how Meta let AI versions of celebrities like Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson flirt on its platforms without permission. I also discuss the so far failed AI advertising on Perplexity – and DOOH, which is rocking Hall 8 at DMEXCO 2025 in Cologne.
Happy reading!
Yours, Verena
🤥 Meta let chatbots of Taylor Swift & Co. flirt without permission
Meta has created chatbots of celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson and Anne Hathaway without permission, which flirted on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp – and pretended to be the real stars. The AI bots produced some intimate images and made sexual advances. Bots were also created for underage actors. After inquiries from Reuters, Meta deleted about a dozen bots and cited policy violations. >>> Reuters
🙅 AI advertising: A flop so far at Perplexity
AI startup Perplexity has lost its head of advertising, Taz Patel, after only nine months. The reason for his departure: The advertising business has proven to be a flop so far – since generating only $20,000 in revenue in Q4 2024, little progress has been made. Despite rising user numbers and $100 million in annual revenue, advertising marketing is lagging far behind the media hype. >>> Adweek
🥒 Gen Z is crazy about pickles and dill: How brands are responding
Gen Z is driving an astonishing pickle trend. 30 percent of the young target group loves pickles, sales have recently risen by 20 percent. TikTok-viral chamoy pickles and celebrities like Dua Lipa are fueling the hype. Brands are responding: Sonic created pickle burgers, Popeyes offered pickle menus. Three PR lessons: social media monitoring for early trend detection, authentic brand collaborations and supporting rather than overwriting community content for greater credibility. >>> AdAge (€)
⁉️ Curious Nvidia figures: Two customers account for 39 percent of sales
AI chip manufacturer Nvidia published surprising figures: Just two anonymous major customers, referred to as "Customer A" and "Customer B", recently generated 39 percent of quarterly sales (23 percent and 16 percent, respectively). These "direct customers" are presumably device manufacturers or system integrators, not end users such as Microsoft or Google. Analysts see this as a risk, as the loss of one customer would have serious consequences. >>> TechCrunch
🌮 Taco Bell: Customers don’t want to talk to AI
US fast food chain Taco Bell is rethinking its use of AI at drive-through counters after technical glitches and customer resistance. The chain has been using AI ordering systems in over 500 US stores since 2024, but viral videos showed absurd errors such as 18,000 water cup orders. According to surveys, customers prefer human service. McDonald’s also failed with IBM AI that added bacon to ice cream sundaes. Taco Bell is now planning a flexible hybrid approach. >>> Wallstreet Journal / YouTube
🚀 DMEXCO 2025: DOOH takes over Hall 8
DOOH will have a bigger presence than ever before at DMEXCO 2025 on September 17 and 18 in Cologne. Hall 8 will become a DOOH temple with two stages: The "DOOH Summit" will offer four sessions on media convergence and programmatic advertising. The "DOOH World" will present 30+ slots on AI, retail DOOH and omnichannel. In addition, there will be 700m² of networking zones. The DOOH highlights at DMEXCO are being created in cooperation with partners such as Ströer, Wall and AdVision. >>> DMEXCO
🧑💼 LinkedIn: The 20 most influential CMOs in Germany
There is a new LinkedIn ranking of the top CMOs in Germany. About You CEO Tarek Müller leads with 39,047 followers, followed by Lufthansa CMO Olivier Krueger and Axa brand manager Ulrike Decoene. Otto CEO Marc Opelt wins the overall ranking thanks to his strong engagement rate. It is noteworthy that only 31 of the 78 companies analyzed even have a CMO position. Expert Marina Zayats calls for more LinkedIn activity from marketing executives. >>> Horizont (€)
🤱 Mom influencers: Criticism of business model grows louder
The lucrative business model of family influencers is coming under increasing fire. While "momfluencers" such as Caroline Philipp, with 300,000 followers, market supposedly authentic family moments, experts warn that this could endanger the welfare of children. Critics complain about the lack of regulation in Germany – unlike in France or the US, there are no protective laws. Advertisers should respect children’s rights. >>> Spiegel (€)
🧑🎄 Christmas shopping report: When does the big shopping spree actually start?
Christmas shopping starts earlier than expected: An eBay report shows that 10 percent start as early as August. Half start in October. Women plan earlier than men (13 percent vs. 3 percent early starters). Generation Z waits until December (54 percent). The budget in Germany will remain stable in 2025, with 75 percent spending the same amount or more. Jewelry and toys are early starter categories, while fashion is only in demand from the end of October. >>> Textilwirtschaft (€)
🥬 Joybuy: False start for JD.com's MediaMarkt competitor
The Chinese group JD.com has launched "Joybuy", a poorly translated e-commerce platform in Germany – just as it is planning to take over MediaMarkt/Saturn’s parent company Ceconomy. Experts criticize the "technically amateurish" implementation with a chaotic assortment of electronics and food. Product descriptions are clumsily translated from English, important ingredients in food products are only shown as photos of Chinese packaging. The product photos look like random images generated by AI. >>> Handelsblatt (€)
