The Wall Street Journal Offers Ad Recall Guarantee to Print Advertisers

The WSJ and Barron's will offer an unusual guarantee to print advertisers who take out an ad between April 1 and June 30, the company told Adweek in an exclusive.

The ad must achieve at least a 70% recall rate, a benchmark measured by Research and Analysis of Media (RAM), a third-party international research firm. If it doesn’t, those advertisers will be offered the same-size ad and placement for free within two weeks of the original ad’s run date.

Facebook rolled out Experiments, a way for marketers to combine the results of multiple types of tests of their ad campaigns in order to optimize their performance and develop a deeper understanding of their impact.

The social network said in a blog post that Experiments combines testing elements previously referred to as Test and Learn and Split Testing to give marketers on its platform a single place where they can A/B test campaigns, as well as measure conversions and brand lift.

Grazia, one of the U.K.’s most popular women’s magazines, has dedicated its latest edition to the National Health Service doctors, nurses and medical specialists battling to keep people alive.

The Bauer Media-owned weekly title has replaced its usual celebrity cover star with four female healthcare professionals.

Rubicon Project and Telaria closed their merger this morning, officially forming the largest independent supply-side platform on the market.

The company, which will announce a new name in the coming months, is coming together during the coronavirus pandemic that has put a strain on the global economy and caused ad budgets to shrink.

Following the completion of the deal, the combined company has $143 million cash on hand, and no debt. Michael Barrett, CEO of Rubicon Project, said having such a strong balance sheet is fortunate in these financially uncertain times.

The holding company said it is freezing new hires, reviewing freelance spend and stopping “discretionary” costs, which include travel, hotels and awards show payments. WPP is also postponing planned salary increases for 2020.

Members of WPP’s executive committee, as well as its board, have committed to taking a 20% reduction in their salaries or fees for an initial period of three months.

According to WPP, it predicts these changes will generate savings to the tune of 700-800 million pounds sterling ($869-$993 million) this year.

Marketers, already trying to tread lightly and sensitively with their communications in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, seem to have read the room. Brands, including Google, SodaStream, Honda, T-Mobile and Giphy, are skipping the annual “holiday,” even as they’ve made it a perennial and high-profile part of their advertising.