Most-searched Companies - November 2016

With an election and Thanksgiving in the month, it’s easy to forget that a lot of work got done. Whether you’re setting up business to close in early 2017 or trying to get some quick deals through before the end of the year, we couldn’t have had a wider variety of profile types in our top five for November. Here's a quick look at what prompted more of our customers to look at these profiles than any others.

DSW, Inc.

A campaign to pour your sole into.

In 2016, new CEO Roger Rawlins promoted Amy Stevenson to CMO (DailyVista report) and said the retailer will increase marketing resources to support a new product-focused strategy. The goal is to “amplify” DSW’s value proposition across all customer touchpoints. Stevenson will spearhead a “powerful campaign” to push boundaries this holiday season.

If you’re thinking that hitting up retailers as we head into holiday season is a bad idea, keep in mind that media moved to Dentsu Aegis's 360i over the summer. Creative remains in-house, but the 360i move shows the company is clearly willing to make changes where necessary—so creative agencies may see opportunities in the near future.

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1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.

Flowers set to grow; sweet opportunities on the horizon.

News of increasing revenues, but increasing losses, along with a projection of growth around 3 percent in fiscal 2017, may have led creative and media agencies to start hitting up the Long Island-based flowers and gourmet food delivery company.

If you factor in planning and buying cycles, growth goals and the Harry & David brand finally—maybe—making the turn in terms of its merchandise mix and store size, alert agencies may have a chance to be part of the “big opportunities” the company believes are headed its way.

AT&T, Inc.

Cellphone company wants all homes to be mobile.

In October, AT&T agreed to buy Time Warner. Then, right after Thanksgiving, AT&T announced it had good news for cord cutters by announcing pricing for DirecTV Now, a streaming TV service comparable to SlingTV and Playstation Vue. When you consider that Sprint dropped its creative AOR at the beginning of the month (DailyVista report), and AT&T replaced its CMO 18 months ago, it wouldn't be a huge leap of logic to think that there might be some agency opportunities ahead.

At the moment it’s not clear when or how these events might shake things up for AT&T and its agency relationships, but laying foundations to build relationships is never a bad thing.

The Wendy’s Company

Will this burger joint go frosty on its incumbents?

It’s been a busy year for the burger chain as they convert corporately owned locations into franchisees. The fast food company has played with Sriracha, Doritos and Cheetos with recent menu items, and rumor has it they’re looking to copy Carl’s Jr. in adding a beer-infused burger to the menu next year. And If that wasn’t enough, the key tag promotion for free Frostys will continue in 2017.

Most of its agency relationships are, depending on your point of view, well established or ready for an overhaul, and with the company planning in Q3, those opportunities might start hitting the grill in the next few weeks.

Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc.

This time it's personal(ization).

Like everyone else on black Friday, BB&B went shopping. Unlike everyone else, the homegoods retailer splashed around $190 million on PersonalizationMall.com, an ecommerce personalization platform. BB&B’s CEO Steven Temares said, “We are excited by the opportunity to leverage their advanced personalization and production capabilities to create additional omnichannel offerings across all of our concepts.”

Given that Bed Bath & Beyond does its planning in Q3 and its buying in Q2, interested agencies need to jump on the phone soon to give themselves enough time to put together a pitch that embraces how BB&B and PMall.com will work together.