Microsoft met with Apple executives in 2020 to discuss the possibility of selling its search engine Bing, but the talks never progressed further.

Bing was the default search engine on Apple products from 2013 to 2017. Google took over after Apple chose Alphabet’s search engine as its preferred partner for iPhones, iPads, and other products. 

The news came out in the ongoing testimony in Federal Trade Commission (FTC) antitrust suit against Google.

Apple’s relationship with Bing was used as a “bargaining chip,” a Microsoft executive said this week during testimony in U.S. District Court.

“It is no secret that Apple is making more money on Bing existing than Bing does,'' Mikhail Parakhin, Microsoft's chief of advertising and web services, said during the trial, which began earlier this month. The U.S. Department of Justice accuses Google of using similar agreements to lock out search engines such as Yahoo, as well as smaller companies.

Google lawyer Ken Smurzynski questioned Parakhin, seeking to discredit one of the government’s key arguments -- Google’s existing market dominance allows it to collect massive amounts of user data to improve search results and widen its lead over competitors.

Artificial intelligence (AI), he alluded, lets search engines can improve results without relying on user data, reported the Associated Press. Marketers inherently know this is not true, and that data, even first-party data, is the backbone of the way AI processes information.

Branch Metrics Co-Founder Alexander Austin testified that Google's exclusive contracts with phone companies and manufacturers impeded his company's attempts to market a search engine, called Discovery, for apps on smartphones.

Austin said that in meetings with Samsung, the Android phone maker was worried Branch's tools would cause conflict with Google. Reuter reports Austin was later contacted by Samsung during a launch in 2019 and told, "Oh, we need to cut this functionality because Google says it's, like, in conflict or there's a risk to the contract.”

Austin’s company, Branch, had to ensure its searches remained within apps and never linked to the web. The company was forced to scale back on things its product could do to avoid interfering with lucrative agreements Google had with companies like Samsung and Verizon that had made Google’s search engine the default choice on digital devices.

Branch Metrics had hoped to do for smartphone apps what Google had done for searching the internet -- and to collect advertising revenue when users clicked on apps such as DoorDash, according to the Associated Press.

It meant that Branch Metrics could not monetize its search engine app, which Austin called an “injustice” to stop products like his company’s from not seeing “the light of day.”

The U.S. Department of Justice accuses Google of using agreements to lock out rival search engines and stifle innovation.

Honda is launching a brand campaign today that demonstrates how the company will “Keep Dreaming.” 

Creative from RPA includes a TV spot that takes viewers on a cinematic journey of the company’s environmental leadership, past, present and future. 

Fueled by its ongoing mantra, “The Power of Dreams,” Honda is committed to achieving a global goal of carbon neutrality – net zero emissions – for all products and corporate activities by 2050. 

The new campaign features the first-ever Honda brand mural, “Wall of Dreams,” debuting in New York and Los Angeles, showcasing Honda dreams that have moved and inspired people which includes an interactive augmented reality experience at hondawallofdreams.com.

Once the QR code is activated, the mural comes to life in an outward explosion of 3D AR animation. At eye-level, visitors will experience narrative Honda stories from the “Wall of Dreams” mural that burst through their mobile device. 

Debuting in New York City and Los Angeles, the Honda Wall of Dreams will include high-impact out-of-home placements which can be seen in New York’s Times Square as well as Downtown Los Angeles, the famous corner at Hollywood & Highland and The Grove.

The 60-second spot, directed by the Academy Award-nominated Smith & Foulkes, continues building brand momentum following the recent “Forever Determined” and “Origin of Determination” Honda commercials. 

The campaign also introduces Honda’s first all-electric SUV, the 2024 Prologue, while highlighting some of the company’s most important breakthroughs in lowering emissions over the past 50 years, as well as a glimpse at some of Honda’s most extraordinary future innovations. 

The 2024 Honda Prologue is the first all-electric SUV from Honda, spacious, adventure-ready and anticipated 300 miles of range.

The new spot is a testament to the power of determination that has always guided Honda, says Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president, American Honda marketing. 

“The power of brands will be more important than ever in the electrified future," Laudermilk tells Marketing Daily. "So, as we prepare to bring Prologue to market, it’s important that not only our current customers, but new, younger buyers understand what the Honda brand is all about – and Honda’s commitment to creating innovative mobility products, that help better people’s lives.”

Featuring John Cena’s voiceover – the official voice of the Honda brand – and set to the soundtrack of “Edge of the Edge" by Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, the 60-second TV spot features many iconic and electrified Honda products, as well as future innovations.

Vehicles included in the spot are a 1975 Honda Civic featuring the CVCC engine. It was the first engine to meet strict emissions standards of the U.S. Clean Air Act without use of a catalytic converter. Also shown is the 1999 Honda Insight (the first hybrid-electric car sold in America) and the 2008 Honda FCX Clarity (Honda’s zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered vehicle, and next-generation of the world's first production fuel cell car.)            

The media plan includes broadcast television and streaming to contextual digital media partnerships, as well as social media and in-cinema to reach a wide variety of audiences. Programming includes high-profile sports in NHL, NBA Opening Night game, top-rated NFL and NCAA college football. The campaign also will be featured on Hispanic media, including broadcast, streaming, digital and social. 

TikTok has recently faced pushback from its biggest market for TikTok Shop, the face of the platform’s expanding e-commerce push. But despite the backlash, the social-media platform is testing a new in-app wallet that could help simplify users’ in-app purchases through a centralized payments tracking platform that includes a currency native to TikTok.

“TikTok has a new 'Balance' feature,” wrote app researcher Matt Navarra on X. “A virtual TikTok wallet to manage your rewards, coins, and transactions.”

Navarra’s screenshots of the tested feature display the new centralized payment space where TikTok users will be able to track all of their in-app transactions, rewards, and TikTok Coins –– the platform's own in-app currency.

According to the test, users can exchange their Coins for virtual items they can then give to their favorite creators in the app, similar to Reddit's system of gold and karma upvote system, or Meta's Stars in-app currency.

“Find your rewards from Live, Creator Fund, subscriptions, and more,” the screenshot reads, under the image of a credit card.

The test features and the TikTok credit card image will likely raise concerns among governments and regulators worried about the popular social platform providing a direct channel for China-owned businesses to infiltrate local economies.

On Monday, Indonesia introduced new rules that will prohibit social-media companies from facilitating direct e-commerce payments on their platforms as a means of keeping the country’s small to medium businesses intact.

The decision, directed at TikTok's parent company ByteDance, mandates that companies will be able to advertise their products on the platform but not conduct direct transactions –– the main driver of TikTok’s new shopping offering.

In fact, TikTok is currently the only social-media company that allows direct e-commerce transactions on its platform.

“Social commerce was born to solve a real world problem for local traditional small sellers, by matching them with local creators who can help drive traffic to their online shops,” a TikTok Indonesia spokesperson said in a statement. “While we respect local laws and regulations, we hope that the regulations take into account its impact on the livelihoods of more than 6 million sellers and close to 7 million affiliate creators who use TikTok Shop.”

As Indonesia –– its first and largest market for TikTok Shop –– will no longer be the blueprint TikTok originally hoped it would be for further expansion into additional markets, like the U.S., TikTok is still continuing with its e-commerce push via the centralized wallet feature.

Samsung Ads, the advertising arm of Samsung Electronics, announced Wednesday a partnership with global advertising and marketing technology company Epsilon to offer brands advanced TV audience data, reach across its network, precision activation, and measurement. 

“The market is placing a strong emphasis on ad-tech data platforms and solutions for better decision-making, campaign execution, and insights,” said Courtney Howell, head of agency development at Samsung Ads. “Epsilon's wide range of data sources, such as customer first-party and CRM data, proprietary data, and third-party data, enhance the capabilities of agency planning and buying tools to deliver exceptionally successful campaigns.”

CTV advertising is forecast to reach $25.9 billion in 2023 -- up 13.2% compared with 2022, according to GroupM’s mid-year forecast.

Audiences based on the partnership are created from Epsilon’s demographic and transactional data, and a brand’s first-party data. Advertisers can use the segments across Samsung’s smart TV, connected TV (CTV), mobile inventory, and across the smart TV ecosystem in the U.S.

Howell said this partnership is significant in light of industry trends shifting toward data-driven audience-based buying, departing from traditional age and gender targeting. It also aligns with the focus on addressability and addressable-driven media executions and measurement.

Partnerships like this one will become more important as the advertising industry prepares to operate in a world without third-party cookies and identifiers.

First-party data plays a pivotal role in this announcement by serving as the foundation for precise ad targeting and campaign execution, she said. It enables the creation of custom segments.

This partnership represents a “milestone” for Samsung Ads. “We refer to this relationship as a ‘milestone’ because our integration marks a significant advancement in our partnership with Publicis Groupe,” she said. “This milestone offers seamless activation for all Samsung partners, streamlines operations, enhances efficiency, and grants access to an extensive third-party data set.”

This new integration offers a direct one-on-one match to enhance precision and eliminate the need for third-party data or cross-walk processes by using Epsilon segments. It boosts efficiency and delivers cost savings and streamlines operational processes, providing additional value, she said.

Ads are measured using standard Samsung measurement protocols with leading measurement partners and vary depending on campaign objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), desired outcomes, and other relevant factors. 

Epsilon's consumer database supports insights into about 250 million verified U.S. consumers. The amount of consumer data give brands the opportunity to recognize and reach each person with the right message across channels and measure campaign performance while ensuring consumer data is respected and protected at the highest levels, the company said. 

Samsung Ads earlier this month expanded its relationship with Publica, a CTV ad server owned by Integral Ad Science (IAS), announced a renewed global partnership with Samsung Ads. ACR data, a provider of advanced TV advertising solutions, will power this relationship, which aims to give advertisers enhanced buying techniques similar to those of linear TV.

This includes competitive separation, and frequency management, the companies said. 

Fortnite developer Epic Games on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to hear an appeal of a ruling dismissing the company's antitrust claims against Apple.

The move comes in a battle dating to the summer of 2020, when Epic sued Apple over app store policies that required game developers to use Apple's payment platform for in-app purchases, and charged a 30% commission. (Apple currently charges smaller developers with less than $1 million in revenue a 15% commission.)

Epic claimed Apple monopolizes the iOS app distribution market, and unlawfully forces developers to use its payment processing system.

Apple countered that its restrictive policies protect users security and privacy.

U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California largely sided with Apple. She ruled Epic hadn't proven its antitrust claims, but also found that Apple's anti-steering policies -- which prohibited developers from offering in-app links to outside payment platforms -- violated California's unfair competition law.

Both companies then appealed to the 9th Circuit, which upheld Rogers' ruling.

Epic is now asking the Supreme Court to take up the case, essentially arguing that Rogers and the 9th Circuit gave too much weight to Apple's justifications for its policies, and too little weight to the impact those policies had on competition.

Apple is also expected to appeal Rogers' finding that anti-steering provisions ran afoul of California's law against unfair competition.

Marketers have sought to reach audiences whose media-consumption habits have changed drastically in the past 10 years. Consumers have more internet-connected devices such as smart TVs and mobile phones, and they’re dividing their time among multiple channels and apps.

In this environment, most advertising professionals (89.5%) said a unified view …

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“There are ample indicators that social media can… have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents,” stated a May advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General.

Also in May, the Surgeon General issued an advisory about America’s “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.”

Now, upstart social media app Wizz claims it can combat teenage loneliness and anxiety, in a YouTube ad campaign launching Sept. 28, in the U.S. and UK. Targeted to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the campaign features a 30-second video running via in-stream and bumper ads, both skippable and non-skippable. Three to five more spots are planned, which will run through December.

“Our ad concept revolves around the idea that ‘even when you’re alone, you’re with friends,’” says Aymeric Roffé, chief executive officer of Wizz, in a statement. “Many of today’s teens spent as many as two of their most formative years away from friends and peers during COVID lockdown. This took a toll on their social skills and interpersonal experiences. Our goal is to show that they’re not alone – literally or figuratively – by putting a world of friends at their fingertips.”

The spot also taps into teen’s FOMO, with a voiceover that says “Wizz. Chat now or miss out.”

The ad opens with a despondent-looking teenager settling on to her bed, when she receives a notification from a contact on Wizz. Once she opens the app, on-screen graphics show a world of Wizz possibilities -- from meeting new friends, discovering music, trading gaming tips, and sharing bits of her life. As the video nears its end, the girl is happily eating popcorn, as her energy now matches a pink neon sign on her wall that reads “Good Vibes.”

The creative comes from the Biborg agency, which like Wizz is based in Paris.

Wizz, which has had 16 million downloads since mobile game maker Voodoo launched it in 2019, and now has 1.5 million daily users, says the new campaign was inspired by feedback from thousands of users who completed a one-question, in-app survey which asked them to share their best experience and/or reasons for using the app.

“Users shared their feelings of isolation, social anxiety and low confidence,” the brand says, adding that they also cited Wizz’s role “in helping them meet new friends, finding people with common interests, increasing their confidence, dealing with social anxiety or introversion, combating boredom and loneliness, and learning about people in other parts of the world.”

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, was never a big fan of search engines and ecommerce. If he had been, Apple engineers would have built a search engine in its early days for its computers, and much later, for its mobile phones.

Wozniak, who is credited with creating the first personal computer, barely mentioned the topic of search engines and ecommerce back in 2015 during at National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) keynote in Anaheim, California.  

At the time, Wozniak told attendees he would rather go into a store to touch and feel the merchandise than search and buy the product online, and gave an example of going into a physical music store to play an instrument.

Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services, in his testimony in federal court Tuesday shed light on the contract the company has with Google, and said there are no plans to create its own search engine to rival Google.

He said that there wasn’t “anybody as good’’ as Google at helping phone and computer users search the internet.

The landmark court cases could bring major changes for search advertising and ecommerce. But while the Department of Justice argues the deal was illegal, Apple said it was just giving consumers the best product.

When Cue renegotiated the service agreement with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in 2016, one goal was to get Google to increase the revenue share percentage it pays to Apple, Cue said in his testimony. And under these terms, Google pays an undisclosed cut of the net revenue it makes from advertising on searches run on Apple devices.

The U.S. Justice Department is trying to prove that Google has overstepped its authority by taking advantage of its dominance in which it facilitates about 90% of online searches. Google’s conversation with companies like Apple was used to maintain market share. The company’s executives have defended its position by saying its product is superior. Others apparently feel the same.

Google has a financial agreement in place with Apple to become the default search engine on its products at a cost of more than $9 billion annually. Google also pays Apple advertising revenue. This fiscal year, Google could pay Apple as much as $19 billion, according to an estimate from Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi.

Cue in court defended Apple’s decision to make Google the default search engine, saying there was no “valid alternative.’’ And, in fact, Apple executives have been saying that for years.

Speaking at the D8 conference in 2018, Jobs pushed back when someone tried to call Siri a search company.

“They're not a search company,” he said. “They're an AI company. We have no plans to go into the search business. We don't care about it -- other people do it well.”

Jobs was both accurate and inaccurate. Siri, in a sense, is a search engine in that it has the ability to find information, but in the technical sense it does not support an index of information.

When asked if he viewed Google as a competitor, Jobs said “They decided to compete with us. We didn't go into the search business.”

Five years later, details of the Google’s strategies with Apple are spilling into the public domain. Testimony has provided a rare look into how Google cements deals, as The Wall Street Journal points out. Apple is not the only company coming into focus in Google’s trial.

Samsung Electronics also has been in the spotlight as a partner that has been key to making its search engine the default choice on many smartphones worldwide.

Google clashed with Samsung about changes it made to its mobile web browser that made it easier for users to switch default search engines, according to the WSJ, citing testimony from Antonio Rangel, a behavioral economics professor called by the DOJ.

Google protested, telling Samsung it had violated their agreement, and the phone maker rolled back the change, Rangel said.

Reportedly, there also were missed opportunities. Smartphone carriers AT&T and Verizon made Yahoo and Microsoft’s Bing, respectively, default choices on Android phones, and Google lost deals to Yahoo because it wouldn’t match the rival’s greater revenue split. Instead, he tried to convince potential partners they could make more money with Google because it had the superior product, Rangel said.