2020 has continued to bring big changes for brands in the marketing and advertising world. Catch up on all the stories you need to read in our Weekly Must Reads.

Quibi Quits After Six Months

After months of declining viewership, mobile streaming service Quibi has officially announced they are shutting down. Although the app initially raised more than $1 billion in capital and was launched as “the next generation of storytelling,” they were unable to stand out from other digital services and create compelling content. The Gen-Zers and young millennials Quibi targeted weren’t interested in their A-lister creators, and with no options to share videos on social platforms, they were never able to catch on the way video platforms TikTok and Snapchat did.

Experts wonder if Quibi’s downfall is the first sign of over-saturation in the video and streaming service market. With most other competing apps offering free mobile content, it may be difficult for new ventures to convince users to pay for their videos. Check out the full story to find out where Quibi went wrong here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/quibi-calls-it-quits-key-takeaways-from-a-lesson-in-how-not-to-build-a-str/587550/

YouTube’s Political Advertising Scramble

While other social media platforms have limited or banned political advertisements, Google-owned YouTube has continued to sell spots to candidates’ campaigns. In fact, the platform has been so flooded with political ad spend they they’ve been able to place just one fourth of the total spots requested. Most political campaigns are targeting similar audiences in the same critical swing states, with a specific interest in the limited number of ads that can’t be skipped.

YouTube has seen particularly high viewership throughout the pandemic, which drove politicians’ interest in the platform. As a whole, Google has sold more than $139 million in US political advertising in the past month. Learn more about YouTube’s handling of political advertisements here: https://adage.com/article/media/youtube-so-flooded-political-ads-it-cant-place-them-all/2289431

How the Pandemic Will Affect Super Bowl Advertising

The COVID-19 pandemic has already wreaked havoc on the NFL season, and it appears it may also scare away some brands from advertising during the Super Bowl. Avocados from Mexico, which has created commercials for the last six Super Bowl games, announced last week they would not be buying a spot this year. Although most experts still expect many brands to release commercials for the big game, it is unlikely that they will sell out of spots by Thanksgiving, as has happened in recent years.

Because some companies will choose to pass on their usual Super Bowl commercial, it does open up opportunities for disrupting brands to take their spot. Last month, Postmates became the official food delivery partner of the NFL, so expect them and other pandemic-friendly brands to take advantage of their moment. Read on about early Super Bowl advertising predictions here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/avocados-from-mexico-ends-6-year-super-bowl-ad-streak/587370/

Expect Record Retail Sales on Singles Day

China’s Singles Day is the largest shopping day on Earth, and this year, sales are expected to once again break records. Ecommerce retailer Alibaba, which is the unofficial leader of Singles Day, has extended the shopping event to more than three weeks of sales, culminating on the official event day November 11. Alibaba expects more than 250,000 brands and 800 million shoppers to participate this year, and experts predict they’ll reach a record-breaking $39 billion in sales.

In China, the coronavirus has started to become a fading memory, as infection numbers have been flattened and masks are no longer required in public. As a result, Chinese citizens are optimistic and ready to celebrate with Singles Day. Here in the US, the news is not as positive. COVID-19 cases are still on the rise, and Black Friday sales this year are projected to decline from the record numbers of 2019. Find out more details about the holiday shopping events here: https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/singles-day-2020-record-revenge-shopping-china/